I can still remember a time so vividly, almost like it happened yesterday. When in fact, it’s been closer to 20 years ago (yikes!). I was a recently divorced, single mother of two young girls, 6 months old and 3 years old. I held a very good full time job, but since we were not receiving any type of financial support from their father or my family, and I had to pay ENORMOUS daycare bills, were struggling to put it mildly.

We had just the very basic things in our apartment. What I remember most is that we only had a loveseat in our livingroom. Not a couch, not a chair….just a loveseat that someone gave us. I was sitting at work when I overheard a conversation between my co-workers and one of them was complaining about all of the stuff they had in their basement. She was saying that her 2 year old already had a TV and VCR in her bedroom and that they had several others in the basement. They were giggling about it. All I could think about was how much their junk would help me and my children, but instead it was just sitting in their basement unwanted.

I’ll never forget that day. I do believe that is part of what fueled my desire to do what I do and eventually to create the national website The Stuff Stop that helps people connect their unwanted stuff with people in need. There are sooooo many needy people out there that just need a hand up from someone. Your unwanted stuff is cluttering up your life and it could really bless someone else’s life. I share this very personal story with you in the hopes that you will take away from it the motivation and desire to de-clutter your life, if not for yourself, then for others. Don’t you want to be a blessing in someone else’s life?