A local women’s chorus is hoping spring-cleaning season will encourage people to declutter their homes. More specifically, that it will encourage people to send unwanted items their way.
Over the month of April, the St. Jacobs-based Chord Spinners are holding a “decluttering fundraiser” with the goal of collecting some 465 items per household. Those things will then be taken to Value Village at month’s end. As a non-profit, the Chord Spinners would get paid for the items under Value Village’s FUNDrive program.
This is the second time the chorus has gone this route, the first such fundraiser having occurred in 2018.
“Music costs money and rental spaces cost money, so we try to do a lot of fundraising so that we can help keep our costs for our members as low as possible,” said Mikayla Schmidt, a member of the group of women who sing a cappella four-part harmony.
“We really like to find different types of fundraisers so we’re not just constantly asking for money… and we came across this one. It helps other people get rid of stuff in their house and then they don’t have to pay us out directly – it’s through Value Village,” she added.
The choir, which celebrated its 40th-anniversary last year, has 12 members and sings a four-part harmony of contemporary music and songs that date back to the 1950s.
In the decluttering challenge, the choir is calling on residents to declutter the number of items corresponding to the date on the calendar. So, if someone started today (April 6), they would declutter six items. Tomorrow it will be seven items and so on.
While the task may seem daunting initially, momentum builds over time, said Schmidt, who previously did the decluttering challenge herself. She added that it is easier to start with one item and work your way up instead of looking at it as needed to get rid of 400 items all at once.
“You’re not starting right away. I need to declutter 300 items, which I think is really helpful getting you into that mindset of ‘I only have to declutter one thing today. Now, I have to declutter two today.’ And I think it would surprise you how quickly you find yourself going over that [number].”
Once the items are collected, participants can contact the Chord Spinners via email (csmembership@hotmail.com) to make collection arrangements.
The chorus has a fundraising goal of $250.
