The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Spring Cleaning

Spring into Action: How to Responsibly Discard Unwanted Items

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With the start of longer and warmer days, millions of people around the world are reminded to participate in the subconscious tradition of ‘spring cleaning’. The seasonal phenomenon dates back to ancient times, encouraging people to look deeper into their closets, garages and kitchens. Whether it’s clearing out the dust or getting rid of things that no longer serve a purpose, spring cleaning is a time to refresh and renew.

In Westchester the trend is no different. This guide will show you some great local resources to help with recycling, donating and selling items to prepare for summer.

Westchester County Facilities

The Household Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF) located at 15 Woods Road in Valhalla is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment only. The H-MRF is ideal for items that require special handling, such as old electronics, batteries, propane tanks, or even hazardous household waste. It serves not just families, but also schools, institutions, and businesses that qualify as Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG). H-MRF will also accept unwanted medications on most first Tuesdays of each month by appointment only.

Finally, shredding help for confidential personal documents is also supplied as long as you’re not representing any businesses. While there may be fees for residents of certain towns, such as Somers, North Salem, and Bedford, this is only because these areas don’t pay taxes toward the Refuse Disposal District No. 1 (RDD). To find out if any fees apply to you, visit their website or call the Recycling Helpline at (914) 813-5425.

Furniture Sharehouse

Furniture Sharehouse, located in Building #3 on Airport Road at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains is Westchester’s only furniture bank. They provide essential home furnishings to individuals and families in need. This volunteer-run organization helps people transitioning out of homelessness or living in difficult conditions by providing them with free furniture, including beds, sofas, tables, and even artwork, turning houses into homes for people in need.

In business for over 18 years and helping over 18,000 clients receive over 100,000 pieces of donated furniture. Founder and Executive Director Kate Bialo ensures that their donation guidelines supply clean and practical furniture to those who need it the most. “What’s important about this is that we give away the furniture for free. We make sure it gets to the people that need it the most at a time when they really need it,” Bialo said.

If you have furniture to donate, you can drop it off at the warehouse on Wednesdays and Thursdays, or every third Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Furniture can also be picked up for a fee. To make sure your items meet their donation guidelines, check out their website.
furnituresharehouse.org

Luxe Luxury Labels

LUXE Luxury Labels located at 41 Maple Avenue in Armonk is an authentic resale store selling name-brand handbags, shoes, jewelry and accessories. If you have luxury items you no longer use, you can sell them through their website or by visiting their store in person.

Whether it’s a Chanel handbag or a Rolex watch, LUXE will review your items and, if approved, offer you a buyout quote within one to two days. Find them on Instagram @LuxeLuxuryLabels.

Fantastic Finds

Fantastic Finds, located at 400 King Street #6 in Chappaqua, is an upscale resale shop that benefits cancer support services through Support Connection.

Support Connection is a non-profit organization that offers breast and ovarian cancer support. Together with Fantastic Finds, volunteer staff accept new and gently used clothing, jewelry, furniture, housewares, and musical instruments, with all proceeds going directly to cancer patients in need of resources like counseling, support groups, and wellness services.

If you’re looking to donate some of your gently used items for the benefit of ovarian and breast cancer patients, you can do so by appointment. Please check their donation guidelines to see what is and isn’t accepted. Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
supportconnection.org/fantastic-finds/

Spring Cleaning Challenges? How Westchester Self-Storage Can Help

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There’s no doubt Spring is right around the corner… and for most Americans, that means hours upon hours of arduous Spring cleaning. Lucky for New Castle residents, Chappaqua Self-Storage (part of the Westchester Self-Storage Group) is here to lift the burden, and make the onerous task a little less stressful. With locations in Chappaqua, Armonk, Bedford and Mt. Kisco, this locally-owned, nationally-known business, now entering its 26th year, offers a one-of-a-kind self-storage experience you’ll never forget!

“If you have things in your house, apartment, condo, or office and you’re looking to store them (for Spring cleaning or otherwise), Westchester Self-Storage is the one that you should call!” asserts company President and CEO Peter Ferraro, Sr. “We have the highest integrity in customer service”–as proven by their Gold Key status, recognizing the highest standards in customer service and value–“and we’ve been in business a long time!”

Peter Ferraro, Sr. (Center) with Westchester County Executive Rob Asterino and Board Chairman of the New York Self-Storage Association Frank Crivello. Ferraro, Sr. also serves as CEO of the New York State Self-Storage Association, which represents over 400 self-storage members and facilities.

You can say that again. Now entering its 26th year, Westchester Self-Storage has aimed to provide top-notch service in all areas of decluttering and reorganization, leaving each client not only with a happy, more systemized home, but also with relaxing peace of mind about their storage situations. With over 7,500 customers ranging from homeowners, local business owners and everything in between, there’s no storage need they can’t handle!

“We offer temperature-controlled rooms, and non-temperature controlled rooms for long-term and short-term storage solutions,” explains Ferraro, Sr., on the facility’s unmatched features and benefits. “You can rent a storage room on a month-to-month basis, or [on a] more long-term [basis], depending upon your needs.” Unique to their facilities, too, is the fact that “you get an individual storage room [with] your own lock and key–you’re not co-mingling with someone else–and you can come and go as you please.

“We’re not like any other business,” adds CFO Peter Ferraro, Jr. “At Westchester Self-Storage, we actually take the time to suggest the right-size personal storage room to accommodate your needs and your family’s budget.” To help meet the wide variety of storage needs, room sizes start at 100 cubic feet up to 5,000 cubic feet. What’s more? Westchester Self-Storage offers free pick-up services.

“So, there’s no need to hire a moving company or rent a truck,” Ferraro, Jr. says, with a laugh. “We pride ourselves on our unique ‘Door to Store’ service.”

In short, Springtime is the time to “declutter.” And whether you’re cleaning out your closets for Spring, or downsizing your home…. whether you’ve got kids returning home from college or you just plain need more space in the house, Westchester Self-Storage is undoubtedly your storage solution.

Westchester Self-Storage Headquarters are located at 34 Norm Avenue in Bedford Hills, NY. For more information, please visit www.westchesterselfstorage.com.

Matt Smith is a writer and contributor to The Inside Press. For information or inquiry, please visit www.mattsmiththeatre.com.