Old Towels? Donate to Your Local Humane Society.

One question I often hear from clients after reducing what is stored in their linen closets is where to donate extra and unneeded towels. This subject came up during one of my frequent chats with my Edmond, Oklahoma sister as we often toss around ideas about the organizing process. 

In front: Costello and Dewey to the right. Abbott behind Dewey and Zeeba behind Abbot.

In front: Costello and Dewey to the right. Abbott behind Dewey and Zeeba behind Abbot.

After my sister and brother-in-law moved from Plano, TX to Edmond, OK, they purchased new towels for their home. This resulted in an excess of older towels, and a little story about their four dogs.

Their dogs Dewey and Zeeba were adopted from a Plano animal shelter, and brothers Abbott and Costello, affectionately known as Bott and Cossie, were dumped at a dump.

After they were rescued, a lady at a local farm store north of Plano offered them for adoption and my sister wanted to give them a home. Thus, four big dogs became a part of their family. Although towels were needed to wipe 16 muddy paws, before the dogs could come inside after roaming an acre of land, and to wipe up indoor mishaps, they still had more towels than they wanted to store. While tending four large dogs, my sister called animal care facilities to find out if they could use towels. This dog/towel story gave me the idea to write a blog post about donating towels to places other than the usual human donation sites.

Consider donating your excess and still serviceable towels to your local humane society, veterinarian, or animal shelter to help in the care of our furry animal friends throughout their stay.

I recommend calling first to find out what their towel needs are and to find out where to drop them off. There are many places in Vancouver and surrounding areas. Here are a few to try:

Closet Storage Solutions for Bulky Items

Here is a common question my organizing clients ask me regularly: where and how is the best way to store bulky items like blankets, bedspreads, curtains, drapes, and comforters? Do you keep them in drawers, on a closet floor, or on a shelf, or elsewhere? This is a great question, and the answer really depends on your home and what your storage options are.

That said, in this professional organizer’s opinion, bulky items like tablecloths, curtains, and drapes are best stored hanging vertically. This helps them keep their shape and takes up less space than putting them in a drawer. They should first be pressed or taken right from the dryer so that they stay tidy and crease-free. Then drape them from heavy-duty hangers. Add some repurposed plastic film from the dry-cleaners or a garbage bag to keep them dust-free if you do not use the item often.

Here are some great Hanger Products for Storing Bulky Items

I really like this Stainless Steel Blanket Hanger set for bulkier cloth items because it is open-ended and easier to slip the item onto and off of the padded non-slip, rubber-ringed hanger. The open end is tilted up to help the article from slipping off. It could be used for tablecloths, quilts and blankets. It is 0.3 X 17 X 7.6 inches.

 
Stainless Steel Blanket Hanger set from Amazon

Stainless Steel Blanket Hanger set from Amazon

 

Alternatively, this is S-Shaped Pants Hanger Set is 22” long and is also great for bedspreads, blankets, comforters, and draperies.

 
S-Shaped Pants Hanger Set from Amazon

S-Shaped Pants Hanger Set from Amazon

 

Many cleaners use these 18” heavy-duty wire strut hangers for comforters and drapes, which feature 10-gauge metal, with white tube already attached. They are suitable for draperies, tablecloths, and comforters as well.

 
Heavy Duty Wire Strut Hangers

Heavy Duty Wire Strut Hangers

 

Finally, I really like the World’s Strongest Coat Hanger, which is designed for cumbersome items such as hanging coats, backpacks, or other bulky and heavy items like gear for those in the military or emergency responders. It is ¾” wide X 18.5” X 11 5/8” (inside pocket is 1 ¾” X 13 ¾”).

 
The World’s Strongest Coat Hanger

The World’s Strongest Coat Hanger

 

What other creative ways do you store your bulky items? Your suggestions are welcome in the comments below!

 

Scattered Possessions: Piles

Mastermind group member once said she thought of me when she read this tagline on the side of a ScanMyFiles truck while sitting in traffic: “reducing piles, producing smiles.”

I love this tagline!  It totally fits my company, Scattered Possessions (Professional Organizer) too, because we help individuals and families decrease and organize piles of:  clothing, collectibles, cookware, and more.  Outcome?  Both clients and organizers are happy as well.      

How Do You Spot Clues About Disorganization?

After my recent total hip replacement surgery, I occupied much of my healing time by reading novels such as Louise Penny's book Still Life (first in her series about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec).

In one chapter of this book, Inspector Gamache and his team enter a deceased victim's home in search of clues about her. Gamache says, "Homes, [he] knew were a self-portrait. Every touch revealed the individual. God, or the Devil, was in the details. And so was the human. Was it dirty, messy, obsessively clean? Were the decorations chosen to impress, or were they a hodgepodge of personal history? Was the space cluttered or clear?"

When potential clients call and request my professional organizing services, I ask them to allow me to conduct an initial assessment of their home in its current state. A tour of their home and their comments about it reveal clues about their lives and what areas need attention.

Often the reasons for disorganization arise from situations such as: addition of a child; family illness; work and college attendance at the same time; moving to a smaller home without downsizing first; furniture and other items added for various reasons; and too many items for the room size.

My observations and the potential client's comments about their space help me figure out workable organizing solutions and devise a maintenance plan.

If you find yourself in need of organizing assistance, for any reason, consider consulting a professional organizer.