Letting go is a main focus of my work with clients. They feel overwhelmed and burdened by the stuff in their lives and want my help to let go, organize, and live with more ease. The “stuff” appears as rooms overflowing with physical belongings, calendars scheduled with no breathing space, or minds filled with a barrage of ideas and thoughts.

Recently, I viewed letting go from another perspective. I had the great joy of meeting with my Westchester NAPO Neighborhood Group organizing colleagues for a field trip and tour of a local auction house, The Benefit Shop in Mt Kisco, NY. This is where the things that have been let go of land on their way to their new home.

Our group was graciously welcomed by Pam Stone, Founder and President of The Benefit Shop Foundation Inc. After working on Wall Street for over two decades, Pam changed careers to pursue her passion project. She set up The Benefit Shop, a charitable 501(c)3 non-profit. Proceeds from sales (100% of the profit) go to over 40 charities, which directly help local community organizations. As Pam said, “I really wanted the beneficiary to be my community, for the people who live and work here.”

How Letting Go is Facilitated

The Benefit Shop is what Pam refers to as “one-stop shopping.” They accept items for:

• Donation

• Consignment or

• Estate Buyout

You can bring your things to their 16,000-square-foot gallery and office space. Or, depending on your location, they will bring a truck and a team to you, pack up what you’re letting go of, and transport it to their facility to prepare for auction and sale. With estate buyouts, they will take 90% of a house’s contents.

Pam suggests tagging your items using a colored sticker system.

• Red = Keep

• Green = Go

• Yellow = Think on it.

If you’re not ready to let go of everything at once, they recommend that clients “think on it," which allows them to release things in stages.

They also encourage clients to contribute to the catalogue entries by sharing stories and histories about their objects. Capturing the object’s story enhances its saleability and helps the client feel better about letting go.

“Let go, organize, and live with more ease.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

How Do the Auctions Work?

The Benefit Shop hosts weekly online auctions. They sell around 3,000 items each month to a global audience.

• All bids, with a few exceptions, start at $1.

• Items sold at auction are reconciled within 45 days.

• Clients receive 65%, and The Benefit Shop keeps 35%.

• Consignors receive a tax-deductible receipt along with their settlement checks.

• Unsold items can be donated or retrieved by the consignor.

• The Benefit Shop doesn’t provide shipping for purchased auction items. You can either pick them up at their office or arrange for shipping. They offer resources for several vetted and recommended shipping vendors.

Letting Go Considerations

Are you curious which items are the easiest or most difficult to sell at auction?

Pam said that jewelry (fine and costume) and handbags consistently sell well.

Large china cabinets and dark wood furniture are not good sellers. While mid-century furniture is popular, only high-end, name-recognizable brands such as Eames, Knoll, or Saarinen sell well at auction. The Danish teak mid-century modern style of furniture doesn’t do well.

More Fun Facts About The Benefit Shop

Organization

I was impressed by the organization at The Benefit Shop.

• Items for sale are logged in, tagged, and grouped by category.

• They get coded and routed for the auctions in which they will be included.

• Each category has separate sections at the facility, such as housewares, textiles, clothing, purses, jewelry, art, and furniture.

• There is a photography area for taking quality photos of every piece.

The Shop Mascot

When you enter the space, a giant taxidermy elk is one of the first things you see. When I asked about it, Pam said it wasn’t for sale because it has become their gallery mascot.

Pop-Ups and Cash & Carry

• Aside from the online auctions, they also hold occasional onsite pop-up events at their place.

• In the gallery, there is also a $1 only group of items to purchase as ‘cash and carry’. The items are sold and replenished regularly.

Why Let Go?

It was fun visiting a place representing so many decisions to let go of stuff. The objects received were treated with care and respect. It felt good knowing these things would go to a good home, stay out of the landfill, and the proceeds would help those in need.

The Benefit Shop Foundation

The Westchester NAPO Neighborhood Group visits Pam Stone, Founder and President of The Benefit Shop Foundation in Mt. Kisco, NY

Where Do Your Things Go?

When you let go of things, where do they go? Do you have favorite charities? Have you used auction houses? What helps you release things that have overstayed their welcome?  I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you want support organizing, editing, or letting go? I’d love to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Please schedule a Discovery Call, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, or call 914-271-5673. Letting go is possible, especially with support.

This is the newest release (v41) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has my latest finds that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique, inspiring, motivation-related discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are a passionate, generous, and engaged group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best MOTIVATION Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Motivation and Words

The Words We Choose – Your Guide to How and Why Words Matter, author, speaker, and coach Terre Short encourages you to use words authentic to your values and intentions. Through stories, reflections, and activities, Short supports healthy communication, influence, and engagement with words that connect us to ourselves, loved ones, people at work, our written word, and more.

Short says, “You can transform your communication through the power of your words.” Explaining how we speak an average of 16,000 words every day, which “represents a lot of daily word choices...Our daily experiences are shaped by words spoken to and by us. What impact did your words have today?”

If you are motivated to strengthen your relationships, become more emotionally intelligent, improve how you talk to yourself, and align your words, values, and intentions, this book is for you.

2. Interesting Product – Motivation and Labeling

A common organizing principle is to label your stuff. Why? It helps you know at a glance what a box, drawer, or file contains without extensive searching. Having things labeled increases motivation to establish “homes” for your belongings. This makes them easier to retrieve and return.

BoxBrain brings new meaning to labeling. They created “smart labels for smart living.” Their water-resistant labels help you organize your life, especially when packing, unpacking, and storing your things. The labels are color-coded with a QR code connected to their app.

I love BoxBrain’s simple 3-step process:

1. Grab Some Labels – There are 3 sizes and 5 colors.

2. Slap ‘Em On Your Stuff – Label your boxes with the color-coded labels. For example, use blue labels for kitchen items, yellow labels for toys, or green for the home office.

3. Know Where Your Stuff Is – Using your smartphone, scan the label, then enter keywords and photos. Use the keyword search to locate an item quickly.

“Motivation increases when you take action, even if it’s tiny. ”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Interesting Article – Motivation and Organizing Mistakes

Have you ever worked on an organizing project and made a mistake that crushed your motivation? Maybe you underestimated the needed storage space, took on too many simultaneous projects, or purchased organizing containers before decluttering. Guess what? You’re not alone.

In the recent Redfin article, “Organizing Mistakes: 27 Slip-Ups to Avoid During Your Next Project,” Jamie Forbes features professional organizers, including me (#5). We share our best advice for making your next organizing project a success.

My suggestion is to keep like with like. By corralling similar items together, you can make more informed decisions, stop overbuying, know what you own, and quickly access your belongings.

4. Interesting Resource – Motivation and Downsizing

Are you or someone you know thinking about downsizing to a smaller home but aren’t 100% sure? If so, you’ll love the 10 Signs It’s Time to Downsize and Sell Your Home infographic from HomeLight. The real estate company explains how important timing can be in making that decision. Waiting can cost you more to run a larger home. Also, downsizing as you age can be more challenging due to health or mobility issues.

Motivations to downsize include feeling overwhelmed with home maintenance, your career or family no longer tying you to your location, you want a lifestyle change, or your home no longer fits your needs.

Downsizing is a compelling motivator to make a life change.

5. Interesting Thought – Motivation and Progress

A fascinating aspect of motivation is how it increases when you take action, even if it’s tiny. Progress, no matter how small, is still forward movement. So, when you are feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, instead of giving up, do one little thing. You’ll be amazed how an action will change your perspective from being stuck to feeling hopeful, energized, and motivated.

Do you have an interesting motivation-related discovery? Which of these resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

The newest release (v40) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has my latest finds, which inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique, inspiring, clutter-related discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are a passionate, communicative, and engaged group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Clutter Discoveries

1. Interesting Workshop – The Motivation to Declutter

Are you struggling with staying motivated? You’re not alone. Studies show that anywhere from 40-90% of the population experience low motivation, which can negatively affect their personal and professional lives, education, relationships, and ability to achieve goals (such as reducing life’s clutter). But there’s good news - help is here.

Join me for a lively one-hour online workshop – How to Boost Motivation – 7 Familiar Challenges & Simple Solutions, on May 18th @7:00-8:00pm EDT. During this workshop, you’ll learn what motivation is, its most common problems, and practical strategies to overcome them. Get ready to become unstuck, increase your motivation, and start taking action toward your goals. Don’t wait - register now!

2. Interesting Podcast – The Stress of Clutter

Do you get overwhelmed and stressed by the clutter in your life? Some professionals, like myself, specialize in helping people sort, unclutter, and organize their belongings. The American Psychological Association’s podcast episode 227 features Deacon Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., psychology professor and expert on the study of chronic disorganization and clutter.

Ferrari discusses the reasons we accumulate so much stuff, the challenges of dealing with clutter, the research about the impact of clutter on stress and anxiety, and how to declutter your life. Ferrari says, “…it [our possessions] could be a trigger to something in the past. And that’s one of the reasons it’s harder to declutter because it brings back either positive or negative emotions.”

“Clearing clutter will give you the space and energy to focus on what is most important to you. ”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Interesting Read – The Elimination of Clutter

In Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, author, speaker, and podcast host Greg McKeown helps you eliminate the non-essential and focus on the things that matter most. McKeown says Essentialism is not about saying “no” more often but asking, “Am I investing in the right activities?” It’s not about “how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done.”

This happens by being intentional and by actively making decisions about your life. McKeown says, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” What is cluttering your life and taking you away from what’s most important? Choice is at the core of being an Essentialist. He says, “We often think of choice as a thing. But a choice is not a thing. Our options may be things, but a choice-a choice is an action. It is not just something we have but something we do.”

If you are ready to be inspired and reduce the non-essential clutter in your life, I highly recommend reading Essentialism.

4. Interesting Resource – The Donation of Clutter

Would you like to declutter your overflowing closets and dressers while helping the environment? Using For Days “Take Back Bag,” you can easily ship unwanted goods, including clothes, socks, undies, shoes, linens, and even ripped, torn, or stained textiles. For Days will give “your oldies…a new life.” With their recycling partners, they keep goods out of landfills. The $20 cost of the Take Back Bag covers shipping. You receive an equivalent credit to your account, which can be used as cash for future clothing and home goods purchases.

In addition to the Take Back Bag program, their swap system lets you recycle at any point or exchange for credits For Days’ purchases of clothing and home goods. For Days embraces “circularity and zero waste.”

5. Interesting Thought – The Editing of Clutter

We accumulate stuff, filling our homes and minds with many things. Some are useful for a time and then can be released. What happens when we keep adding and never edit? Your spaces and thoughts become full, which can cause you to feel overwhelmed and unfocused. Choose to edit. Be ruthless. What has overstayed its welcome? What can be released? What deserves your time and attention? Clearing clutter will give you the space and energy to focus on what is most important to you.

Do you have an interesting clutter-related discovery? Which of these resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.