As a kid, the first warm breeze heralding spring also marked the weekend Mom would roll up her sleeves and take to the house like fury with a personal vendetta against dust.  It was the weekend my sister and all our animals geared up, cleared out, and spent a muddy day outside.   Our various pocket pets (in their appropriate enclosures), followed by two house-bound felines (harnessed, leashed, and objecting with fur-flying fervor) and one delighted Irish wolfhound would take to the backyard while Mom went to task on a winter’s worth of dirt, stale air, and expendables.

The first spring-weather weekend has always been something to look forward to.  It feels good to throw all the windows open, crank up the music, and clear out cupboards I didn’t know I had.  It’s also a great opportunity to take stock and do a little charitable giving.  Whether it’s something you do every year, twice a year, or something you’ve been meaning to do for a while, clearing out the cupboards often turns up items that might be useful elsewhere.

So this year, when you throw on your rattiest pair of jeans and an old, stained t-shirt, put a few clean boxes aside for your local animal shelter.  Instead of tossing out stuffed animals or the bed sheets your kids have grown out of, put them aside for an animal that will love them.  Maybe you bought a whole new set of dinner ware recently—find out if your local shelter could use your old plates and bowls.  Pantry full of preserves you won’t use?  Wrapped up in a nice gift basket, those things could easily be auctioned off at a fundraiser.

Try to look at the things you don’t need and consider how they could be useful elsewhere.  You can even donate your extra cleaning supplies—spray bottles, paper towels, wash clothes, bleach, and other items can be a great help.  You’d be surprised at what your local shelter could use. The most seemingly unimportant items can be repurposed to help an animal in need—for example, shoe boxes can make great pet beds for napping cats and kittens!

Can’t find anything worth donating? Call them up and see if you can’t donate a little time.  Shelters have to do spring cleaning too!

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