1. Donate your clothes! This was not easy for me as I consider myself a bit of a hoarder. I still have a huge box in my closet filled to the brim with old clothes that have been sitting there for the 2.5 years I've been living in my apartment. 10 pairs of shoes, 2 jackets, a handful of jeans, and many tops later I did the unthinkable. This was so much more difficult than I thought it would be. No, seriously - I had to have few glasses of wine in the process. There were still some items that I just could never part with like all my Tri Delt bid day shirts, fraternity philanthropy tanks, my high school cheerleading sweat pants, and the heinous shorts I made in clothing class circa 8th grade. Still, I am pretty proud of myself. I know those items I am donating are going to get much better use out of them rather than just having them sit in the back of my closet.
2. Pick up someone's tab. It really is the smallest things that can make a persons day. For example, I will never forget the time when I was driving on the highway and I was really annoyed I left my iPass at school. Driving through the tolls was such a pain in the butt. As I approached one of the tolls I was told that the person ahead of me had paid for me already! It was something so small but it made my day and years later I still remember it. I chose to pay for the person in line behind me at Starbucks. Picking up someones $5 coffee is a small price to pay to give someone a nice little surprise - this might even make their day or week!
3. Volunteer. I am so lucky to be working for a company that knows the importance of giving back to the community. A few weeks ago our team spent one morning volunteering at phil's friends - an incredible non profit organization making care packages and providing support for individuals battling cancer. I can't wait to come back here and help out again! Another organization I want to volunteer at is Feed My Starving Children. Grab your girlfriends and turn volunteering into a fun group activity/date night!
4. Donate to a good cause. It is so hard to pick an organization to donate to as there are so many amazing organizations and foundatings and I wish I had the means to contribute to every single one of them. A cause that is special to me is St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. My sorority in college, Tri Delta, has a national philanthropic partnership so it has always been special to me. Anyways, another great thing about the company I work for is they match every donation you make - and this year they had two days where they matched every donation 2 for 1!
5. Drop off your old eye glasses at your local LensCrafters. I thought of this one while going through my clothes to donate. I found a pair of perfectly good glasses in my drawer that had been sitting there ever since I got new glasses. I had no use for them but I knew there had to be a better way to get rid of them other than tossing them in the trash. LensCrafters participates in the OneSight program - a family of charitable vision care programs dedicated to improving vision through outreach, research and education. Simply drop off your gently used prescription or non-prescription glasses at a LensCrafters location and they will recycle and hand-deliver your used eyewear to those in need during a OneSight Global Clinic.
What are some other ways to pay it forward?
xo, Allie
I love giving it forward. It is just such a positive impact on every day routine. It can just be as small as buying the persons coffee behind you. great post!
ReplyDeletexoxo...Beth
www.settlingsouthern.com
Completely agree with you! Thanks for reading :)
Deletexoxo
I'm glad you got your laptop back and that inspired this and you paying it forward. These are all great ways, I love volunteering!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myclusterofthoughts.com/
Thank you!!! And thanks for reading :)
Deletexoxo
This sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletehttp://violettedaily.com
Aw, thank you! Thanks for checking it out :)
DeleteThis is awesome!!
ReplyDeletexx- Nina
http://www.ninalnguyen.com/2017/06/getting-on-track.html
Thanks, girl!!
Deletexoxo
Aww love this post, I couldn't imagine how scary it would be to realize you lost something so expensive! There really are good people in the world :) Love the ideas to pay it forward!
ReplyDeleteLauren Lindmark | dailydoseofcharm.com
Yes it was the worst feeling ever!! So happy there are good people out there and I'm so glad everything worked out! Thanks for reading, girl!
DeleteSO many good ideas here lady!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to Spring clean my closet and do a donation this weekend :)
Lyndi
www.stylecalling.com
That is awesome!! Thanks for reading :) xo
DeleteLove this post girl!! It's always so important to find small ways to give back to our community and it really can make someone else's day :) Really enjoyed reading this! <3
ReplyDeleteXO, Jessi
P.S- Woud LOVE for you to check out my new summer makeup tutorial with Estée Lauder!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmDOiEYCq8Y
Thank you!! I totally agree :)
DeleteLove the makeup tutorial! I want that Glow Kit!!
xoxo
This is a great post! Thank you for sharing. Often we forget how easy it is to give back.
ReplyDeleteErin // Plaid & Pearls
I definitely agree! Thanks for reading :)
DeleteLooks great!
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing, bisous
http://gallech.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by!
Deletegreat Post<3
ReplyDeletehave a nice day
http://www.swisstwins.ch/
Thank you! xo
DeleteWhat great ideas, I try to do all of these!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day :)
Rosanna x
Rose's Rooftop
Aw, thank you! Thanks for reading :)
DeleteSuch a great ideas!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletexx
Mónica Sors
MES VOYAGES À PARIS
NEW POST: DRUPE LOS ANGELES
Thanks for reading! :)
DeleteI love this post and paying it forward! Such great ideas! Without a doubt I will try these!
ReplyDeletewww.rdsobsessions.com
Aw, thank you!! That's great! xoxo
DeleteOh Allie, this is such a great post.
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling...I've (almost) lost my phone several times and it's terrible. I love all your pay it forward ideas. My favourite thing to do is buy the coffee for the person behind me in drive through at Tim Horton's (popular Canadian coffee franchise lol) they'll never know me, but it might inspire them to do the same
love this!
www.luellapearl.com
Caitlin
Ah, thanks Caitlin!! It really is the worst feeling isn't it? Also, that is so awesome of you. I don't do it enough but I really think at the drive thru is the easiest way because lord knows I get a ton of drive thru coffee haha. I will need to try Tim Horton's if I am ever in Canada :)
DeleteThis was a lovely post! Definitely great to keep in mind ways to pay it forward, and how lucky you were that your laptop was found! I had a similar thing happen to me when I lost my wallet in the city, I was so thankful to whoever had handed it in!
ReplyDeletehttp://reveriebelle.blogspot.com
Thank you, Karen!! So happy you had a positive outcome for your lost wallet as well :)
DeleteThanks for sharing, I love paying it forward. I think everyone should doing something at least once in their life for someone else or other people! Kindness is always great to have :)
ReplyDeleteJanine | prettylittledetails.com
Could not agree with you more!! Thanks for reading, Janine :)
DeleteLove to read you <3 <3
ReplyDeletewww.lacaleya.com
Thank you!
DeleteThis post was so sweet! Nice blog as well xx
ReplyDeleteStella
http://onegirlblogger.blogspot.com/
Aw, thank you Stella! xoxo
DeleteI have a LOT of love for this post! Firstly, I feel like it's a miracle you got your laptop back and it's fabulous that it kickstarted your mission of giving a little back. I love the idea of picking up someones tab - you're a real inspiration. :)
ReplyDeleteMusings & More
That is so sweet, thanks Emily!!
DeleteAnd thank you for reading :)
It's amazing how we remember the small gestures.
ReplyDeleteAll of these are great ideas to 'pay' kindness forwards. I particularly love the one where you pay for someone behind you! That is surely the loveliest surprise!
Steph
www.socialspying.com
It really is! Such an easy way to make someones day :)
DeleteThanks for reading, Steph!
Great post Allie!
ReplyDeleteWe'll do Tim Horton in about a week. We'll do it in your name
ReplyDelete