Whether you dive in with Marie Kondo’s rules of sparking joy, Gretchen Rubin’s guidelines of Outer Order, Inner Calm, or the colorfully tidy aesthetic of the ladies at The Home Edit, having a clean or organized home makes a huge difference in how you feel.
But living on an island with a growing mountain of trash at the center begs the question, “what do we do with the stuff we don’t want anymore?”
So once you have searched for sparks of joy, tidied the slipper holder, or color-coded your bookshelves, take anything that is still usable to one of these Maui gems, because what may have lost its luster to you could spark a whole lot of joy for someone else. By keeping gently used goods in rotation, you limit waste, help support a non-profit’s bottom line and mission, and keep the good karma coming.
Boo Boo Zoo: East Maui Animal Refuge
This volunteer based, no-kill facility is a sanctuary for injured and orphaned animals that would otherwise be left to fend for themselves. Their wish list includes building materials, supplies, and equipment. eastmauianimalrefuge.org
Maui Humane Society
Bring in your used towels and fleece blankets, or treats and toys for a variety of animals. You can even donate your car if it is in working order and was manufactured in 2000 or later. mauihumanesociety.org
The Maui Farm
This nonprofit provides programs that teach essential life skills for self-sufficient living. Your donations help families who are economically challenged and working towards self-sufficiency. Their wish list includes farm tools and home goods. themauifarm.org
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
They accept a wide range of household items and leftover building material. Profits from the ReStore go directly to building affordable housing on Maui. Donations by appointment only 242-1140. habitat-maui.org
Revive Boutique
Donations made to Women Helping Women are offered to the women and children in need at the emergency shelter. Unused items are sold at Revive Boutique to further support programs and needs. womenhelpingwomenmaui.com
Maui Friends of the Library
You can bring re-sellable books, puzzles, board games, magazines, cds, and dvds to any of their locations in Kahului, Lahaina, and Pu’unene. mfol.org
Finally, when you have leftover items that still have life in them, consider reaching out to local church groups who will often have their finger on the pulse of what their community needs or fellow families.
So clean out those closets, purge those porches, and load up the truck. Give those used goods a new lease of life at one of these remarkable organizations that is working hard to help the people of our beautiful island home.
See also: Spring Cleaning
