Giving Away with an Ice Cream Toast

Summer months are great for lazy, hazy relaxing days soaking in the sunshine, drinking lemonade, and eating mint chocolate chip ice cream! But as a mature person of a certain age, I know I shouldn’t indulge in my ice cream fantasies like I used to.

Still, July is National Ice Cream month — and July 15 is National Give Something Away Day. So at least I will “lift our cones” to that!
According to Giving USA, in the United States, giving rose in all nine major categories in 2016:

• Religion
• Education
• Human services
• Giving to foundations
• Health and public-society benefit
• Arts
• Culture and humanities
• International affairs
• Environment and animals

Giving benefits us all. It improves our community and provides much-needed services and assistance to the underserved.

Donors also benefit: Giving makes us feel good and teaches gratitude. When we give financial gifts, goods, skills, and/or services, we lift others up. Even our words can be a gift. Showing empathy, encouragement, and compassion to someone during a time of need may make us feel vulnerable, but it empowers those to whom we offer it.

So, are you ready to get started sorting and organizing your seasonal clothing? Grab four trash bags: One blue bag for recycling, one white bag for the things you plan to donate or give away, one black bag for trash, and one clear bag for the things you plan to keep.

Begin with the end goal in mind and work backwards. For example, your goal may include one or more white bags for donations. You can accomplish that from July 1-14, with 15-30 minutes a day of sorting. Use this strategy for each of your bags, schedule the same time and day in your calendar for sorting and compiling.

Seasonal Clothing Editing Process

Enlist help! Ask a friend, family member, co-worker, or a professional organizing coach like me to work with you.

Review, edit, and release all clothing that doesn’t fit properly, is out of style, doesn’t function properly, that you haven’t worn regularly, and/or doesn’t evoke pleasant memories. Only keep clothing that makes you look and feel wonderful, sexy, and confident!

Fold all donation clothing neatly and place in your white donation bags. Do not include hangars. Schedule July 15 as your date to deliver your donations to the charity or charities of your choice.

Place the trash bags in trash containers, and the recycling bags in recycle containers.

Hang or fold seasonal clothing you will keep.

Finally, join me on July 15 as we toast to your giving spirit with your favorite ice cream!

Happy organizing,

Tammy