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.

Buying your first home is a big and exciting step in someone’s life. You finally have a place you can call “home,” and hopefully it will be the last time you move for a while. If you bought an older home, you will soon realize that owning a home requires quite a bit of upkeep and repairs. Some first home buyers don’t realize it going in, but they are going to need to buy at least some basic tools to fix the smaller problems in the house. Here are 6 basic pieces of equipment the homeowner newbie should grab at their nearest supply store.

Ladder – Even a single story home should have a ladder around. Everything from climbing on the roof to replace a shingle to topping the Christmas tree with a star will require a ladder. Stay away from the big and bulky ones; you don’t need to climb a 100 foot tree. You can choose a compact ladder perfect for small in-house projects, a collapsible ladder for when you are tight on storage space, or folding ladders that are great indoor and outdoor ladders. A good ladder may just save your back when you want to hang Christmas lights this year.

Painting Supplies - Old or new, every home is eventually going to need some painting touch-up or a complete makeover. A lot of homeowners soon realize they want a new exterior paint to match their style and personality, and really make the home their own. Several different paint brushes, a painter’s tool, a paint roller with long extender to get the high walls and ceilings, and a lot of extra paint that matches your color for when small spot repair is needed will be great, convenient investments.

Stud Finder - A simple, low-cost tool that will save your walls from too many unnecessary holes and repairs is a stud finder. Everyone decorates their walls with family photos, heavy framed paintings, and even flat screen TVs, all of which require you to utilize the stud in the wall or else the screw will rip out easily. The stud finder will tell you right where to drill or nail and hang the latest family portrait.

Measuring Tools - This sounds much fancier than it actually is, all you really need is a good tape measure and a level. These tools will be needed for almost every single project you have and should be in every homeowner's tool box. From hanging photos to building a new addition, all sizes of projects will require precise measurement and needs to be level for structural integrity and visual appearance.

Saws - If you plan on doing a lot of do-it-yourself home repair and construction projects, you probably already know and own some fancy power saws. But, for the basic home owner who is just getting started, a 12-inch hand saw will do the trick. This won’t be used as much as your measuring tape, but you will be happy you have it when you need a simple piece of wood cut and you already have the tool for the job.

At some point in time, everyone needs an extended hand and a stable means through which to reach something outside of their grasp. Usually this requirement necessitates the use of a ladder or step stool. Ladders come in all shapes and sizes, and they all have their different uses. Some ladders elevate the user a few feet, where some others provide access to much higher positions. Many types of adjustable ladders can also be used for many requirements.

Ladders come in a variety of different styles and shapes. Many are best used for industrial purposes, and others are great for painting your house, or simply reaching an item on the top shelf of a cupboard.

Compact Ladders

A compact ladder can fold up so that it can be sequestered out of the way when not in use. Best for DIY homeowners and construction companies who may be moving from site to site frequently, these ladders are quick to set up and take down. A compact ladder can fit into the back of a truck or in the corner of a garage and then be pulled out, opened up, and ready to go in minutes.

Aluminum Ladders 

An aluminum step ladder is portable, strong, and climate-resistant. But unlike wood ladders, they are highly conductive and therefore must be used with caution around electrical sources. Also very malleable, aluminum can warp and be bent fairly easily. There is a high trade-off between the portability and weight of aluminum ladders and their ability to be bent, conduct electricity, and their susceptibility to corrosive chemicals.

A-Frame Ladders

Classic A-frame ladders are often used to elevate the user a small height from the ground. Usually with a wide base, these ladders can be folded and put away for storage, and are often wood or aluminum. Fairly cheap and sold at most home improvement stores, these ladders are most common for domestic use.

Double-Sided Ladders

A double-sided ladder is great for tight spaces where you need to reach a higher destination from both directions, or you need the flexibility to choose stability or height. A double-sided ladder can also be extended to double its length for dual-purpose as an a-frame ladder and also a long leaning ladder for rooftop and lower level projects.