As a Professional Organizer, I’ve found that one of the best ways to get people to let go of clutter and other items is to find what motivates them.  Some people are motivated by money or by time, and some are motivated by helping others.  Often people acknowledge that they don’t need or want certain items, but are hesitant to just throw or give them away when ‘they might come in handy someday’.

When I received this bulletin from Hope Alliance (a local shelter for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault) last month, I knew that it would be a great way to not only help people get rid of items they didn’t need but couldn’t let go of, but also to give to a very worthy cause. So I “organized” a Toiletry Drive with the help of a couple of local businesses, allowing people to easily drop off items that meant little to them but would make a big difference to someone else in their community. Just running the drive for two weeks, we collected over 200 items and inspired someone else to do a drive of their own.

Likewise, there are probably a variety of organizations in your area that would be overjoyed to receive usable items that are currently just clutter in your clients’ homes, either through individual donations or a similar local drive.  Many women’s shelters need unused toiletry items (things like toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products, and bottles of shampoo and lotion) and old cell phones to give to women without resources of their own.  There are charities that hand out well-cared-for toys to children whose lives have been turned upside-down by disaster or illness.  And most animal rescues would be happy to take those towels that no longer match your decor, toys that didn’t catch Fido’s interest, or the hamster cage that’s been gathering dust in the attic since the kids were young.

If you have a client who is reluctant to give, then you may want to contact a shelter or community center in your area and find out what kind of items they collect.  This could be the key to helping your clients have a breakthrough and start letting go for a cause that means something to them.