One Minute Tip: The Smartest Ways to Give Away

Rebecca Blumhagen

published Jan 27, 2014

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Amelia Meena: The Smartest Ways To Give Away - Apartment Therapy Video

The easiest way to give away the things you love but have a hard time letting go of is to imagine the new life that lies ahead for them. In today’s video, Amelia Meena shares her five favorite ways to give things away.

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(Image credit: Rebecca Blumhagen)

From Amelia:

-Make sure to call ahead to a Donation Center to inquire about their drop-off hours and what goods they’re willing to accept. Note: all donation centers have the right to refuse something (whether it’s in poor condition, too big for their store or they have a surplus of that item). –

Check out this list of Donation Centers —-OR—- If you’ve done online research and still can’t find a donation center for a niche item, go back to the source. Contact the store or supplier from where you originally got the item. They might be able to direct you to a good source. -Remember: you can’t take it with you when you go! So if you’re no longer using an item in your everyday life, make a realistic judgement call on whether it’s worth storing (memorabilia, off-season items, heirloom pieces, etc) or if it’s time to move it out.

• The Star: Amelia Meena moved to New York City in a roundabout way from Kentucky, bringing only 2 suitcases and dreams of Broadway. Nearly a decade later, she’s sung onstage, acted on screen and has found the best thing about organization is efficiency (it’s gone up to 4 suitcases now but that’s still pretty good for city living). Her company, Appleshine, Lifestyle Organization, has helped men, women, families and businesses clear out clutter and make the most of their space. When she’s not Appleshining someone’s lifestyle, she’s running in Central Park, playing violin with a bluegrass band, catching up on reading for her 2 book clubs or wandering around The Container Store.

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