Spring is here and it’s time for some traditional spring cleaning! It’s the time of the year when you take a good look at your books, your clothing, your furniture and appliances and the toys the kids no longer play with and contemplate giving them a brand-new home.
The idea of cleaning out one’s home goes far back in history. The Persians celebrated their first day of the year at the start of Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere, this is around March), while Jewish customs require a full top-to-bottom cleaning of one’s home prior to Passover. Catholics also took to sweeping out their homes and polishing items just before the Lenten season.
The idea behind spring cleaning is to clean every nook and cranny of the home, dust, wash curtains, scrub floors, and to get rid of old items that are no longer being used. When decluttering, the rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used the item in the last 6 months, whether it’s clothing or an appliance, it’s time for it to go.
Of course, none of us want to simply throw all our items into a bin to be dragged to a landfill. Recycling helps the environment, and there is always someone who could use the items you no longer need. That old toaster you got from your aunt? It can find new lift in someone else’s home. Uncle Bob’s old golf clubs? They too can be donated to organisations such as HospiceWits to be sold in their charity shops.
Thrifting and purchasing second hand goods have begun to trend. The popularity of pre-owned goods has grown due to many seeing this as a means to support sustainability and the environment. This way clothing and household items are saved from a landfill. Plus, it’s cheaper than buying new, and you never know what kind of vintage treasure you might find to put in your home or to add to your wardrobe that adds that distinctive pizzazz to your style.
HospiceWits takes almost any item as a donation to be sold in their shops. From books, to clothing, to appliances and furniture – they can all be sold for a good cause while helping someone else find the right kind of item that they need. It’s a win all round: you get to clear out your clutter, another person can benefit from those items, and the money generated from their sale can help out HospiceWits.
Instead of throwing your old items away as you clear out your cupboards, kitchen and garage, why not make sure they go towards a good cause? HospiceWits relies on donation from the public so that they can continue to assist the Johannesburg, Soweto and surrounding areas with quality palliative care. Used items can either be sold in our thrift stores in Kensington, Parkmore and Orange Grove, or put to good use at HospiceWits itself.
Let HospiceWits help you out with your annual spring cleaning – they will even come and collect items from you. It’s time for a fresh start for you, and a chance to help others get the outstanding care that they need at HospiceWits.
