“'Spring' and 'clean' just seem to go together, and Goodwill Industries wants to help area residents do both in a 'big' way. Goodwill calls it 'The Big Spring Clean.' Residents will call it a more stress-free, less chaotic way of life. officials said.
The Big Spring Clean kicks off on March 20 and runs through March 30 throughout Goodwill’s 23-county service area of southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia.
Goodwill is conducting several events that will encourage and assist in the spring cleaning, decluttering and organization many will do over the next few weeks. Events include television, radio and in-person appearances by two professional organizing experts and time management gurus, a drawing for a closet makeover for one lucky Goodwill donor, and daily spring cleaning and organization tips on Goodwill’s Facebook page and website.
Helene Segura is a San Antonio, Tx.-based certified professional organizer, motivational speaker and author. Helene will be on hand at several Goodwill stores Thursday-Saturday, March 19-21, where she will offer tips on streamlining, downsizing and efficient living, answer questions and where she will also be signing her books.
Ms. Segura, a former classroom teacher, is the author of two books, “Less Stress for Teachers: More Time and an Organized Classroom” and “R.O.A.D. Map to Get Organized: Discover Your Thinking, Learning, and Working Styles to Get Your Life Back on Track.”
Julie Bestry is a certified professional organizer and president of Best Results Organizing, a Chattanooga business that specializes in clutter control, downsizing decisions, file and records management and more. Ms. Bestry will also be giving tips on how to tame the terror of having too much stuff.
Ms. Bestry appears frequently on local television and radio shows offering advice on ways to organize and is a regular contributor to area newspapers and magazines. She believes getting organized is about making life and work more functional.
Radio remote broadcasts will be held at several Goodwill stores throughout The Big Spring Clean to encourage people to clean up, clean out and to donate furniture and other gently-used items they no longer need to Goodwill.
Goodwill sells the donations in its 16 retail stores and on shopgoodwill.com, an online auction site. Revenue from the sale of items funds Goodwill programs and services for people with disabilities. More than 86 percent of its revenue is channeled into Goodwill programs and services. In 2014, Chattanooga Goodwill Industries served 11,113 people through its mission programs, which include job training and development, HELPs (a durable medical equipment program), the Goodwill Assistance Dog Academy, YouthAdvantage, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
People who make a donation to Goodwill during the 10-day campaign will be eligible for a drawing for a closet makeover valued up to $1000 from Chattanooga Closet Company. People may donate at any of Goodwill’s 23 Attended Donation Center sites or its 16 retail locations. For locations, visit GoodwillChatt.org.
Partners of The Big Spring Clean include Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, NewsChannel9, Sunny 92.3 and Hits 96 radio stations, Chattanooga Times Free Press, and Chattanooga Closet Company.