If you sew, knit, or are working with twine, or even while wrapping gifts, clips can hold strands together for you to keep them from getting knotted up.

Just like putting toilet paper on the 'right' way, keeping toothpaste tubes neat can be a worthwhile relationship aid. There are quite a few devices that are created for the purpose, many of which I've tried and not loved. This is an easy, DIY, free, reuse friendly way to keep everyone a little bit happier.

​Don't have a clipboard handy, or one of those binder clips? Well, you can make a clipboard using a jaw clip and something like a thin, hardcover book, or even some sturdy cardboard. Lay the paper down, attach the jaw clip, and slide the pen inside. Simple.
Or if you need to keep papers from blowing away.
Or outdoor party tablecloths

2) Donate only useful things
​This is trickier than it sounds. Usefulness is in the eye of the beholder, and in this case, the judge has to be the recipient. Be careful not to fall into the wish-cycling trap. (I know you would really love to drop off those those VHS movies somewhere)

Even if your item was really awesome at one time, things can really change when stuff sits for a while.  

Take a close look & determine:

• Does it have any broken or missing pieces, tears, missing a button or have other damage?
• Are you telling yourself 'someone could easily fix this.....'
• Is it old and outdated?
• Has it been sitting where it's gotten a dusty and dirty or picked up basement or garage smells? 

If you answered 'yes' or even 'maybe' or 'I don't know' to any of these, it is likely to create a burden on the recipient. Consider if you can fix it, clean it, or update it to make it good for donation. Either don't donate it, or take the next best step (#3 below) and ask. 

Two More Tips for Screening Your Items
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Consider if it would be acceptable to give to your sister. She's going to notice if it's not good, and she'll tell you all about it. So if it's not sister quality, don't assume it's OK to donate. (Ignore this advice if you don't have a sister or you have a really nice sister like mine. Instead, think of someone else who holds you to a higher standard, AND who is brutally honest with you.)

"When in doubt, throw it out" is a common quote of guidance. But I think there is an even better - just ask. That said, if you are in a situation where you have to make an assumption and you aren't sure, don't donate it. 

The good news is that there are a lot of other great ways to divest of the things you no longer need. To get new ideas about how to ethically and easily re-home or repurpose your items, and also tips for decluttering & reducing, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or subscribe to our newsletter for tips each month.

3) Get consent. "Good intentions do not a good gift make"
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP.
It's happened to most of us.... Remember a time you received a 'gift' from someone that you didn't need or want? Maybe it was a parent cleaning out the house, or  a friend who just doesn't 'get' you. The intent may have been there, but you still ended up with an extra item that you didn't want so instead of a lovely gift, you had the burden of storing it or figuring out what to do with it. Usually, these aren't a big deal, but they aren't the positive experience they are meant to be. And you can imagine if this happened to you over and over (like it does with places that accept donations), it becomes unmanageable and expensive.

Some organizations are very explicit about what they do and don't accept. Those are easy - Just follow their lead.  Some organizations are less explicit. The key is not to assume.

Drop-off sites seemingly take 'everything' so it's easy for people to grab a bag full or car load and 'let them worry about it, they are set up for it'. In reality, many things end up going right into the trash because they can't be resold or reused.