#compact garage ladder

So perhaps that oft-forgotten room has gotten a little out of hand this year. Your folding ladder is sitting dusty in a corner, and those boxes on the top shelf haven’t been touched in months. For most of us, organizing the garage is not always at the top of the to-do list. If your New Year’s resolution is to clear out the clutter, here are some great ways to repurpose some of that extra load.

It’s easier than you think to repurpose your old, unused items and put them back into circulation. Pull out that compact ladder and pull down those old clothes and alarm clocks. As tax season rolls around, it’s also a great time to think about the fact that donations are a tax write-off. Giving your items to a qualified charitable organization can often be deducted against your income tax if you itemize your deductions.

When donating, consider who will be receiving them and make sure that you only include items that are useful. If you can’t think of a use for them or can't donate them to an established organization, often someone else with a creative mind can turn your trash into treasure. Check out your local Freecycle online and post items that might be reusable, but can’t be donated. www.freecycle.org is a great way to keep old items out of the landfills.

Find charitable organizations in your area:

Check out churches and other religious organizations.

Donate to tax exempt educational organizations, hospitals, and medical research organizations.

Follow-up with government, publicly supported, and private charitable organizations.

Follow these guidelines before donating:

For tax purposes, bring an itemized list and ask for a receipt.

Test electronics to make sure they work before donating them.

Include all pieces and manuals.

Wash clothes before giving them away.

Make sure what you donate is safe for all potential recipients.

If you think that you could get a pretty penny for some of your items, consider selling them and then donating the proceeds to charity. Non-perishable food items are also often accepted by charitable organizations. If you’ve got a box of food items you’ve lost your taste for, consider clearing that box out of the way and handing it over to an organization.