The great summer cleanout

of completing the project. Give yourself time to make good decisions, and take breaks along the way to regain the focus.

The primary goal could be to clean out the garage or shed, with the intent of eliminating as many of the contents that are no longer needed, wanted or liked. Leave the attic for the days when the temperatures are much cooler. Once you have decided on which items you can live without, the next major decision is what to do with them. Here are some suggestions.

Donate Used Items

Donating slightly used articles to a thrift shop is a good starting point. Thankfully there are many in the area from which to choose. Place these items in bags or boxes and deliver them to the store or if you have larger, bulky items, like furniture, call the thrift shop and schedule a free pickup. Don’t forget to ask for a donation receipt that could be used as a charitable tax deduction.

Collect Household Hazardous Waste

Montgomery County participates in a fivecounty Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program that enables residents to have hazardous materials (HazMat) properly recycled free of charge.

“Household products containing toxic chemicals, like pesticides, oilbased paints, solvents, cleaning products, weed killers and automotive batteries can be a threat to people and the environment if improperly discarded. Never throw these materials into the trash, as the toxic chemicals may harm sanitation workers, or result in fires in collection vehicles. It is also not safe to pour them into a sink or storm drain as they can end up in the environment polluting the air, water, or soil,” according to the Bucks County Recycling website.

For more information about upcoming collections events and for a list of acceptable materials, visit: montcopa.org/706/ Household-HazardousWaste-Collection-Pro.

Shred Old Documents

There was a delightful British television show years ago called “Are You Being Served?” The cast of characters was composed of salespeople at an upscale department store. In very proper fashion, they were dedicated to serving all the patrons who entered the store, to the exclusion of all else. The customer was always right and usually left happy and satisfied.

Service … it is a word with deep meaning.

According to the Google dictionary, service is “the action of helping or doing work for someone.” Synonyms are: favor, kindness, good turn, helping hand.

I would like to take that a step further and elaborate a bit. To me, service is “the act of helping or doing work for people who are in no position to repay you.”

Recently, at Brittany Pointe Estates, where I work, our longtime mailman retired. Mailman Mike, as we affectionately call him, proudly served the residents there for just shy of 20 years. This dedicated gentleman showed up each and every work day, happy to serve, proud to be a part of the lives of hundreds of residents. He knew each person. When he saw a resident approach the mailboxes when he was delivering mail, he knew exactly who that person was and, even more impressive, which apartment was his or hers. He would happily be ready, with the mail in his hand, to personally deliver to that particular resident. Impressive, to say the least. He did this with a cheerful smile on his

As you sort through your contents, you may discover dusty boxes of old bank and investment statements, cancelled checks and tax returns that date back to the previous century. While it certainly is prudent to retain selected documents, others should be properly discarded.

For more guidance on records retention, visit senior-transition-services. com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/record-retention-checklists.pdf.

Discard Old Refrigerators and Freezers

If you want to free up some valuable space taken up by a working refrigerator or freezer in your garage or basement that is over 10 years old, PECO can help. By calling 1-888573-2672, you can schedule free removal and recycling and best of all, receive a $75 rebate.

For more information, visit peco.com/recycling.

Now it’s time to recruit the troops to help you, gather up the boxes and bags, keep a supply of cool beverages handy and dive into your downsizing project. May you complete your cleanout project quickly so you still have time for the beach, mountains or hammock in the backyard. Marlene Stocks is the owner of Senior Transition Services, a senior move management company based in Huntingdon Valley. As a certified senior move manager, Stocks and her team provide their clients and families “peace of mind” by managing every detail of the client’s move, as well as their content removal needs. Senior Transition Services has served more than 850 families in the five-county area and South Jersey since 2008. Visit SeniorTransition-Services.com or call 215-947-5490.