I have always been an advocate for recycling. Although I am not always convinced of its financial viability, I am fully convinced of its value as a means of increasing public awareness of the cost of our consumerism. In the more than 20 years that I have been in the organizing profession, I have never heard anyone complain that their problem organizing was that they did not have enough “stuff.”

It doesn’t seem like getting rid of things should be such a difficult subject, but in my own experience and in the lives of clients, it often is. I’ve spent countless hours listening to customers justify why they need to put away clothes they haven’t worn in ten years, utensils they aren’t sure how to use, appliances that need repair, artwork they don’t even like, and of course, of course! Of course, old magazines that you are sure to read one day!

If you have enough space and are willing to pay the price in space and energy, it is possible to keep it all. But if you can’t find what you need today because you’re stumbling over what you might need tomorrow, the price may be more than you should be willing to pay. Recycling is usually a great solution.

It’s amazing how many ways you can find to recycle things that you are not using. Homeless shelters desperately need towels and bedding. Preschool programs can use calendars with beautiful pictures. Local schools are often delighted to have used computer equipment. The Lions Club collects glasses for people who cannot afford them. (How many pairs do you have in your dresser drawer?)

My mother had a huge pile of monkeys that my father no longer used, but he didn’t know anyone who needed them. He didn’t dare throw them away, so he put them in a box in the attic. One day he heard a woman on the radio say that she wanted to buy a jumpsuit because she used the bibs to make sweaters that she sold to raise money for her favorite charity. He didn’t even care if the overalls had holes in them, because he covered them with trims and trimmings. My mother was delighted to find a home for the overalls, and also to receive a check for $ 10! (A note of caution: don’t fall into the trap of looking for the perfect recipient – organizations like Goodwill Industries can use just about anything and will give you a receipt for a tax deduction.)