After living in Enchanted Lake for more than 25 years, David and Linda Rockwell were trapped in their own home. Although they were on good terms with their neighbors and enjoyed living close to the beach, they were being buried under an avalanche of their own belongings.
"We had too much darn stuff," admits David. "Our closets were bursting at their seams, the carport was packed to the rafters and our covered lanai became a dumping ground for everything from golf clubs and a kayak, to a 40-gallon aquarium and a set of whitewall tires."
To rid their home of clutter, David and Linda adopted a "slash-and-burn" approach to spring cleaning.
"We were ruthless," laughs Linda. "We staged back-to-back yard sales in February, dropped junk off at the Waimanalo dump and invited friends to pick out items that they might consider using in their homes.
"Although friends helped themselves to a rattan love seat, a grandfather clock, kitchen utensils, David's hapa haole record collection and a leather hassock that we bought while vacationing in Morocco, the gridlock remained."
As a last ditch effort, Linda phoned the Community Clearinghouse, which carted off household items by the truckload. And with 80 percent of the clutter gone forever, she and David were finally able to relax on a clean lanai for the first time in more than a decade.
Fortunately, the Rockwells aren't the only Oahu residents hoping to rid their homes of accumulated "stuff."
As the CEO of Helping Hands Hawaii, which oversees the Community Clearinghouse and several other community organizations, Brian Schatz relies on the generosity of strangers just like David and Linda to make life a little more bearable for Island families in need.
Gently used clothing, toys and books can help brighten a keiki's life.
(Photo Courtesy of 123RF)
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Since 1974, the Community Clearinghouse has helped tens of thousands of kama'aina get back on their feet by providing them with gently used furniture, house wares and clothing.
"Many of the families who rely on the Clearinghouse for back-to-basic furnishings are in a period of transition," explains Schatz. "In most cases, these families have recently moved into a home or an apartment after being forced to live on the beach, in a shelter or with relatives."
Basic household items such as beds, linens, pots and pans, clean towels, throw rugs or a kitchen table can help families get settled into their new apartment and provide them with a sense of stability.
"After paying a deposit and the first month's rent, most of our clients don't have a lot left over to buy household needs," explains Schatz. "On Oahu, most affordable, low-income apartments are pretty bare and lack such essentials as a refrigerator or a washing machine. Even if a husband and wife are holding down two jobs, it can still be a struggle for them to make ends meet."
Scott Morishige agrees. As the program manager in charge of the Community Clearing-house's day-to-day operations, Morishige and two full-time staff members sort through piles of furniture and clothing nearly every day, and try to get them into the hands of people who need them the most.
"Beds and mattresses top our list of most requested items," says Morishige. "When a mom or dad can move their kids off of an apartment floor and into a clean bed of their own, the spirit of the entire family skyrockets with a genuine sense of pride and hope for the future. And when keiki or teens can go to school wearing a new shirt or carrying a backpack filled with books, pencils and paper, they're less likely to get teased by abusive classmates."
Donating usable household items is a win-win situation. Homeowners, like the Rockwells, enjoy the benefits of a tax deduction and a less cluttered home, while the Clearinghouse gets to restock its Nimitz Highway warehouse with usable items.
All donations to the Clearinghouse are passed on for free to local and young military families in need. Nothing is ever sold, making the Clearinghouse the epitome of a true nonprofit recycling center.
To help with donations, Morishige and his crew have a truck at their disposal and can arrange bulk pickups of furniture and other household items on their top-ten hit list. What the Clearinghouse can't use is passed on to other nonprofit groups working within the community.
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