You may be saying to yourself, “I don’t want to sell my stuff and prefer to make it a gift to family and friends.” That great but answer, if you can, this question. –Does the Person You Are Thinking About Gifting Your Clutter Care About Your Stuff?
Susan enjoyed collecting bells. She had all sorts of bell. Once people knew she loved bells her birthday presents were bells or money to buy more bells. Soon she had hundreds of bells that sat silently around her apartment.
One day she decided to give 9 of her bells to her granddaughter when she came over to bring her groceries. Her granddaughter smiled weakly and said, thank you Grandma” as she carried the carefully wrapped bells neatly resting in a Macy’s shopping bag. When she arrived to her home the bag of bells were placed, unpacked, on a shelf in her closet.
Sue’s grand daughter did not share her passion for bells.
The next day her neighbor’s daughter came to bring mail to her that was mistakenly place in her mom’s mailbox. It was the first time she was ever in Sues home. Her eyes lit up when she saw all the bells. The two of them chatted as Sue shared details about each bell to a wide eye listening young girl.
When she asked the young girl to choose which bells she liked she paused and she shyly choose two bells but she felt like she had 200. Susan saw a young girl who shared her passion and begin giving her bells on regular basis.
Here are 3 suggestions for gifting your stuff to family, friends and strangers.
1. Join a Facebook public or private group that shares information about passions similar to yours. For example, if you love stamps there are groups where stamp collectors are looking for information about their stamps. You could offer to give some of your collection to members of the group you have joined.
2. ASK family members if they are interested in taking some of stuff now. Let them know that you do not want to wait until you are deceased to share items they may love as much as you love them.
3. Start a Facebook Group on your interest. There you will be able to identify folks who would appreciate getting gifts of your stuff.
4. Start a group at your place of worship or another organization. For example, if you are an artist you could start an art group and be able to gift your art books and supplies to members of the group.
It will be great knowing that your stuff really will find a good home.