Most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of our clutter. We tire of cleaning and managing and organizing. Our toy rooms are messy, our drawers don’t close, and our closets are filled from top to bottom. The evidence of clutter is all around us.
Today, data is constantly being collected about our homes, our shopping habits, and our spending. The research is confirming our observation: we own too much stuff. And it is robbing us of life.
Here are 21 surprising statistics about our clutter that help us understand how big of a problem our accumulation has actually become.
1. There are 300,000 items in the average American home (LA Times).
2. The average size of the American home has nearly tripled in size over the past 50 years (NPR).
3. And still, 1 out of every 10 Americans rent offsite storage—the fastest growing segment of the commercial real estate industry over the past four decades. (New York Times Magazine).
4. While 25% of people with two-car garages don’t have room to park cars inside them and 32% only have room for one vehicle. (U.S. Department of Energy).
5. The United States has upward of 50,000 storage facilities, more than five times the number of Starbucks. Currently, there is 7.3 square feet of self storage space for every man, woman and child in the nation. Thus, it is physically possible that every American could stand—all at the same time—under the total canopy of self storage roofing (SSA).
6. British research found that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with just 12 daily (The Telegraph).
7. 3.1% of the world’s children live in America, but they own 40% of the toys consumed globally (UCLA).
8. The average American woman owns 30 outfits—one for every day of the month. In 1930, that figure was nine (Forbes).
9. The average American family spends $1,700 on clothes annually (Forbes).
10. While the average American throws away 65 pounds of clothing per year (Huffington Post).
11. Nearly half of American households don’t save any money (Business Insider).
12. But our homes have more television sets than people. And those television sets are turned on for more than a third of the day—eight hours, 14 minutes (USA Today).
13. Some reports indicate we consume twice as many material goods today as we did 50 years ago (The Story of Stuff).
14. Currently, the 12 percent of the world’s population that lives in North America and Western Europe account for 60 percent of private consumption spending, while the one-third living in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa accounts for only 3.2 percent (Worldwatch Institute).
15. Americans donate 1.9% of their income to charitable causes (NCCS/IRS). While 6 billion people worldwide live on less than $13,000/year (National Geographic).
16. Americans spend more on shoes, jewelry, and watches ($100 billion) than on higher education (Psychology Today).
17. Shopping malls outnumber high schools. And 93% of teenage girls rank shopping as their favorite pastime (Affluenza).
18. Women will spend more than eight years of their lives shopping (The Daily Mail).
19. Over the course of our lifetime, we will spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days searching for misplaced items.The research found we lose up to nine items every day—or 198,743 in a lifetime. Phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork top the list (The Daily Mail).
20. Americans spend $1.2 trillion annually on nonessential goods—in other words, items they do not need (The Wall Street Journal).
21. The $8 billion home organization industry has more than doubled in size since the early 2000’s—growing at a staggering rate of 10% each year (Uppercase, note: link no longer available).
The numbers paint a jarring picture of excessive consumption and unnecessary accumulation. Clearly, many of us have far too much stuff.
Fortunately, the solution is not difficult. The invitation to own less is an invitation to freedom, intentionality, and passion. And it can be discovered at your nearest drop-off center.
Further reading:
For more helpful tips, here’s an article filled with tips on how to declutter your home. You can also use our Decluttering Checklist to keep yourself organized and focused.
For a complete lifestyle change that will prevent clutter from coming back into your life, learn more about simple living from this article on minimalism.
Toni - Reclaiming Your Future says
Yikes this is depressing!
Given that I’m currently travelling (living and working in Sydney), I realise looking around my bedroom that I haven’t needed much. A bed, wardrobe and whatever I came with. And when I’m ready to move on in a few months, everything that I didn’t come with (including some things I did!) will go to goodwill or bed sold because honestly, it takes very little to keep me content when it comes to ‘stuff’.
Stephanie says
i highly recommend free cycle.org for passing on any unwanted stuff
Jessica says
I would like this even more if the last sentence said, “And it can be discovered in your own neighborhood by joining the Buy Nothing Project.” buynothingproject.org
Carol says
I am still working on a clean out after the passing of a family member. So much stuff .
Difficult and painful.
Lori in Prescott says
I can only advise you to take your time. I hope you have the help of siblings. I was surprised that the things of my parents I thought I would keep ended up in a garage sale anyway. I certainly didn’t need to drive them across country or ship them UPS. My husband said something to me during that period that stuck. “It was their life. It’s not ours. Be careful what you want to bring into our life at this point.” Keep the happy things; not the guilty things you think they would have wanted you to keep!
Toni says
That’s something to think about Lori, that which your husband said, “It was their life, not ours.” My mother recently passed and I have not gone to sort through her things because I know I will need to make decisions that will be hard for me. One of those being the things she most cherished as her collection of giraffes of which I have never been fond of. I have enough stuff of my own and desperately need to heed this advice. Aarrgh!
NJB says
Take photos of the things you know she cherished but that you just don’t want. Make a small photo album and be sure to record a little info about the items. (EX: Mom’s dollhouse, made for her 5th birthday by her father, John Doe.) That way you’ll still have something to remember her by, and something to pass down in the family if desired, but you won’t have to store it. Get a disposable camera that takes panorama shots (they do exist!) and take one big group picture of the giraffes and be done with them!
Lori in Prescott says
Ditto! Ditch the herd of giraffes! What a great idea to photograph it all and make a book. Wish I had heard of that when I was cleaning out a lifetime of stuff of my parents.
lody says
Or keep your favorite one and use it as a bookend! Then sell/donate the rest!
Becky S says
Keep one small giraffe and use it once a year as a Christmas ornament on your tree, if you have one.
Carol Woosley says
My mother had a large collection of figurines. I simply used her Rolodex to contact all those she corresponded with, and sent each of them a figurine for a remembrance. To her old boss I sent her perpetual desk calendar. The letters of gratitude from these people often included more reminiscences about my mother–very healing for me.
Laura's Last Ditch Vintage Kitchenwares says
An estate sale service can help you deal with it all. I’m surprised how often people just chuck it all or stick it in a storage unit.
Lori in Prescott says
That’s what I used and it was worth the 30% they charged.
Karen says
I like this. Thank you. I still have several bedrooms and a crawlspace with a bunch of stuff that was my mom’s and grandma’s. I’ve thrown out and donated thousands of items over the 14 years since she passed away. I’m now using my local Buy Nothing Project to gift the valuable and sentimental items. But what helps me the most is telling myself that these things were special to them and many are special to me, but I just can’t keep it all. We have our own lives and our own stuff and Mom would be perfectly fine with me giving it to someone who would love it or need it. Mom wants us to be comfortable and happy and free of all this “stuff”. And since my siblings haven’t helped much at all, I tell myself that I don’t owe them any of the money that I could sell it for. I’m simply giving it away and spreading love and happiness and, in doing so, receiving love and happiness. My goal is to be done by the 15th anniversary of Mom’s death on November 29th.
Miriam says
#10 is horrifying. Even if you outgrow or tire of that much clothing in a year, it should be “gives away”, never “throws away.”
You never realize how much stuff we accumulate in a lifetime until you have to go through someone else’s stuff. Most of those very important possessions will someday just be someone else’s problem.
Laura says
While I absolutely agree with this article (I also use the “one thing in, one thing out” rule), our 5 granddaughters (aged 2-13) had a great time this past weekend putting on a play for their grandpa and me using old dress-up clothes my daughter used to play as their costumes. I don’t save/keep everything, but there are treasures that our grandchildren love playing with, including my son’s Legos and my daughters dolls. These items are now well-loved by a second generation, and I’m hoping their children will love them, too!
Maureen@ADebtFreeStressFreeLife says
I loved this article and appreciate all the statistics you include. The bottom line is as a culture we think “things” are going to make us feel better and so we buy and spend and end up with an enormous amount of crap we don’t need. No amount of spending in the world will fix what’s broken inside you. And until people realize this and are willing to work on the core issue I imagine houses will get bigger, storage facilities will get bigger and in more demand, and instead of fitting one car in the garage you won’t be able to fit either.
Katie says
I think my husband was surprised upon marrying me that while I look like I spend a lot of time on myself, I spend about 15 minutes a day getting ready and go shopping for myself once every 6 months (if that). I walk in, get what I need, and walk out. I worked 120 extra hours this month just to put in savings. I haven’t bought a watch… Ever. The jewelry I buy for myself is always less that ten bucks and I do that once a year on one of my biannual shopping trips. I’m 25 years old and still wear items I bought in the tenth grade and don’t have much clothing in general. I’ve still never used a credit card (although I have student loan debt). One issue I do find with this is number 18. I don’t use my severe ADHD as a crutch considering I graduated premedicine with honors and took no medication. However, I lose things daily simply because I have a disorder. I’ve learned how to compensate for a lot of my problems, but losing things is inevitable. I lost everything when I was living in Mozambique too, and I only had a few items to my name. I’m not sure how that’s a sign of not being a minimalist.
Hailey says
Katie, it’s great that you’re starting so early to not be a collector.
It’s a little unreasonable though to take issue with the article for mentioning losing things in the context of problems caused by having to much “stuff” because ADHD also causes you to lose things. In fact, if you have a particular condition that makes keeping track of things a challenge, having too many things only exacerbates it.
I highly doubt anyone reading the article who knows someone with ADHD, dementia, a history of brain trauma, distracting pain, or who is preoccupied with depression, illness or anything else would be hard on that person for owning too many things if that person frequently also loses things.
Ashley says
I’m wondering if you have any tips on helping those around you accept the decision to live minimally? My husband and I have recently decided to embark on the journey to declutter, but our friends and family keeping buying us STUFF! It’s stuff we don’t want, don’t have room for, but can’t say no to, as it is offered as a gift. We would insult everyone by declining the gift, but they just keep stacking up. I make monthly trips to Goodwill just to clear out space for the new stuff. They are just trying to be kind and spoil our son, but we just don’t have any more room!!
Mandy says
‘Nony’ from the website ‘a slob comes clean’ (www.aslobcomes clean.com) has some great videos on ways to kindly handle well meaning relatives who like to dump there junk.
Carie says
I try to live by one item in, one item out rule- for gifts, clothes, anything I can apply it to. Resales may give cash back, yard sales, dive it away to friends at church/school. I am slowly teaching my family and myself to really love and use what I have, ignore the sales!! We a grateful for gifts and will suggest memberships for the family and gift certificates to summer camps/swim team- places to make memories and have fun!!
Lori in Prescott says
One year, for Christmas, a friend gave us movie theater gift certificates. Enough to take guests along, including him! What a generous and enjoyable gift that kept on giving. I have a friend who buys a rescue animal’s care for a year in a child’s name. They get a thank you and a certificate and progress reports throughout the year. They seem to love it. You can make a little booklet of “things to do” that look like gift certificates and the child can rip them out to “cash” them in. When our son was small, he made a booklet of extra things HE would do around the house, in the yard for a gift and there was a place to paper punch the completed task. Isn’t it great to think outside of the box? Our best holidays have been NO GIFTS and instead a family vacation.
Lutie says
I would very much like to know more about the animal site as gifts for kids. My grandchildren would like that.
Ann says
This is a link to a large animal sanctuary in Utah. They house all kinds of animals, forever if need be, but preferable until they find their forever home. I provide care for cats as I can’t have any where I live.
Ginger says
You can Google “sponsor a rescue animal” or “sponsor a shelter animal” and find places to sponsor a pet.
Also, you can check out the organization you’re donating to by going to charitynavigator.org. They rate many organizations based on how they use their funds. If the rescue group isn’t listed, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad.
Stephanie says
This has to be the hardest! For us, the more we kept talking about minimalism and the more I “bragged” about how much we had decluttered and how much better we all felt, the more effectively the message was received. Sadly it’s become such a cultural norm to show love and affection with stuff and what you are doing is changing the rules. No one likes the rules to be changed on them and so they will push back, just to test your resolve. As a result, some people, knowing where we stand, still insist on giving us stuff- so I just send it on to the thrift store hoping it falls into the hands of someone who needs it more than I.
LeslieM says
We have also given stuff to thrift stores but it may not be going to folks who really need it when it goes there. We have a relative who is a hoarder. She volunteers at a thrift store so she can get first pick of stuff to bring home to her already overfilled house – and then she brings it to the homes of others until they, too, have way too much.
The folks I’ve found who really DON’T have what they need are refugees and immigrants. Visit their homes and there will often be almost no furniture or bedding. They also have no money to buy things. How do we get these things into their hands?
Redzoom says
Look for the refugee resettlement agency in your area. These agencies are the ones responsible for helping newly arrived refugees settle in. They will likely have someone to talk with you about donations or volunteering.For example, I know there are 3 agencies in Columbus, OH that resettle refugees. Click on the affiliate agency link to look for places in your state: http://www.wrapsnet.org/Contacts/RPAgencyContacts/tabid/100/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Jess Townes says
Thank you for sharing this link. Letting go of belongings can be hard for some people because they assign so much value to the object…it’s easier if you can say, “yes, this object does have value, but only if it is being put to use in a valuable way.” Supporting refugees as they start a new life is one of the most valuable things we can do with all our stuff.
Cindy stanton says
I have an idea, when they want to buy Xmas or birthday presents tell them to buy “memory’ gifts like tickets to amusement parks, movies, mini golf, restaurants, go cart rides, camping…Things you’ll enjoy as a family but won’t accumulate as stuff.
Laura's Last Ditch Vintage Kitchenwares says
There’s a time and a place to be polite and take the gift (when it’s from someone you don’t know well), but there’s a time and place to refuse things. It’s best done at a neutral time when no gift is being offered. We told my parents we didn’t want gifts and that we couldn’t accept anything that it wouldn’t be okay to donate. Because we stuck to our guns, it solved the problem. Now they ask if we can use something before giving it to us or our son. They can get whatever toys for him they like and he can play with them at their house – this keeps them more realistic.
What helps in general is to talk to friends and family before they give you gifts about how you’re a minimalist, you dislike clutter, and you don’t like receiving gifts . All my friends know (just from the normal course of conversation) that I will never be a bridesmaid and I don’t want gifts, so it keeps these awkward moments from every happening in the first place. Also, if you don’t give gifts, you don’t start the cycle of gift-giving obligation, and if someone gives you a gift, it doesn’t mean you have to reciprocate with stuff and continue the cycle.
CS says
I suggest that you demand that all gifts they give to you be consumables, like fancy chocolate.
NJB says
Ask your family and friends to spend the money on non-tangible things like outings to plays, movies, dinners, concerts, zoos, ballgames, etc. instead of things. Research shows that we remember events long after we’ve forgotten items we got as gifts. It will give the gift-giver something to buy (which is what they really want, for some odd reason) and it will give you something you may not have spent money on for yourself, thinking it too frivolous or expensive. My friend and I agreed that instead of trading gifts for our birthdays, we’d go out for a nice lunch together instead and split the bill 50/50. We actually spend less, and enjoy our gift to each other so much more than we would if it came with a bow on it!
Laura's Last Ditch Vintage Kitchenwares says
My parents have learned that an always-welcome gift for our son is used puzzles. He does them once, we pass them along to someone else, and there’s no additional clutter, and no extra stuff manufactured for us (there’s already enough stuff in the world).
I like the experience idea, too. In order to avoid creating a gift-giving cycle, we don’t give gifts all the time. Some Christmases we give my parents a gift, sometimes we don’t. When we do, it will be something like money so they can reupholster their couch.
We used to run to the store in a panic and look for something at least semi-appropriate, but being willing to not give a gift just because you feel you have to is very freeing. It ends up being good for the recipient, too, because you only give when there is something you know the person will want, and it makes them feel like it’s okay to skip the gift, too. It makes holidays SO much less stressful for everyone. Giving spontaneous gifts at neutral times is also good – when it’s tied to an occasion it’s more likely to trigger reciprocal giving.
Joe says
Bueller Bueller
Just donate to someone that needs it and choose works for you and yours. Peace.
Scott says
Start a hobby … like wine or chocolate, something consumable … and have people give you that for presents. It’s been my solution for years, works great!
Carol says
We have started giving gifts of experiences rather than material gifts. Experiences can be anything from an event like the zoo or concert to a day trip somewhere to a family holiday together where every family contributes to the expensive of the trip or holiday. How many times do we say l wish we could go do something, see someone. Then make it their present and make it special. The one thing we all appreciate is spending time with the ones we love. These memories are more precious than any material objects.
Sylvia Leong says
We’ve gone through de-cluttering in the extreme. My husband & I live very comfortably in a spacious 670 square feet. The less we own, the more freedom we experience!
I’ve written an article giving a step by step process on how to get rid of the possessions you don’t want. There is also a section on how to deal with gifts. I hope this helps! Enjoy!
http://hubpages.com/hub/De-clutter-Room-By-Room-Small-Homes
Peggy says
Hi Ashley,
I read some great ideas in the comments for your situation – gift cards for experiences, donation toward summer camp, family vacation instead of gifts… I think the thing is, you have to speak up early (months ahead of time) before people get ideas fixed in their minds of what they want to do for you or your kids… From what I’ve heard, it takes some people a few years to “come around” to a different way of giving (college fund contributions, special food items, swim lessons, etc)… Maybe you could talk this over with your immediate family (partner, kids) and decide what reasons might make sense to the Gift Givers, how you might help them understand your position… Maybe stress that you would like to have them spend time with you (sharing a movie as someone mentioned, or a meal) rather than spend money on you or the kids? Or say that you’d like to do certain experiences but being a young family with kids, the money is a little tight (hint hint)…
I sent the following email to my relatives a couple of years ago: “Dear ____, I hope I’m not being presumptuous in saying this, but please don’t spend any money on me this Christmas. I don’t need or want anything (I told my hubby the same)… Seeing all of you will be my gift :)”
It worked out well for me… Good luck to you and your family :)
M says
My mother-in-law loved to buy gifts for my kids and at Christmas she made Santa look stingy. I finally suggested that instead she help pay for sports equipment, art and music lessons for our kids, and for our gifts donate to charities and organizations we wanted to support. Being the one of the most generous souls I’ve ever met, she honored our wishes, gave generously, and so enjoyed enhancing our ability to ‘gift’. My kids remember the many experiences their grandmother gave them — plays, musicals, concerts and all those lessons we couldn’t afford every time they practice their craft or write a Shakespeare paper. And of course, her coming to so many races and recitals. You know, the important things in life.
Sibylle says
Maybe you could explain the concept of minimalism to them? ‘Look, thank you for this generous gift, but we’ve decided to live minimally because…, so we can’t use this, but we apppreciate the thought’ or you can tell them that you’d rather have anon physical gift (time spent together, an afternoon of help in the household, …) or you could ask them to bring this or that food/drink when visiting instead or items that just sit there.
R. Chat says
We do not buy presents at Xmas or Birthdays, etc. Every spring and fall, do the cleaning out of not used things. Guess what? Nothing to clean out. From 6 set of dishes to 2. Only a few ornaments. Less stuff is MORE. MORE time for the other things of life which are healthier and MORE fun.
What good are 300,000. items if you can’t use them?
Lia says
Try making it clear that all you would want/need are consumables. My mantra has become “Coffee, chocolate, bourbon”. It was hard in the beginning to ‘announce’ that those few things were all I wanted, but once I got over it, it’s been awesome! I teach, which can mean lots of little gifts. Much easier for someone to get me some coffee or a nice bar of chocolate. (tea, fruit, bread, you get the idea)
Laura Lee says
My brother has a small place with his wife and son (12). He just lets it be known. He does not participate in gift giving with sibblings, etc. only for kids through college. And while we are currently cleaning out our parents home, he says I would like it but i don’t have room for it. It was just a consistant message that we finally accepted it. Things I do though are flowers or gift cards to resturants or grocery store to show my love and appreciation for them.
As a postscript my parents had more than their share of cleaning out homes, both of their parents one still had their farm home and in-town home, 3 aunts, and one grandfather’s farmhouse. So when we began on their home of 30+ years we found boxes labeled dad’s desk from Bonne Terre, sort from farmhouse, Agnes things sort, we even found an old kitchen drawer from their first house with the original items. Everything was stored nicely with copios notes, but the process is tiring and overwhelming. I totally understand finding the boxes from other estates, its those things you just don’t know what to do with, so you box it for later. Well if your living “later” never comes. While it has been fun going down memory lane reading my mom’s notes, I could have had the same experience with 1/4th of the stuff. Sorry for the short story it was lethargic. Moral clean out your own stuff :)
Jean says
I asked for donations to be made to a chosen charity instead of presents. I more or less phased out presents myself as most of it received is never used. I am also known for breaking anything that can be broken, sometimes with a little push from myself.
Mostly I give stuff away though.
I do sometimes buy stuff I don’t need yet, but do give the old away.
Krys says
this year I gave my family ducks, goats and alpaca for Christmas. Using a relief and development organization’s catalog I purchased these things in their names. A family gets assistance in a developing area and no more stuff came from the gift. We are also big fans of experiential gifts – the memories last a lifetime :)
Kate says
Give your friends and family a list of things you DO want. It could be a gift card for an experience rather than an item (examples: ski lift tickets, theme park admittance, movie or theatre tickets, iTunes OR a bookstore – after you read them, you can pass books on to others). If they don’t follow your list, return the items. I’m a grandmother and no longer give items to my daughter and her family – just checks or gift cards.
Deanna says
if they want to spoil your son – spend money on him – possibly explain that you’re out of room for “stuff”, but maybe they’d like to contribute to a college fund….or first car fund….or down payment on a first home fund. So many ways to spoil him in ways that will really make a difference in his life at a time when it really matters.
Celeste says
We’ve made it a no gift holidays. We printed out a certificate off a site we found telling everyone we did not want to exchange gifts. Bit we would love to spend time together be it a drink or dinner.
It was awkward at first but after the first year.. It was much easier. 5 years now, it’s so nice not to partake in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. But it is so nice to sit down and catch up with friends for dinner…
I too had to clean my dad’s house after he passed. Twenty five years….turned into 7 huge dumpsters several trips to the library with books…donations to several local charitable organizations…. And a full vehicle home….after that, I started to realize, no one wants my stuff… Some of the stuff I had, I didn’t want.
We’ve been packing to move and sell and we still had to get storage…just amazing how it all accumulates…
Liz says
I had to go through a lifetime of accumulated stuff when my mom died and again when my grandmother died. I swore I would never do that to my own children. Therefore, I am very strict with myself about not keeping things I don’t use. I have a set of China my dad brought from overseas after the war and I DO keep that. For everything else, if I haven’t used it in a year, it goes to Goodwill.
Lori in Prescott says
Me, too, Liz! I said I would never put my son through a hoarder’s clean out (my Depression era parents) and I have kept the Bavarian China my dad brought back from the war along with the real silver place settings. But I use them every day!
Nicole says
Lori, that is so great that you use the china. No sense letting it collect dust in a cabinet.
Eva Suzuki says
That’s awesome. I feel the same way. I hate the thought of my only child having to dispose,of useless stuff. This is a great article with sobering stats.
Sue says
Awesome! :)
Janet says
We are in late 50’s, picking up from one side of the US to the other. We have to shed things. Yardsales, then good clothes to second hand shopping stores, then goodwill. After that in front of house free and it is always gone. So much stuff. Going from CA to the East. I am glad I kept coats and jackets I thought would never be worn. Hardest is art pieces, paintings, pictures, etc. just have to change what hangs periodically.
Sarah says
Cleaning out my childhood home and downsizing is one of the greatest gifts my parents could ever give me. Having the time to sit down and choose carefully which mementos I want to keep vs. doing it when they eventually pass away- when I’m grieving and dealing with emotions. So thank you on behalf of all grown children.
jim says
Use Salvation Army, not Goodwill, please.
Paul Bryant-Smith says
Even better is to donate to your favorite house of worship or community group’s tag sale or thrift shop. That way, you can be sure your donation supports a religious/social agenda that you agree with. (I’m not a fan of the Salvation Army’s anti-gay stance…)
t says
Are they anti-gay? I have never heard that at all. They just are bible believing and in that case I will donate to the Salvation Army.
Kathy says
I don’t care about the anti-gay stance, I’m alive because of their Booth Memorial Hospital (now torn down) in Detroit…they used to take in pregnant homeless young women, give them a place to stay, continue school and have their babies…I was one of those babies back in the mid 50s. I will always support the Salvation Army!
Marcia says
I really love them … Part of the Christmas spirit!! You don’t have to give and they aren’t inside the stores .. So how of they disturb your shopping ? Harmless and do a lot of good with the homeless!! Never heard them say anything .. Anti…
Claire Firperson says
Anti-gay stance!!!! What era are you from?
Claire Firperson says
That should be “Anti-Gay” what era are they from. Surely not.
LeslieM says
The Salvation Army, as a religious group, faces the same challenge every Christian religious group faces, which is to understand the Bible as actually written, as it was understood at the time, and as it it fits with the world today. Homosexuality is something they will have to come to grips with, just as other religious denominations have had to grapple with it – and that takes time.
What the Salvation Army does without delay is care for the poor and homeless, gay or straight. People are not preached to, forced to lie or to convert in order to get help.
In many places in the US – as in my community – the Salvation Army has the largest homeless shelters and food programs of any religious or governmental group. They quite literally save lives.
So although I am a strong advocate for LGBT persons and issues, and mom of a gay child, I am also a supporter of the Salvation Army and its homeless programs.
Nicole says
Actually, Salvation Army turns away LGBT homeless couples.
candy says
seems some of the salvation army centers do discriminate. i consider that all (even those with police record) should have access to food if they need it. and it is not charity if i have to give them my soc security number.
Marcia says
Great article!!! Thanks!
Jean says
And I’m not fond of people who have to state their stance on an article totally unrelated. Typical it’s all about ME. And smearing those who may not agree with you, as I’m doing now.
Melvin Marsh says
The problem with Salvation Army is the discrimination against LGBT folks. Goodwill does not have that problem, they have other problems.
Darbi says
I second that. There are charities all over (both secular and religious) that have policies about treating everyone equally. There’s a link in this article to some secular ones, but a quick search of your local religious charities will tell you if discrimination is part of the package:
https://www.secular.org/blogs/mike-meno/unlike-catholic-charities-secular-groups-will-help-everyone
Tom says
Why? Because some Goodwill places allegedly mistreat employees? On the other hand, if it matters to you (and it does to me), the Salvation Army is a fundamentalist religious organization, with all the discriminatory practices that entails, including discrimination against gay people.
Dan says
I hate those bell ringer at Christmas! Can’t we just shop in piece?
Alison says
As a member of the Salvation Army in Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada, I’d like to mention that if we did not collect money in our kettles during the pre-Christmas weeks, and, yes, jingling our bells, many poor people would not be able to enjoy the food, gifts and the trimmings we all associate with a time of celebration and festivity. If this is offensive to some, so be it. They need not contribute. Re our stores being discriminatory re the LBGC I say “Tough”. You can always buy whatever you want and no-one will ask you what your sexual persuasion is. It is up to you to adjust your attitude or, do not enter our stores..
Jean says
use the internet.
Jackie Marshall says
Not to mention that they wear their red SA tee shirts and spew their “pro life” nonsense while impeding women entering Planned Parenthood, so add misogyny to the list. I donate to the American Cancer Society thrift and avoid the religious ones altogether.
Swoosh says
It is easy to call it “pro-life nonsense” when you’re already alive.
Jeff says
Goodwill is NOT a NOT FOR PROFIT, it is not a Charity! There are so many Charities that could use your donations; Salvation Army is one of the BEST- about 90% of your donation goes to the needy, almost no other Charity can claim that!
Janelle says
I just went to my local Goodwill’s website and found their 501(c)3 information and their 990 tax form. They are indeed a nonprofit charity under the tax code.
Marcia says
They also have the highest paid CEO except for Red Cross. Ridicules !
Anna says
Nobody is obligated to support an organization of your choosing if they aren’t even given a reason (Jim didn’t provide one). That being said the SA is usually great about actually giving back to the community.
Tami says
I donate to my local Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Thrift Store. American Veterans are a cause near and dear to my heart so the majority of my donations go there.
SuzanneH says
The Salvation Army has a religious backing that not everyone is comfortable with.
Jean says
and your point is, in relation to simplifying?
sue says
Yes I vowed not to burden my kids with my junk after cleaning up my Ma’s stuff BUT I find I am just too old and crippled to keep fighting it off!
Ann L says
After seeing the special last year on Goodwill and how high paid their executives are ($500K) but pay handicapped workers less than $1 per hour, I only give to Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul.
Pam says
I worked for The Bombay Company for years…every Christmas someone from the Salvation Army (headquarters?) would come in and order gifts for their higher ups…they spent over $10K……I never give my money to them knowing that some of that bucket money probably went to that purpose.
ren says
There was several generations at my mom’s family farm, we she passed away, we started going through the house…we filled a semi sized dumpster and burned 3 times that amount and didn’t even SCRATCH the surface of STUFF!! when my mom and I left that weekend, I looked her in the eye and told her “Don’t you DARE leave my sister and I a mess like this to go through.”
My folks have plenty of stuff but at least its just one generation of items since they moved 35 years ago.
But I can’t control what they do to, told her there is about 5 things out of the house that I treasure and I would love to have.
However I can control the possessions in my home and I am doing that. I refuse to stop at garage sales, I am slowly getting rid of things that I don’t love or have a practical use in my life. I haven’t regretted a single thing I have gotten rid of.
The tradition of leaving the next generation the clutter that the older generation doesn’t want to deal with ENDS with me.
Its funny/sad to see people who spend years collecting more and more to hand down to their kids, then when they decide to either move to a retirement house, down size or go to nursing home, and they have to get rid of everything, and decide they want NEW things for there new apartment. Family doesn’t want it and neither do they.