By Araceli Gaona
April 2017 | 2017 Spring Newsletter
As spring blooms around us, many of us are inspired with spring cleaning activities to make a fresh start. Spring is a great time to dig through closets and shelves to gather and donate unwanted or unneeded items to charitable organizations, creating a cleaner and safer environment for you and your provider.
Over time, it’s easy to acquire items that “we might need down the road,” or to hold on to clothes that “might fit later.” However, a simple collection of items can quickly turn into a mountain of belongings that may block pathways or interfere with moving through your home safely and easily.
A cluttered environment can lead to accidents from trips or falls, causing injury to you or your provider. Also, emergency personnel may have a difficult time getting to you in a time of need. Clutter can also increase dust and other irritants that can cause respiratory (breathing) problems.
When your possessions start to negatively affect your daily functioning, relationships, and/or quality of life, you may want to consider donating items to a charity of your choice; bringing joy to someone else! Ask yourself when was the last time you looked at, wore, used, or enjoyed an item. If it has been longer than a year, you may not need it anymore, and could consider donating it to friends/ family or an organization.
Here are some charitable organizations that are happy to accept your donations:
- The Salvation Army– sanjosearc.salvationarmy.org/
- Goodwill– goodwill.org
- Hope Services– schedule a pickup by visiting hopeservices.org
- Donation Town – schedule a free pickup by visiting donationtown.org
Try these tips to help with your spring cleaning:
- Set reasonable goals; work on one small area at a time to create a usable space
- Set aside time every day to clean, organize, and sort unneeded items
- Limit bringing new items into your home unless they are truly needed
- Be easy on yourself! Change can be challenging – and rewarding. Spring cleaning can offer a fresh start
- Clean at your own pace
Everyone’s home and situation is different. However, if your belongings are interfering with your quality of life, use the above tips to reduce the clutter in your home. In turn, you’ll create a pleasant environment that promotes safety, health, and comfort for both you and your care provider.