Donating to Goodwill

Before any bins and containers can even be bought, there are a few things that need to happen first:
1. What is your vision for your room? If you don't know what you want to do with it, it's harder to focus your efforts. When you're not sure of your vision, you can at least start out with "what do I NOT want it to look like?"

2. Who is going to use the room and for what functions will the room be used? Develop zones based on these answers. Think big-box stores: when you need something, you know that there's a section of the store for that. The same needs to happen in any room.

3. What are your boundaries for storage? How much space are you willing to give to your books, your crafts, your clothes, or whatever the space might be? Space is finite. You need to decide how much of it you will use for storage and how much of the walls and floors you want to be able to see.

4. Schedule time for your decluttering based on how you work. Do you work best in 4-hour marathon sessions or 15 minutes at a time? Whichever way works for you, get it on your calendar. If it's there, you'll do it.

5. If the amount of stuff in an area overwhelms you, cover everything with sheets and focus on one square foot at a time. Walk into the room, turn to the right of the doorway, and start with that first square foot. Slowly work your way along the wall, uncovering the sheets as you go.
By planning ahead and having a vision for your room, decluttering becomes much easier. As you start to get organized for 2012, be sure to donate your gently used household items to your local Goodwill! Click here to find a donation station nearest you.
- Helene Segura, M.A. Ed., CPO, CPES, is an Organizing and Productivity Expert. As a Certified Professional Organizer and Certified Productive Environment Specialist, the owner of LivingOrder San Antonio (www.LivingOrderSA.com) helps clients get control of their stressful living and working spaces by teaching them how to understand their core issues causing disorganization and thereby prevent it in the future. She coaches clients in person or via telephone, conducts informative organizing workshops for larger groups, and is an organizing expert for Rubbermaid Personalized Organizing Powered by The Clutter Diet. Helene is the author of Less Stress for Teachers: More Time & An Organized Classroom.

Most people know Thanksgiving is just around the corner. What most people don't know is that there is another holiday that is just as important.

America Recycles Day! What better way to celebrate than by partaking in a little recycling, by donating to Goodwill? We are always in need of housewares such as furniture, antiques, tools and much more! Click here for a list of items we accept. We even take old electronics. Salvageable items are refurbished to meet functionality standards and then resold at our stores. Last year alone we recycled 2.4 million pounds or computers and related equipment.

But we are no stranger to recycling. For over 65 years, our organization has been an environmental leader in the San Antonio community. We recycle virtually any kind of household item, from clothes and curtains to couches and computers. Recycling these types of materials keeps over 12 million pounds of items out of San Antonio landfills each year.

Ready to donate & celebrate America Recycles Day? Click here to find the donation station closest to you. Tell us how you plan on celebrating today by connecting with us on Facebook or Twitter.

As the Holiday season approaches, now is a great time to sift through last year's decorations and donate items you are no longer needing. Click Here for a list of items we gladly accept.

Goodwill of San Antonio is working to receive more of your donations through events like LiveGreenFest and the BBB Shred Day, in addition to our donation stations and stores located throughout S. Texas. Clothes, shoes, furniture, electronics, computers and now TV's are accepted!

Last year, Goodwill helped place 1,900 people into jobs with an estimated earnings impact of $46 million dollars! Also, 125 people graduated from our Good Careers Academy with each grad expected to earn $500,000 more in their lifetime! This is definitely sharing our Mission of helping to change lives through the power of work.