Lauren Comiteau originally conceived this article as a joy of giving piece about gifting to those less fortunate. But she has now realised it’s a combination of her desire to do good and also to rid her closets (and shelves and floors) of… as much as she can.

So whether you want to spend this holiday season donating your time, sharing the love, re-gifting, recycling, reusing, giving a gift that keeps on giving, clearing out the clutter or all the above, read on!

The gift of reading

Better World Books

Looking to give a literary gift? Then head to Better World Books, where you can give the gift of literacy in the process. When you buy from Better World Books, you support their grants to worldwide literacy programs, including Books for Africa and Little Free Library. Better World Books has donated over 38 million books to date. Hoarder bonus: you can drop off any books you want to unload at The American Book Center (ABC) in Amsterdam, The Hague or Leidschendam, which will make sure they find their way to Better World Books.

Minibiebs

And speaking of the Little Free Library, they’re the American-based nonprofit that encourages people to start their own mini libraries, known as minibiebs in the Netherlands. You’ve likely seen them on street corners, in front of houses—anywhere a shelf can fit.

Locals deposit the books they no longer want and passersby can take what they desire for free. It’s a great way to lighten your literary load, pick up a gift and inspire reading and access for all. You can use this website to locate a minibieb near you. Or better yet, why not start your own?

Pet detective

Melez Dog Rescue

“Melez” means “mixed” in Turkish and refers to mutts, which are exactly the abandoned and unwanted dogs from Turkey’s streets and shelters that Melez Dog Rescue brings over to the Netherlands, Belgium and Britain. In addition to accepting money donations for much-needed food and vet bills, you can also adopt or foster a dog.

Melez Dog Rescue is also on the lookout for flight volunteers to bring the canines here. Hoarder bonus: They also accept donations of doggie paraphernalia, including collars, leashes, harnesses, toys, dog beds, blankets and flight crates. But let’s face it: nothing beats a dog under the Christmas tree! (Although remember: dogs are not just for Christmas.)

There are several other Dutch organizations that rescue Europe’s street dogs and bring them to the canine-loving Netherlands for adoption, including: Stichting aai(Southern Europe), Puppy Rescue Team Foundation (Italy), Straydogs Rescue Nederland, (Romania), ACE|SHIN (Spain) and Rescue Dogs And Cats NL(Lithuania). And the DOA, the largest animal shelter in the Netherlands, also has dogs and cats for adoption.

Animal Donor Codicil

This is probably the last thing you want to think about during the holidays, but when that awful day of a pet’s death inevitably arrives, you can donate your beloved’s body to Utrecht University for educational purpose, reducing the number of laboratory animals used for teaching. Vets in training get hands-on experience, including the ones who treated my pooch for a brain tumour some two years ago. She will return there one day to give back…but not today!

Dierenambulance

The country’s impeccable animal ambulance service has helped me several times, from removing a suffering newborn pigeon on my balcony to helping a bleeding stray on the street. A monthly donation in the name of the animal lover on your gift list may be just the ticket.

Tech graveyard

Although this site is made by a for-profit professional organiser, her tips on where to dispose of your old electronics—from phones and laptops to monitors and chargers—is so comprehensive it’s worth a look. You’d be amazed who can benefit from the items in your tech cemetery (Leiden youth, sick kids and dolphins included).

A new life for your old bike

The Give a Bike Foundation, which says it is “not a charity, [but] a worldwide social bicycle network,” aims to increase global independence and mobility by bringing recycled and refurbished bicycles to those who need them—a worthy goal for a country that has more bikes than people. You can drop off your old, unwanted steeds at these locations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Food for all

Vereniging van Voedselbanken Nederland (Association of Food Banks Netherlands)

There are some 180 food banks—voedselbanken—at over 500 locations throughout the country where those in need can pick up nourishment. Volunteers are always welcome, but if you’re short on time, why not start a food drive with friends or family, your company or school or sports club?

The food banks seek non-perishable foodstuff such as pasta and rice, canned veg and fish, oils, soups, cereals, sauces and peanut butters. You can drop them off at your nearest food bank—which sometimes is a box at your local Albert Heijn or Dirk van den Broek. Hoarder bonus: clean out that pantry! But be thoughtful: no expired foods, please.

Give the gift of time

Serve the City

Serve the City is a global volunteer movement that helps those on the margins of society: the homeless, asylum seekers, the elderly, the disabled, children in need and abuse victims. Its goal is “showing kindness in practical ways,” and I can vouch that they meet it.

A colleague and I have baked cookies for homeless shelters on January’s Blue Monday and donated gifts for Sinterklaas to underprivileged children, whose names, ages and gift wishes were sent to us beforehand so we could choose the present the child wanted and write some liedjes. Don’t all kids deserve that?

With outposts in Amsterdam, Maastricht, Tilberg and Utrecht, Serve the City also has ongoing projects such as cooking at shelters, crafts workshops for kids and park clean-up days.

The Stoelenproject

The Stoelenproject is an evening homeless shelter that houses 50 homeless people nightly at its shelter on Amsterdam’s Marnixstraat. Running since 1989, the Stoelenproject also hosts cooking groups, where 2-6 people join forces in their kitchen and cook dinner for the nights’ guests.

You can make your own group—colleagues? friends? family?—buy the groceries, cook and even serve if you want. Friends and I have whipped up holiday dinners there with our kids over the years, which proved to be an eye-opening experience for all. Click here to see available timeslots.

Flying seagulls

Another personal favourite, the Flying Seagull Project brings circus, magic and clowning to children in refugee camps worldwide, including the Netherlands, allowing them to be children for a few hours amidst the violence, trauma and displacement so many face.

In addition to donations, Flying Seagulls Nederland offers occasional training sessions in the Netherlands for performers (and even people like me) who would like to join their brigades and “give the gift of childhood” that is every young person’s right.

Last chance Charlie

The kringloop

When all else fails, head to a kringloop—those countrywide thrift or charity shops—to unload or pick up. They accept pretty much everything, including my state-of-the-art 2001 ISDN machine, the technology of which is being discontinued in the early new year.

In addition to supporting hard-to-employ people, kringlopen provide affordable products and some real gems for those willing to dig deep. You may just pick up your best holiday gift here.