For many, the New Year means new goals. Millions make resolutions to get healthier, travel more or learn a new hobby. Many find that January is also a good time to get organized, so much so that January has been declared “National Get Organized month”. Goodwill North Central Wisconsin (NCW) makes it easy for people to declutter and start the year with a cleaner slate. Donating gently used items creates more room in people’s homes but also helps many in our community start fresh by supporting programs that teach job skills and puts them on a path to sustained employment and improved financial stability. Check out these 5 tips to get you more organized in 2025.

Reimagine your living space

The new year is the perfect time to spruce up your home and make room for new furniture or décor that fits your current style. Think about how you want your updated space to look. Check out Pinterest, Instagram or our blogs for inspiration.

Make a list and check it twice

A big part of updating and/or decluttering your space is getting organized. As you work, create a list of items you own and separate them into two columns, specifying those you want to keep and those you want to donate. Make sure that if you keep an item, it has a designated spot in your home. Then, you’ll know where to put it each time you clean.

Start a keepsake collection

When updating your space, you will inevitably find items you just cannot part with because they are family heirlooms or other special items you want to hold onto. Save those special items in a keepsake box for yourself or to pass them down to another family member.

Out with the old and in with the new

So, you have a plan to update your new space, now what? What do you do with your existing furniture and other items you no longer need? That’s the easy part. You can donate them to your local Goodwill NCW store to give them a second life. When you drop off your items, go into the store to see if there’s anything that fits your new aesthetic. You never know what you’ll find, and shopping secondhand is better for the environment and the people in our community.

Win-win

“Donating is a win–win for donors and the thousands of people Goodwill NCW helps each year.”, said Kris R, Director of Merchandise & Planning at Goodwill NCW. “Donations make such a huge impact in our community. For example, the average donation of gently used items provides about 3 hours of job training. That can be life-changing”.

To start the decluttering, find a Goodwill NCW store near you.