If Not For Yourself, Then Do It For Others

Getting rid of clutter for clutter’s sake is not very rewarding.  It brings you face-to-face with the accumulation of your life; memories, poor purchases that never delivered the feeling you sought in purchasing it, possessions you have long since outgrown or no longer need.  It can feel like trudging through a morass of mud and sludge.

Yet, when motivated by a higher purpose we often find it easier to part with things.  Following Hurricane Katrina millions of Americans purged their homes of items they thought would better serve the hurricane survivors; clothing, blankets, household items, furniture and more.

When assisting clients we often find the motivation of “repurposing” possessions a powerful motivator.  Things begin flying into boxes and bags to be transported to some worthwhile non-profit organization serving a population in need.  (see earlier blog, “One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure”)

I want to share my latest find.  A wonderful non-profit with a higher calling that we can all help support while lightening our own loads.  “Open Books”  is a newly founded non-profit used bookstore supporting literacy in Chicago.  I recently learned of Open Books in DailyCandy Chicago when they highlighted the tremendous work of this dynamic duo, Stacy Ratner and Becca Keaty.  After successful careers in other non-profits and start-ups, these two formidable and energetic women made a conscious decision to combine their vocation and their avocation.  

Open Books will fund literacy programming through the sale of used books.  And this creates a wonderful WIN/WIN for all of us storing boxes of dusty …