It’s that post-Christmas time when you are allowed, nay encouraged, to do some thinning of your possessions. Spring may feel far off – it certainly did this morning when I was soaked by hail at the bus stop – but it is clearly never too early for spring cleaning.
Charity shops have long been on our high streets, and certainly within my sights for second hand books. Now they seem to be getting bigger business, or perhaps rather, understanding how to make things easier for people to donate.
This week saw two different bags put through the door to encourage us to donate items. Usually it’s clothes, shoes, linen. You can safely watch any amount of clothes shows that encourage you to have a good sort-out of your wardrobe, smug in the knowledge that you didn’t need prompting.
The second was one of a newer type – they are open to you putting in other items, and even include the fateful words ‘bric-a-brac’, just in case you were in doubt as to how much in the way of household junk you could include. They also included a useful bag design so you could a) get lots in and b) tie the handles at the top. all for the good in encouraging you to put in lots.
I’m starting to think that, for all of local councils encouraging recycling, charity shops are filling many of the remaining gaps. I’m not saying that we should give them our dross – we shouldn’t – but there are always items that are not quite packaging for regular recycling, but that could find a new life somewhere else.
However, the key touch today, when I came home from work, was finding a card through the letterbox from the charity which did today’s collection. They said thank you for the items, and they indicated just what a local charity shop could hope to achieve in a day, week, month, year, through our contributions.
Importantly, they encouraged me to keep going. I’m sure I could choose to sell some of my stuff on eBay, but I’m now all the more excited to find out how much of a PhD I am indirectly funding to help with cancer research. That’s better than a quality seller’s record – and much easier than all those trips to the post office to send off the items.
On the principle of awarding merit where it’s due, support Cancer Research, folks. They know what they want, they declutter you better than an article in a woman’s magazine will do - and they remember to tell you why it matters.