Organizing a community coat, food, or supply drive can be a great way to give back to your community, but you may find that there isn't enough room in your home to store all the items until they are ready to be given out to those in need. A self-storage unit can be a great benefit if you want to organize charitable giving drives. Here are a few helpful hints you can use to make the most of your self-storage unit and make your drive a success.
Set Up A Donation Box At The Storage Facility
Ask your self-storage facility manager if you can set up a donation box in the office or at the entrance of the building. Place a sign on the box listing which types of donations you are seeking. People who are moving into or clearing out their units may have a surprising amount of items they may be willing to part with, and people who are clearing out their homes may choose to donate to you instead of tossing out unwanted items. You can also direct people planning to donate to the storage facility at designated times so you can easily collect items for your drive.
Create An Organizing Station
While your self-storage unit can obviously be used to store the donated goods, it can also be used to organize donations and prepare them for delivery to local charities. Invest in several large plastic bins and label them according to what will be placed in them. For example, if you are setting up a winter coat drive, label the bins for the sizes and gender of the coats. This will make it easier for your charity to distribute the coats, and it can help you to see which sizes you need more of to help your local charity. Be sure to set aside a bin for items that are unusable, as some people may donate clothing or other items that are too worn or damaged to be given out.
Keep Track Of Your Paperwork
Depending on whether or not you are affiliated with an official charity, the cost of renting your self-storage unit may be a tax-deductible expense. Check with the Internal Revenue Service to confirm whether or not you can take a deduction for the unit, and keep your lease and rental information stored in a safe place. You may even want to discuss the intended use of the unit with your local storage facility, as the management may be able to offer you a discount for the rental costs. Your self-storage unit can be a crucial part of organizing a donation drive. Be sure to discuss the intended use with your self-storage facility manager. Once you have your self-storage unit secured, you can begin to collect items for your donation drive and organize them so they are ready to be passed out to those in need.
