Spring cleaning with a twist: clear your home, help someone else and feel ridiculously good about it
That cupboard you’re scared to open? Yep. Start there.
There’s something about the end of a Cape Town winter that makes you look around your home and think: Where did all this stuff come from?
The cupboards are full, the garage is slowly becoming a storage unit, there’s a drawer nobody is brave enough to open, and somewhere in the house is probably a collection of containers with absolutely no matching lids.
Spring is the perfect excuse to hit reset.
But spring cleaning isn’t just about dusting the blinds, washing the windows and making your home smell like fresh linen. It’s about clearing out the things you no longer need, making your home feel lighter and, best of all, giving some of those unwanted items a second life.
Because what has become clutter in your home could be incredibly useful to someone else.
Start Small. Seriously.
The thought of decluttering an entire house can be enough to make you close the cupboard and walk away.
So don’t.
Start with one room. One cupboard. One drawer. Even one shelf.
As you go, make three piles:
KEEP | DONATE | DISCARD
The keep pile is for the things you actually use, need or genuinely love.
The discard pile is for things that are broken, damaged or simply no longer useful.
And then there’s the donate pile — which is often the biggest surprise.
That jacket you haven’t worn in two years? Someone else might love it.
Those extra blankets sitting at the back of the cupboard? Someone could really need them.
Those children’s books nobody reads anymore? They could become another child’s favourite bedtime story.
And that kitchen appliance you bought because “one day I’m definitely going to use it”?
Well… has that day arrived yet?
Give Those Cupboards Some Love
Cupboards have a sneaky way of becoming clutter magnets.
Shoes we haven’t worn in ages. Clothes that no longer fit. Towels that have been pushed to the back. Linen we forgot we even owned.
Take everything out, give the cupboard a good clean and ask yourself:
· Have I used this recently?
· Does it still fit?
· Does it still serve a purpose?
· Do I already own three things that do exactly the same job?
· Would someone else get more use out of this?
Be honest with yourself.
Spring cleaning is not the time for “I might wear this one day.”
If “one day” hasn’t arrived in the last few years, it probably isn’t coming.
Clothing, shoes, blankets, towels and linen that are still clean and in reasonable condition can make wonderful donations. Just remember that giving something away doesn’t mean giving away something you wouldn’t use yourself.
A quick wash, fold or clean-up can make a big difference to the person receiving it.
And Then There Are the Kids’ Rooms…
If you have children, you already know how quickly they outgrow things.
One minute they have a cupboard full of clothes and toys. The next minute nothing fits, nobody plays with half the toys and you’re wondering how one small human managed to accumulate that much stuff.
Spring is a great time to get the kids involved.
Let them choose toys, books and clothes they have outgrown and explain that their old favourites could make another child very happy.
It turns decluttering into something more meaningful than simply throwing things away.
It becomes a little lesson in generosity — and, let’s be honest, a great way to get some floor space back.
Don’t Forget the Kitchen
The kitchen deserves its own intervention.
Have a look through your cupboards, pantry and drawers.
You may find:
· Duplicate utensils
· Appliances gathering dust
· Serving dishes you never use
· Pots and pans that have seen better days
· Containers with no lids
· Lids with no containers
· Unopened, in-date non-perishable food
If you have unopened food that you’re unlikely to use, consider donating it to an organisation that supports families or communities in need.
And while you’re at it, perhaps finally deal with that infamous Tupperware cupboard.
You know the one.
Make Space for What Matters
Decluttering doesn’t mean your home needs to look like a minimalist showroom.
Your home is supposed to be lived in.
It’s about making space for the things that actually matter — your family, your friends, your hobbies, your memories and the everyday moments that make a house feel like home.
Sometimes we hold onto things simply because we think we might need them one day.
But too much stuff can make even a lovely home feel crowded.
Letting go of the things you no longer use can make your home feel calmer, more organised and simply nicer to live in.
One Person’s Clutter Is Another Person’s Treasure
Before you throw something into the rubbish bin, stop for a second.
Could somebody else use it?
That old jacket could keep someone warm.
A child’s book could become a treasured bedtime story.
A set of crockery could help another family set up their kitchen.
A blanket could bring comfort to someone on a cold night.
Sometimes the easiest way to make a difference is to give away something that has simply stopped being useful to you.
There are many charities, community organisations and initiatives across Cape Town and South Africa that accept donations of clothing, books, toys, household goods, food and other useful items.
Some organisations you can consider include:
HospiVision – wc@hospivision.org.za
Fallen Angels – info@fallenangels.org.za
MES Homeless Support Centre Cape Town – prcapetown@mes.org.za
Durbanville Children’s Home – dch@dchome.org.za
Ons Winkel Protea – brackenprotea@onswinkel.co.za
Alta du Toit – admin@altadutoit.org.za
Just remember to contact the organisation first to check what they currently accept and whether they offer collection or require drop-off. Donation requirements can vary.
A Cleaner Home. A Kinder Community.
Spring gives us a chance to freshen up our homes, but it can also be a chance to look beyond our own front doors.
Instead of filling another rubbish bag with things you no longer want, ask whether those things could have another purpose.
Because spring cleaning doesn’t have to be about getting rid of stuff.
It can be about making space, giving back and starting the new season with a lighter home and a lighter heart.
So go on.
Open that cupboard.
Tackle that drawer.
Sort through the garage.
And if you find something you no longer need, don’t automatically throw it away.
It might just be someone else’s treasure waiting to be found.
From the RED Properties team
We believe a home is about much more than bricks, walls and cupboards. It’s about the people who live in it — and the community around it.
So this spring, let’s make our homes a little lighter and our community a little kinder.
