Maple Shade, NJ -- (SBWire) -- 04/16/2020 --Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey & Philadelphia has announced that all donation centers in New Jersey, with the exception of the Columbus, NJ, location, will remain open during the coronavirus pandemic. Area residents who find themselves confined to their homes amid excess clutter are encouraged to do some spring cleaning and donate items they no longer use.

Decluttering is an incredibly productive way to spend extra time at home, and experts say that a less-crowded living space helps to reduce stress. By donating unused clothing and household items to Goodwill, homeowners can break free from their unnecessary clutter and support a local nonprofit organization at the same time.

Sorting through years' worth of clutter may seem like an overwhelming challenge. However, starting small — for example, blocking out 15 or 20 minutes each day — helps to make the project seem more manageable. To organize the project, make a preliminary checklist of rooms and categories — for example, "bedroom closet" and "kitchen tools" — that need to be covered.

Decluttering experts recommend following a 12-12-12 method that consists of choosing 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to put back where they belong. Another useful strategy is to assign four boxes or trash bags to each room of a home. One should be labeled "trash," one "keep," one "donate," and one "re-locate" to another room. Go through each room and divvy up clutter by placing items in each of the receptacles.

Gently used items placed in the "donate" box can be taken to Goodwill, provided they can be found on the list of acceptable donations. Goodwill uses donations to fund job training and employment programs for members of the community living with disabilities and disadvantages.

To keep donors and staff healthy and safe, Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey & Philadelphia is practicing #socialdistancedonating by implementing "pop and drop" procedures at all donation centers. Donors can simply drive up to the location, pop their trunk, and drop off their items without getting out of the car. Individuals can also donate new unopened medical supplies at donation centers throughout the area, including at Goodwill Home Medical Equipment (300 Benigno Blvd. in Bellmawr, NJ.)

Visit the Goodwill website for a full list of donation centers throughout the area, and please contact the company for more information.

About Goodwill Industries of Southern NJ & Philadelphia
Founded in 1948, Goodwill Industries® of Southern New Jersey is a community-based, nonprofit organization. Its mission is to put people with special needs to work. Goodwill offers a variety of career services and employment training programs that help prepare local residents with disabilities and disadvantages for success in the competitive workforce. Through the mass collection and resale of gently-used donated items, Goodwill's 23+ retail stores generate the revenue necessary to fund these worthwhile programs while contributing to America's recycling efforts. For more information on Goodwill, please call 856/439-0200 or visit www.goodwillnj.org.