Season’s Cleanings

When I first moved to Florida from New York City, I really missed the changing of the seasons. The Northeast moves from a burst of fall color to blankets of winter-white snow and drifts of spring daffodils that promise long, lazy days of summer. It took a long time before I realized that the South has four seasons, too, but they present themselves in subtle ways, unfolding slowly.

In Palm Beach, “season” is a word used primarily to refer to a pocket of time (Thanksgiving to Easter) when the population swells and parties, fundraisers, trunk shows and volunteer opportunities are plentiful. If you partake in all “season” has to offer it can be exhaustingly fun and, as with all good things, seems to pass in the blink of an eye.

After years of living here I began to notice there were signs of spring occurring all around me. It usually begins with the first blooming of my jade vine—a rare flowering climber that puts on a stunning display of blue-green blooms that dangle from my pergola as if floating in midair. Its first bloom seems to arrive each year right around the time the social season is winding down. The majestic yellow-flowering tabebuia tree is next to make its presence known, its vibrant, yellow blooms stealing a bit of thunder from the jade vine. It waits to be noticed, relishing in your admiration, and then rains golden petals that blanket the driveway from the front door to the street, as if to say “it’s time for your exit, here’s your golden carpet,” a flower-covered carpet inviting you to walk into summer.

It’s these signs from Mother Nature that remind me to host those last few dinner parties to be sure to see the friends who will disappear from my life until next fall. And, of course, that it’s time to begin spring-cleaning and prepare for my transition to the Hamptons.

There are so many ways to get it all done, and here I share with you eight organizations that motivate me to clean a little deeper and shed a little more.

1. Food

For the past five years, the Palm Beach Daily News has partnered with the Palm Beach Fire-Rescue and the Town of Palm Beach United Way for the annual Empty Your Pantry Food Drive. Known to locals as the Shiny Sheet food drive, it benefits the Feeding South Florida and The Glades Initiative by collecting non-perishable foods from all the snow birds before they fly up north. It’s a great incentive to empty the pantry after that final round of dinner parties.

2. Kitchen appliances and gadgets, dishware and drinkware:

It seems at the end of season I fall out of love with one appliance or another. This year, I broke up with my blender when I discovered the Nutribullet. I also always end up with an odd number of glasses, dishware, and even cutlery. The Church Mouse, a local resale shop benefitting local charities, is my go-to place to drop off these items.

3. Children’s clothing:

Schoola is a wonderful way to clean out your children’s closet while supporting schools in need. It’s easy to sign up and a portion of the sales go to the school of your choice.

4. Adult clothing:

ThredUP is another quick and easy way to clean out your closet. Through this fashion resale site you can take your earnings as a store credit, donate to a cause, or cash out through PayPal. They don’t accept everything, so you can opt to have them donate the items for your or return them to you.

5. Gowns and cocktail dresses:

My hard-to-part-with cocktail dresses and gowns, the ones my daughters are not interested in, find a home in one of the dozens of consignment shops on the island. Consignment shops are Palm Beach’s Starbucks—there’s one on every corner. Some shops specialize in particular designers or styles and by choosing carefully things sell quickly and at good prices.

6. Blankets, towels, and socks:

Blankets get torn, towels fray and socks seem to lose their mates over time. My go-to places for these types of items are the ASPCA and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. Oftentimes they’ll have a specific wish list posted on their sites, so you may also find a new home for all those random things you have no use for and are not sure what to do with.

7. Office supplies, crafts, carpets, and more:

Built to divert waste that is destined for landfills by collecting, processing, and distributing it for use in education, art, and recreation programs, Resource Depot is perhaps my favorite way to rid myself of things I no longer need.

8. Electronics:

All the outdated televisions, cell phones, old computers, e-readers, and tablets that fill your drawers and closets can be dropped off at any one of the seven Solid Waste Authority’s Home Chemical and Recycling Centers.

After a good clean out, I’m able to leave Palm Beach feeling a little lighter, with the knowledge that my cast-offs have been able to do some good for the community.