Many organisational experts champion the benefits of having an ongoing donation box, usually in your bedroom, or another location in your home to help keep it clutter free. While it may take up a small amount of space in your house, it will save you lots in the long term, here’s why…
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Things can be put in it right away: As soon as something has been identified as unwanted or unloved, it can be placed in the donation bin at that very moment. It doesn’t have the chance to linger on a surface and risk being put back where it came from because it has been separated from the things that are staying.
Once the box is full, you know it’s time for a trip: If you choose a bin that is the equivalent size of a decent shopping bag, you know your donation will be a worthwhile trip when it’s full. If this is once a week, so be it, but if it’s once every quarter, you won’t be inundated with piles of things taking over your home because when the bin is full you know you need to take action.
It doesn’t look unsightly: A bin will contain everything you don’t want in an aesthetically pleasing way. Piles of small bags at the bottom of your wardrobe doesn’t spark joy when you throw back the doors to choose and outfit for the day. You can even get one that blends in with the other bins or baskets that you use to organise the inside of your closet so it doesn’t stand out.
It’s a central location for your entire family: If you let everyone in your household know where the bin is, they can adopt the same mentality and pop anything in there when they realise they don’t want or need it anymore. This will save you from having to sort through their things on a separate occasion, which only makes more work and who needs that?!
Bins can be placed in every bedroom in your house: If you feel one bin for everyone is not enough and you don’t trust your family to use yours, you could place one in the bottom of everyone’s wardrobe so they fill their own box at their leisure. They can come to you when it's full so you can donate it on their behalf or take them to the donation centre with you so they can pass it on themselves.
It reduces the need for large clear outs: if you don’t have the time or the inclination for large decluttering projects, this is a slow and steady approach that still has the desired effect, without taking up huge chunks of time. That way you can spend your weekends doing something more fun than the annual spring clean and clear out.
An empty donation box inspires you to fill it: You can set yourself little goals such as ‘I must fill the box to the top every month or three months’. This will encourage you to look around your home for things that will help you to achieve the challenge you have set for yourself. Pieces you may ordinarily miss, but when you establish this habit, it will become second nature to seek out items to purge.
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