Getting Rid of Excess Crap

This past Saturday was "the big move"-- my fiance brought most of his (fully-furnished) apartment to my (already-too-cluttered) condo! This has meant a furious couple of days of CULLING my crap RUTHLESSLY. (Perhaps I should have started earlier... um... in addition to being cheap I'm also a terrible procrastinator!)

My place was originally furnished through family hand-me-downs (some heirlooms, some just extra junk!) and street finds. Many of my things I can't just get rid of because my mother would absolutely murder me (not that she has the space to store them either, sigh). So those, we work around. The others, though, to the curb they go! And as far as clothes, I am applying the "do I really LOVE this?" rule. It's amazing how many things can be pitched if love is the criterion, not just "like" or "think I might wear someday." I bagged up and brought at least 20 full bags to the garage for charity pickup (I have neither the time nor energy to attempt making any money off of any of it).

Er, pardon my thumb in the corner there but WHOA! Look at all that crap.

For smaller amounts of crap, I recommend dropping off at your local Goodwill (make sure to get a receipt for taxes!) or one of those drop-boxes in parking lots (no tax write-off there, though). If you've got a lot of crap and no car, like me, you can contact any of several charities who will come right to your house and grab it to sell in their thrift stores, leaving a blank receipt for you to enter your estimated fair market value, so you can save some dough and do good at the same time:

Vietnam Veterans of America
AmVets (pickup only available in certain states)
Salvation Army (OK, kind of a freaky religious cult but whatever floats your boat)
Big Brother Big Sister (no furniture though)
Lupus Foundation
Brides against Breast Cancer (donate your dust-gathering gown for a good cause! This one's by mail)

These are just a few examples; you can probably find another service for a pet cause of your own with some simple googling.

Other options are craigslist, if you actually want to make a few dollars and you have the patience to email back and forth and wait for people to show up (not I!) and freecycle, and of course the classic "leave-it-on-the-curb-until-some-enterprising-person-makes-off-with-it." Or maybe you could host a swap with your friends! Or a yard/tag/garage sale (depending on which area of the country you live in-- aren't regional colloqiualisms fascinating??) if you have the fortitude.

I realized in this process that I really need to stop buying things that are "almost" perfect. I mean, I knew that, but honestly, so much wasted money is represented in these bags: no matter how inexpensive any given item is, I didn't need any of them and they were never really worth my time or the expenditure. No more of that!

What's your favorite way to get rid of stuff you don't use anymore?

Happy culling!

How You Can Help Haiti

It's sobering to think about the tragedy of the recent disaster in Haiti, when most of us would much rather just have shopping and our own petty problems on the brain. Bloggers like Fashion for the Economically Challenged have posted about their efforts to divert some of their "fun money" to charity-- a great idea indeed. Here at Thrifty Stylist Boston there has already been a (not well-adhered-to) ban on buying new clothes... but there are still holes in our wardrobe and we honestly believe we need the occasional Goodwill trip in order to get through the work week. But, because we're generally so frugal, we do feel in a position to donate to the aid effort. If you are able, here are some terrific ways you can give.

First, for the sake of a few PICTURES in this wordy blog, check out the new Etsy shop HeartsForHaiti, where over 1500 items have already been sold and another 900 have been donated so far to raise money for relief efforts. Proceeds are going to Doctors Without Borders, whose facilities in Haiti were destroyed in the earthquake and therefore need your help more than ever. Our favorite items include

This gorgeous embroidered skirt from Malam in Paris:

...and this beautiful tree print from TheHauntedHollowTree in Pennsylvania:

Work is coordinating an employee donation program with a corporate match (organized by a new employee-- ask at work if your company hasn't pledged to help and maybe they will do the same!). We will be donating the proceeds to Partners In Health, a "grass-roots" health organization that has already been working in Haiti for many years.

If you want to choose another organization, make sure you check it on a charity rating list such as Charity Navigator, so that you can be sure the largest percentage of your gift will reach the intended recipients. Contrary to popular belief, the American Red Cross is one of the lower-rated groups with only three stars (out of four).

Another terrific idea is to participate in a microloan program. You may have heard of Kiva, where you can pledge to donate or just lend $25 or more to help fund a specific entrepreneur and help to pull them out of poverty. With an incredible repayment rate (almost no defaults) and a "teach a man to fish rather than hand him a fish" mentality, it's one of the most exciting organizations around. While Kiva does not have any current loans in Haiti, check out a similar organization called FINCA, currently working in Haiti and rated four stars. One of the most fascinating features on the FINCA site is the "impact calculator" which allows you to estimate the prolonged benefits your donation may have.

Whether you save some of your shopping money or donate out of savings you already have, please make an effort to help-- Haiti is one of the most impoverished nations on Earth and will not be able to recover without massive relief efforts. If you've already donated please leave a comment sharing your favorite charity!

Happy helping!