Spring Cleaning for the Community
Often when we talk about spring cleaning, we think about committing a weekend to finally wiping off the layers of dust behind the TV and shaking the kitchen rugs out on the stoop. For many of us who spent the year at home, however, we’re more focused on a fresh start with a complete overhaul of our closets and furniture to get out with the old and bring in the new. This means taking a deep dive and a hard look at our clothes, books, and home goods, KonMari-style, to see what sparks joy and what joins the “out” piles scattered around the house. But once we’ve gathered the items, where should they go? We’ve compiled a list of places in Jersey City to sell and donate your spring-cleaning casualties as well as added some fresh ideas to benefit the community while you organize.
Unearth Treasures and Make Some Money
You know what they say: one man’s “trash” is another man’s treasure. While digging through drawers or scrutinizing decorations around the house, you might realize you have some cool, sellable vintage or antique things that just don’t fit your home’s vibe anymore. Consider consigning your items with vintage thrift stores in town or become a vendor at a flea market if your goods fit their needs.
Pacific Flea, 149 Pacific Ave.
Pacific Flea is an outdoor, multivendor, flea market of vintage, handmade, and local art opens the second Saturday of each month from April to September. The first event of the season is on Saturday, April 10 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Accepted vendors sell quality antiques, vintage, handmade items, and original art – nothing mass-produced. To apply as a vendor, fill out a registration form here and email stuart@pacificflea.com with photos, descriptions, and social media links to your work or business.
View this post on Instagram
The Hoboken Flea, TBA
Our neighbors to the very near Northeast also host a wonderful flea market featuring many JC local makers and vendors. The Hoboken Flea is a pop-up collective flea market where you will find vintage and contemporary clothing, accessories, plants, candles, local art, and more. Contact them now on Instagram at @thehobokenflea to become a vendor as they get ready to kick off their spring season of pop-ups.
View this post on Instagram
Another Man’s Treasure Vintage Store, 195 Montgomery St.
Another Man’s Treasure is a great place for crate diggers and lovers of affordable vintage fashion. According to their website, AMT has been included in both USA Today, and Elle.com’s best places to shop vintage in America. Refinery 29 even listed the store as one of 25 reasons to move to NJ. For those looking to sell, they are interested in unique vintage that is at least 30 years old or older, especially Victorian (1800s) through 1940s (even some damaged pieces would be considered); designer and rare vintage, 1990s or earlier; cute vintage dresses and cocktail attire from the 1920s-80s; vintage t-shirts from the 1940s-1980s, especially vintage rock t-shirts; costume jewelry; and more. Find more information here and contact selltous@amtvintage.com.
View this post on Instagram
Rehome Your Goods Through Donations
We’re all guilty of stacking up the bags full of clothes intended for donation in the back of our closets or driving around with them rolling around in our trunk for months waiting for the day we remember to stop by a dropbox. Now is the best time to round them up and give your closet a once-more-over before contacting some great local places that would love your wardrobe. While clothes are always in need, local charities are also interested in home goods and other home essentials to benefit community families. Many organizations will have scheduled pick-ups available for those who can’t transport the donations themselves. To find many more local charities accepting donations than what is listed below, go to websites like Donation Town, Go Green Drop, and Clothing Donations.org that are dedicated to connecting local charities with those with goods to give for local pick-up and delivery.
Dress for Success Hudson County
Dress for Success provides professional clothing and accessories for women as well as career programs to help secure employment with confidence. Their purpose is to offer long-lasting solutions that enable women to break the cycle of poverty and empower women to obtain safer and better futures. Accepted clothing donations include new and gently used interview-appropriate suits, professional separates (blouses, slacks, skirts, dresses, blazers, jackets), work shoes, jewelry, handbags, and scarves. Find more information, donation guidelines, and how to schedule an appointment to drop off clothing here.
View this post on Instagram
Just Human Foundation
The mission of Just Human Foundation is to build a community that collects, stores and redistributes curated home goods donations to families transitioning out of homelessness and escaping domestic violence in Hudson County. Locals can donate gently used home goods (lamps, textiles, curtains, artwork) or new essentials (linens, candles, throw pillows). Donations can be dropped off at our storage space every Saturday or picked up if within Hudson County. Contact them here to set up a donation pick-up or find out more ways to help local families in need. (https://justhuman.org/contact-me)
View this post on Instagram
York Street Project
The mission of the York Street Project is to weave innovative programs that shelter, feed, educate and promote the healing and independence of persons in need, especially women, children, and their families. Right now, they accept new and gently used home items and essentials for the families in their program; however, they are not taking clothing donations at this time. Click here to fill out the donation form with a list of items you’d like to donate, and a representative will contact you for scheduling a drop-off.
View this post on Instagram
Little Free Libraries
The Little Free Library initiative is a nonprofit that inspires readers, builds community, and expands book access through a global network of volunteer-led little libraries. This is accomplished through setting up adorable book depositories maintained by communities passionate about getting free books into the hands of anyone who wants them. In Jersey City, we have 10 registered libraries scattered around – one even donated by Whoopi Goldberg on the West Side – but many others made by independent book-loving individuals can be found all over our neighborhoods and parks. Clear off your shelves then find your nearest box to add books for all ages, or consider starting your own!
View this post on Instagram
Cleaning that Makes a Real Difference
So, we couldn’t let a spring cleaning article get away without some actual cleaning advice, but it’s not what you think. The best spring cleaning we can all do is to turn to our streets unfortunately caked with trash leftover from the winter snow still and focus our efforts on our community to improve not only our environment but our pride for where we live.
As quoted in our previous article, “Black Men United Hosts Community Clean Up,” Frank “Educational” Gilmore, founder of the Educational Gilmore Community Learning Center, said, “The thing that’s so important about litter is, it does something to you psychologically, which the community is not necessarily aware of … If you walk in filth, you have a filthy mindset. But if you walk and it’s clean, you have a clean mindset.”
To this end, the nonprofit organization, Clean Green Jersey City, hosts weekly neighborhood clean-ups of sections within Bergen-Lafayette, Downtown, and the Heights dedicating to cleaning the community, one street at a time. The group provides gloves, trash bags, and pickers for participants – just BYO mask and water bottle. For dates and locations, follow them on Instagram at @cleangreenjerseycity to see maps of clean-up areas near you, and sign up here when you’re ready to let them know you’re ready to do some serious spring cleaning together.
