A new place to buy (and sell) kitchenware in Portland

For a city known for food carts and famous chefs, Portland now has a kitchen-focused consignment store, Kitchen Culture, where you can buy affordable, high-quality, used kitchenware – and sell kitchenware you don’t use. 

Kitchen Culture is unique space on SE Foster Road and SE Holgate, where shoppers can find a constantly evolving selection of used and new cookware, dinnerware, glassware, kitchen tools, and cookbooks.  

The store also offers cooking and preserving classes as well as conversations about vegetable gardening and food access. 

Owner Traci Hildner opened Kitchen Culture in November 2022 with the thought, “I’ve shopped for used cars, music, movies, and books, so why not used kitchen supplies?”  

Traci chose the name Kitchen Culture because culture holds many ideas – and it comes back to food: Where we come from, how we eat, how we approach and share ​​food. One way Traci puts a love of sharing food into action is through cooking meals for local shelters with neighbors, through the Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association.  

A great place to buy & sell quality kitchen and cookware 

Kitchen Culture offers durable, functional, long-lasting, and practical items. Traci explained that she sells silverware and dishware by the piece, so people can buy what they need – whether that’s three forks or thirty.  

Asked about a favorite piece to use in cooking, Traci said her cast iron skillet is her go-to item. As far as other essential pieces, “If you start with good quality kitchen tools and take care of them, most can last a lifetime.” 

She recommends a good knife, butcher block, frying pan, stock pot, wooden spoons, and vegetable peeler. 

Beyond those, think about how much storage your kitchen has, and what tools could help you with things you make frequently. Can opener? Lemon juicer? A good, small grater for cheese, fresh nutmeg, or lime zest?  

If you’re interested in cleaning out your kitchen and earning some cash while seeing your kitchenware find a good home, Kitchen Culture is also a great place to sell your wares. Items are on consignment for 90 days, and you earn half of what the item sells for.  

Food preservation  

Traci has taught food preservation classes for years under the name Lucky Larder and now offers those classes at Kitchen Culture.  

Her interest in food preservation started with an overabundance of vegetables. After moving from an apartment into her first house, she and her husband planted a vibrant edible garden, but it was so prolific, they couldn’t eat or give away vegetables fast enough and some went to waste.  

To expand her knowledge in food preservation and fermentation, she became a Master Food Preserver and a Family Food Educator for Oregon State Extension Services in 2014. 

Traci has taught preservation classes at Mt Hood and Portland Community Colleges, New Seasons Market, Portland Mercado, and various farmers markets.  

Now you can find her classes under the events section of Kitchen Culture’s website. She teaches a variety of preservation classes, including canning and fermentation. 

If you decide to try food preserving at home after taking a Kitchen Culture class, but aren’t quite ready to purchase a dehydrator or big canning pot of your own, you can always borrow one from Kitchen Share, Portland’s kitchen tool lending library. Then if you fall in love with jamming, pickling, or fermenting, you can head back to Kitchen Culture to stock up on your own supplies. 

Learn more

Check Kitchen Culture's website for hours and to learn more about their classes and sign up for their newsletter.

Or visit in person: 6300 SE Foster Road, Suite A, Portland, Wednesday through Sunday.

Partners activate reuse and resale shop in Old Town

Bullfrog’s Treasure N Trash has opened in Northwest Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. It’s a retail store where you can find antiques along with reclaimed furniture and other goods.

But it’s not just a store. It’s an innovative Reuse Hub focused on environmental justice and workforce development. It was created through a unique partnership between local businesses and nonprofits that facilitates low-barrier job opportunities in reuse, repair, and litter collection.

The organizations that came together to create Treasure N Trash are:

• Trash for Peace, a 10-year-old community-based organization providing hands-on learning, low-barrier job opportunities, and education about sustainability in environments that are peer-led, welcoming, safe, and collaborative. 

• Ground Score Association, a peer-led initiative of Trash for Peace. It celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2022. Ground Score is an association of informal recyclers, dumpster divers and other environmental workers who create and fill low-barrier waste management jobs. Ground Score is collectively organized and seeks to be radically inclusive, prioritizing work opportunities for those facing work and housing insecurity. They aim to build a more environmentally and socially aware community, while also changing society’s perceptions of what and who is considered valuable.

• Junk It Junk Removal, a local, family-owned company that began in 2012 and specializes in residential and commercial waste hauling.

• Frog & Toad Hauling celebrated its third anniversary in 2022. They specialize in waste-conscious junk removal, creative reuse, and home repair. 

These organizations moved into the Old Town warehouse in October 2022 and use the space for many things; a co-working office space, headquarters for Ground Score's peer-led litter collection and reuse/repair program, a meeting spot with a kitchen and lounge; and short-term storage for the two junk removal companies to sort and determine if repairs are needed before moving items to the thrift store.

Reuse has been a large part of both Junk It and Frog & Toad’s business models. Donation and diversion of materials are key elements in how they work with clients to remove unwanted items from homes and businesses. The warehouse provides the companies with a space to inspect and repair items that still have a lot of useful life left in them.

The owners of Frog & Toad, Revel and Sun, shared, “Our goal with the shared retail space is the establishment of a vibrant and useful place for our neighborhood and wider community where ‘stuff,’ which may have once been discarded, can flow towards where it will be treasured, which often is where it is needed the most. We feel that being in collaboration with the other groups in the warehouse is what will make this possible and help our store to thrive!”

Michelle Barrows-Carter from Junk It Junk Removal, said, "We are proud to be a part of a new warehouse space shared with Ground Score Association, Frog & Toad Hauling, and Trash for Peace, where we can prioritize sustainability and creative reuse.”

Low-barrier job opportunities

Trash for Peace partners with local government and other agencies to implement programs for renters in supportive, multifamily affordable housing communities. Based on community interest and initiative, some pilot projects clear unwanted large household items from apartments and homes, like dressers, tables, mattresses, and other furniture. Working alongside the junk removal companies allows thousands of pounds of trash to be diverted from the landfill by utilizing reused and donated materials in other activities that the organization leads.

Ground Score’s G.L.I.T.T.E.R program provides litter collection and tent side waste collection services for members of the houseless community across the Portland Metro Region. The program name was sourced by workers and stands for Ground Score Leading Inclusively Together Through Environmental Recovery. 

“It’s incredible to witness everyone’s unique progress. The sense of accomplishment bursting out of each participant when they finish their tote bag is so powerful! We provide a different type of purpose. You are worth the time it takes to learn a new skill.” - Rachel Linden

Many of the litter collection routes are serviced by electric trikes, as part of Ground Score's goal to create carbon neutral litter collection services. As this program is peer-led, most of the litter collection team are currently or formerly houseless. 

New programs taking place in the shared space

Two programs taking place at the shared warehouse offer a glimpse into other low-barrier opportunities with room for skill building and further growth.

Rachel Linden is an artist and founder of Thuja Studios, an independent design studio dedicated to the dissemination of utilitarian sewing education to marginalized communities across Portland. Rachel has extensive sewing production and teaching experience, and with the help of Molly Mattern, has started a sewing and mending education program for Ground Score workers.

The Sewing Department offers accessible, professional machine sewing education where members of the Ground Score community can gain competency and hands-on experience in the field of production sewing. Every participant is guided through the production process of a basic tote bag where they learn about strategic fabric selection, pattern reading, marking, and cutting out components, and sewing processes. Currently, the emerging sewing team focuses on the mass production of hand-mending sewing kits made from discarded fabrics that would otherwise be sent to the landfill. After being produced and filled with relevant, second-hand mending tools, these kits are then distributed back into the Ground Score community through professional, classroom-style, hand-mending workshops offered every other week with a $30 stipend offered to participants as extra incentive to learn.

“I’m in my element.” - Beck, a Ground Score employee

"Here at Ground Score, we're making space for folks to form community. Through jobs we help them reclaim the fruits of their labor stolen by poverty and houselessness." - Toma Solano

Another Ground Score manager, Toma Solano, previously trained houseless community members to design and build structures for several of Portland's tiny home villages while also contracting for private residential clients. At Ground Score, Toma helps provide low barrier jobs to houseless individuals as apprentice carpenters. Together they use donated and salvaged wood to repair and upcycle furniture. They also build trellises, lamps, bookshelves, and flower boxes.

If you would like to get involved or donate, visit the Trash for Peace website at www.trashforpeace.org.

If you would like to visit Bullfrog’s Trash N Treasure retail store, check out the website for current information, contact information, and social media handles.

ReDeploy serves Veterans through reuse and repair

G.I. Junk Removal, and its nonprofit arm ReDeploy, were created by Matthew Calhoun, a former member of the U.S. Army and the Oregon National Guard.

Matt started G.I. Junk Removal in 2018, just a few years after retiring from the military. Three years later, he created ReDeploy as a way to provide Veterans employment, furniture, and other goods.

Creating community and a second life for usable goods

At ReDeploy, Matt employs former military, including his father-in-law, Kevin Knerr, who is active on the board and with Veterans in Vancouver, Washington. ReDeploy is based in Oregon City, but they deliver goods throughout the Portland metro region through their mobile service.

Matt shared his vision of the organization: “Beyond the redistribution of usable secondhand goods from the junk removal service, ReDeploy will also become a place where Veterans can volunteer their time and skills to refurbish and fix up items destined to be donated to fellow Veterans in need. Also, our warehouse will become a place of camaraderie for Veterans to regain that sense of belonging to a group.”

G.I. Junk Removal and ReDeploy owner, Matt Calhoun.

ReDeploy donates directly to Veterans who are getting housed and can benefit from usable, donated household goods and furniture. Items such as couches, tables, chairs, dressers, nightstands, and beds. ReDeploy also donates to partners and other organizations that provide goods to those in need.

The G.I. Junk Removal crew is trained to offer a compassionate approach when working with customers and emptying spaces. They also know how to spot usable items for donation or resale. Furniture that may need a small fix before being donated can get a second chance because Kevin has a wood shop and repair skills.

In the future, Matt aims to build a workshop space within their warehouse for Veterans to fix and refurbish items on site.

Partnerships are key to success

Over the years, Matt has built relationships with social service agencies and nonprofit and community-based organizations, including many that serve Veterans. These include:

• A Caring Closet provides gently used durable medical equipment to those in need at no cost.

• Fort Kennedy provides essential food, clothing, and resources for homeless and low-income veterans and their families living in Oregon and Washington.

• LoveOne Community provides clean laundry, showers, meals, personal care resources, and community connections to those in need in Clackamas County.

• Tools 4 Troops collects and donates tools to Veterans and active-duty service men and women.

ReDeploy also received grant funds from Metro to help set up their warehouse with storage and tools for assessing, sorting, storing, and refurbishing salvaged items.

Contact ReDeploy through G.I. Junk Removal, to set up a donation pick up or clean out service.

A note about clean out companies   

Portland residents have many bulky item drop-off and pick-up options for recycling, donation, and disposal. This includes from many junk removal companies in the region, like G.I. Junk Removal. These businesses will clear out and clean up your unwanted stuff and haul it away for a fee. Do a web search for “junk removal Portland” to find other options. 

Customers are responsible for ensuring your materials are handled legally and taken to a facility. Ask for a receipt with the person or company's name, address, phone number and vehicle and driver's license numbers.  

New Beginnings Market: A new way to support community through donation and reuse

This past fall, IRCO, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, opened the New Beginnings Market in northeast Portland. The Market, located in a large warehouse space, is a no-cost shop offering used and new furniture, clothing, and household items to immigrants and refugees, plus those coming out of homelessness, and domestic or gang violence.

New Beginnings Market allows individuals to choose the items they need as they build a new life in a new place. This “shop-our-store” format has long been used by another local nonprofit, Community Warehouse, and gives individuals a greater sense of choice in how they set up their new homes.

Megumi Harn, IRCO’s In-Kind Fundraising Lead, shared that since the New Beginnings Market opened in October 2022, they’ve served 2,215 clients, with a total value of household items offered at over $135,000.

The Market is a new program from a long-standing Oregon nonprofit

IRCO has deep roots in Portland and throughout Oregon. IRCO Fundraising Manager, Nami Bigos, shared that there are over 100 programs, including 19 food pantries, that serve 20,000-30,000 people a year.

After 45 years of providing refugee employment services, IRCO recently became a refugee resettlement provider under the United States Commission of Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a national volunteer agency. In the past year, they have welcomed over 250 new arrivals from Afghanistan and Iraq. With the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis in February 2022, over 2,000 Ukrainian humanitarian parolees arrived in the Portland-Vancouver area also needing resettlement help, with limited support from traditional resources.  

New Beginnings Market is one of their newest programs and was created to provide a one-stop shop for basic needs. Navigating support services can be hard for anyone, and even harder for immigrants and refugees who are learning a new language and culture. IRCO aims to make the Market shopping experience easy for clients: The Market is located on a TriMet bus line and IRCO will deliver large furniture directly to clients. 

New Beginnings Market allows IRCO to collect and distribute donated goods more efficiently: They no longer must move donations to and from storage units. The space also allows IRCO to collect more items, display them in a more customer-friendly way, and provide clients with a better shopping experience. 

The need for donations is great

Not only are people’s needs greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resources are slimmer. Also, with the startup of the refugee resettlement program in 2021, placing families in completely outfitted homes has become a core part of IRCO’s service delivery.

In addition to collecting donated goods from Portland community members, the Market receives donations from businesses and corporations including Columbia Sportswear, Nike, Rejuvenation and BedMart. IRCO also relies on volunteer groups and individual volunteers to help organize and run the Market.

How you can support New Beginnings Market

While the Market is not a retail space, or open to the public, a variety of new and gently used donations are welcome!

The most needed items are:

• Diapers

• Laundry detergent

• Mattresses

• Couches

• Dressers

Other items needed include:

• Kitchen, housewares, and décor 

• Beauty and personal care products 

• Cleaning supplies 

• Baby and school supplies 

• Linens and clothing 

See the full list of items IRCO needs. This list is regularly updated, and things may be added or removed from the list based on client needs and current inventory.

For gently used donations, IRCO wants clean and functional pieces, with no stains, tears, or pet hair. The Market Team will check for pest infestation.

Before you donate, contact the New Beginnings Market to describe the items you would like to donate: Donations@IRCO.org or 971-271-6461. Emailing photos of your items helps staff determine which items would best meet their clients’ needs. Once you’ve heard from IRCO staff about which items they can use, you can drop them off Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Market staff will provide the drop-off address.

For larger items, like couches or dressers, IRCO may be able to pick them up from your home for a suggested donation to cover transportation and gas costs. 

To learn more about the New Beginnings Market, how to donate new or gently used goods, or to volunteer, contact Nami and Megumi at Donations@IRCO.org or call 971-271-6461. Monetary and Amazon Wish List donations are also welcome.

Just moved? Get thrifty.

Whether you need a lamp for your bedroom, pots and pans for your kitchen, or extra chairs for when friends come over, you can find great deals at Portland’s many nonprofit thrift stores.  

In addition to saving money, you’ll be giving back to your community – your purchases fund great, local causes. 

Out with the old, in with the new (to you) 

As you unpack, you may find that items that fit well in your last place don't work in your new space. Instead of tossing them, donate them to a local nonprofit thrift store – and while you’re there, shop around for items you need to fill your new place.  

Shop online 

Did you know that many nonprofit thrift stores share their items online or through social media? So you can browse from your couch – or that empty spot on the floor that’s waiting for a couch.  

Local spots to shop and donate 

Community Warehouse shares great items from their Estate Store on Instagram. Or shop in person at their Northeast Portland or Tualatin stores. They accept donations of furniture, mattresses, small appliances, and other home goods. 

ReClaim It shares items on social media - both Instagram and Facebook. Or visit them in person at their shop in North Portland (at North Williams and Killingsworth – not far from Community Warehouse, so check them both out). They accept donations of furniture, home goods, yard and garden items. 

ReBuilding Center shows what they sell at their large store on North Mississippi Avenue in Portland. They accept donations of building materials and some home goods. 

Habitat ReStore has an online store or head to their stores in Southeast Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, or Vancouver. They accept donations of building materials and home goods. 

The Arc Thrift Store is located on Southeast Stark near 82nd Avenue and highlights items through Instagram. They accept donations of clothes and small household items. 

SCRAP Creative Reuse has an online store or stop by their downtown Portland store. They accept donations of craft, art, and school supplies. 

Free Geek offers refurbished laptops, tablets, and phones through their online store. They accept donations of computers, laptops, and other technology at their inner Southeast Portland location. 

Before taking your items to donate, check the organization's website to confirm what they currently accept: This can change depending on what their inventory is. Some organizations ask that you send photos in for pre-approval. 

Swap, share, and resell 

Check out the Resourceful PDX map to find more ways to save, from swapping unwanted items through a Buy Nothing Group, to getting reused and repaired furniture, household goods, and more.  

Find treasures at The Arc, Southeast Portland’s newest nonprofit thrift store

The Arc Thrift Store 

One of Portland’s newest nonprofit thrift stores opened its doors this year and is accepting donations of usable goods and welcoming shoppers to purchase quality reused items.  

Used Goods Administrator, Dee Wright says, “Profits generated from the thrift store support our programs and allow us to expand our services into all three counties. They also give those with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities support and help them be independent in their lives and in the community.” 

The Arc Portland Metro’s mission is to provide advocacy, support, and services to people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. And while the Arc’s thrift store is new, the organization has been collecting donations and diverting usable goods from the landfill since 2006, through their Donation Center in the Rose City neighborhood. 

Donations wanted 

The Donation Center is currently open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and accepts: 

• Clothing 

• Small household items 

• Scrap metal and small electronics (for recycling through Oregon E-Cycles)

They do not have space for large furniture donations. Find more detailed information about what they do and don’t accept. 

Be thoughtful when donating 

Recently, Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud program highlighted the problem of wishful donations, where people drop off unusable goods that burden local nonprofits by wasting staff time and increasing the nonprofit’s garbage bill. When donating, always check the organization’s website first to confirm you’re donating the type and quality of items they can use or sell. 

Shop the thrift store 

The Arc Thrift Store, located in the Montavilla neighborhood, will be expanding its open days in early December 2021, to Tuesday through Saturday. 

Dee says, “The shopping experience is fun, with affordable and unique treasures, and items moving on and off the floor quickly.” 

She describes the store’s offering as a curated selection of household items that come from “a very good donor base.” Clothes and household items are priced to sell, many at $4.99, and they sell quickly. Some specialty items, like Pendleton, are priced higher, but deals abound. 

Dee has seen an increase of kids and teens visiting the store. A recent article in Axios, Gen Z is reinvigorating thrift stores, shares some of the reasons why, including the “thrill of the hunt” - which shoppers of all ages can relate to. And there are great finds, both vintage and new: Dee says some donated clothing arrive unworn, with the tag still on them.  

A win-win model 

In addition to keeping quality goods from going to waste and getting them into the hands of people who need them, The Arc’s Donation Center provides job experience for community members with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (IDD). 

Both Easterseals and the Reynolds Community Transition Program for those with IDD help at the Donation Center. 

Dee shares that, “Working with the Reynolds transition group has been great. They really enjoy coming to the Donation Center to hang clothes and price donations for the store. We have now increased their group to twice a week. The Easterseals program has filled a hole in our workload both at the Donation Center and the store through processing and cashiering. Both are programs that also allow us to support these individuals in their professional growth.” 

Since The Arc Thrift Store opened in January 2021, there have been 7,304 donation drop-offs; The Arc has collected, recycled, and sold more than 26,000 pounds of scrap metal and 8,000 pounds of electronics; and sold 109,513 pounds of housewares and 172,171 of clothes.​ 

Donate, shop, and volunteer 

You can support The Arc by donating items, shopping at the thrift store, or volunteering at either location. 

Click the photo (or tap on mobile) to see more photos of The Arc Thrift Store and Donation Center. Pictured: Dee and volunteers Kris, Jesus, and Maria, working behind the scenes.

Activities abound for Earth Day

With Earth Day right around the corner on April 22, there are both virtual and in-person activities happening. From how-to workshops to plant sales and litter cleanups, find something that supports local organizations and celebrates the environment.

Fix-It Fair online workshops are wrapping up in April. This week includes financial and physical wellness, plus DIY opportunities like how to fix a flat bike tire and how to clean your home using natural products you may already have. You can also visit past workshops on the YouTube Channel anytime.

Local reuse stores are having membership drives and seeking your donated goods.

The ReBuilding Center is looking for Salvage Supporter members, plus your donations, which they will pick up for free. 

All Portland area Habitat ReStores are seeking your donations. Find the list and schedule a pickup online.   

Have you been missing events? ReClaim It is hosting events at their store, including in-person workshops, specials, and plant sales. They are also having an Earth Day fundraiser. Check out the full list of activities.  

Many other local organizations are hosting events and offering ways to help the broader community. Street Roots profiled various opportunities, including litter cleanup events with SOLVE. Those interested in cleaning up your neighborhood have an array of options this week and beyond.

Looking for more inspiration? Last year’s Virtual Earth Week, organized by Southeast Uplift, is available online.

Ready for a spring cleaning refresh? Here’s where to donate and buy new-to-you

Spring has sprung, and with it, spring cleaning arrives too. We’ve all spent more time at home - inside and out - and may be ready to part with unwanted items. If what you’re getting rid of is in good condition, don’t toss it, donate it! 

To donate thoughtfully and get usable goods into the hands of those who need them, look no further than your neighborhood reuse store. Portland has many nonprofit-run shops that accept donations and give you the chance to shop, both of which benefit the organization, the community, and the environment. 

Many nonprofit-run thrift stores now offer online stores, making it easier than ever to browse and shop used goods. In-person shopping is also available at some organizations, as is curbside pick-up. Go the organization’s website to find the most up-to-date information on what items they accept and what their shopping and pick-up options are.  

• Community Warehouse accepts donations of furniture, mattresses, small appliances and offers Estate Store discoveries through their Instagram.

• Free Geek accepts donations of technology and has an online store.  

• Habitat ReStore accepts donations of building materials, home goods and has an online store.  

• ReBuilding Center accepts donations of building materials, home goods and has an online store.  

• ReClaim It accepts donations of furniture, home goods, yard and garden items and has an online store.

• SCRAP Creative Reuse accepts donations of craft, art and school supplies and has an online store.  

Dig into spring cleaning your house, apartment, garbage, or closet, and separate the usable stuff from what you no longer need or want. There are others out there waiting for it! 

Take a look at the Resourceful PDX map to find organizations that help you reuse, swap, repair and share items like tools, building or art supplies, household goods or other materials rather than throwing them away or buying new. 

Discover wardrobe updates near home

As summer weather begins to wane, you may be ready to go through your closet yet again and get rid of unworn or ill-fitting clothes (whatever the reason!). Updating your wardrobe while (mostly) staying at home can help lift your spirits, especially if you score an unusual piece and find joy in sharing and decluttering.

Host a virtual clothing swap

If you have a group of friends who prefer to maintain physical distance, a virtual clothing swap may be an option for you.

Here’s how the idea works: 

Gather a bunch of friends and email this printable clothing swap wishlist to them. Everyone will fill out their name and clothing preferences. People can ask for clothes that are modern, nautical, vintage, futuristic or really any theme. 

They also can specify their color, favorite decade and size information. Then, everyone sends their wishlists back to you, and you distribute them out randomly among the group (sort of like a Secret Santa game but for clothes). 

Finally, everyone looks for clothes in their closets that match the wishlist they receive and ship out the clothes to their wishlist recipient. If this is a local group of friends, deliveries could be part of the swap. This is a fun take on a classic clothes swap and allows you to learn more about the clothing preference of your loved ones! 

Download this resource and other printable resources for old clothes provided by the team at Wikibuy.

Find other clothing options

Similar to a virtual clothing swap, Swap Positive usually posts about all the swap options happening around Portland. With indoor swap activities on hold, they recently shared a post about an outdoor swap. Free boxes are mentioned as well. These are informal swap options that seem to be popping up with more frequency, with people at home and taking walks around the neighborhood.  

Buy Nothing and Rooster are local efforts where neighbors share resources at no cost. Members post anything they’d like to give away, lend or share for free through these neighborhood-based options, including clothes.

Shwop, a membership-based swap boutique for the whole family, is open. And like a lot of options, you can also shop online or book an appointment.

Most thrift stores are open again, with safety protocols in place. Some are open for donation drop off only and some for both drop off and in-store shopping. Check online or visit the Resourceful PDX map for various options around town.

Spring cleaning while at home

Being at home has allowed for time to chip away at the task list, which inevitably includes spring cleaning. We’re living in a different world now so taking a thoughtful approach to ridding yourself and your home of unwanted items needs to be handled differently too.

Declutter your space

It may be your whole house, your apartment, your garage, or just your closet. Take stock of your stuff – from small appliances, kitchen utensils, clothes, or old electronics – and separate the usable stuff from what you no longer need or want.

Put the stuff you don’t want in a box for now, but take some time to research ways to sell, donate, or recycle them once places reopen.  So many of our things can have another life, but some items are indeed trash and should be thrown away.

Donate thoughtfully

As with much of our favorite places like restaurants, theaters and pubs, donation centers are closed to the public. In Portland, many reuse organizations are seeking financial support while their doors are closed and specifying what to save for donation when it is safe to offer them. Some have even come up with ideas for residents to help - or shop - in other ways.

These items will be of value to area nonprofits once the pandemic ends. So instead of sending them to the landfill, consider locating a clean, dry space to store these in your home, attic, or garage.

Local resources adapt with the times

Community Warehouse asks that supporters create a donation pile of gently used items for future drop off or sponsor at Home 2 Go Kit now.

Beginning May 11, you can drop off the following items at the Portland Warehouse between 10 AM - 4 PM on weekdays only:

• kitchen tables

• kitchen chairs

• dishware (plates, bowls, cups, and silverware - no china or metal-rimmed dishware)

• cookware (pots, pans, cooking utensils)

• small appliances (microwaves, toasters, coffee makers)

• sofas (no sleeper sofas, sectionals, or recliners)

• armchairs

Free Geek provides refurbished laptops and technology support to students and others, plus encourages donations and online shopping to support their ongoing work. There are some services available for the public to be aware of during this time.

Habitat ReStore now has an online store for residents to buy used goods anytime. Beginning May 9, their Portland store reopens for shopping; between 10 AM – 6 PM, Thursday through Monday only.

The ReBuilding Center is offering appointments to come and shop for building and home supplies so you can work on projects. They have limited hours for donating materials; between 11 AM – 4 PM, Wednesday through Saturday only.

SCRAP Creative Reuse now has an online store for shoppers to buy used and new materials. 

Buy Nothing Project members post anything they’d like to give away, lend or share for free. It is neighborhood-and-Facebook based, focused on items to borrow or acquire from neighbors. That includes things you may be finding as you declutter and clean up for spring!