January 2026

Decluttering: More Than The Name Implies

By Suzi Hoge
Posted: 02/27/2025

Periodically the De-Cluttering Group takes a field trip. On our first field trip we went to Remainders – Creative Re-Use, Full Circle Thrift Shop & Donation Center, and then had pupusas for lunch at La Caravana Salvadorian Restaurant.

On February 12th, we were delighted to have a tour of Habitat for Humanity’s Re-Store, Pasadena Assistance League’s Treasure Fair Thrift Shop, and had lunch at the re-modeled Panda Inn.

Adrian Salcido, Habitat’s Community Outreach Manager, and Kellie di Bartolo-Beckman, Re-Store Manager, gave us a tour of the huge 2-story facility is located at 32 N. Sierra Madre Boulevard. The store sells used and new donated items to help fund Habitat for Humanity’s projects. There is a hardware section with tiles, flooring, doors, tools, etc. Another section has used furniture and household decorative items. One section has items that are also sold online. In addition to all the Re-Store items for sale, there are specialty booth-type areas set up around the perimeter of each of the two floors. These “booths” are rented to individuals selling items such as used jewelry, re-furbished antique furniture, collectibles, etc. Adrian Salcido, Outreach Manager, is interested in how Re-Store and the Village can work together. 

The Re-Store accepts in-person drop off donations of household items in good repair (no clothing) Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10:00 – 4:00. It is best to call ahead to make sure your items can be accepted. For donation questions and Re-Store Information the number is 626 387-6900. A reservation pick-up service is also available for a $20 fee.

The Assistance League’s Treasure Fair Thrift Store was our second stop. It is located at 3239 E. Foothill. This is a well-organized thrift store with attractive displays of household items and clothing. We were delighted to see Liz Polenzani, a Pasadena Villager, volunteering behind the counter. She was able to sneak out and spend a few minutes with us. She reported, “We usually put out jewelry on Wednesdays, and people come in to see the new items.”

Afterwards, some of us went for lunch at The Panda Inn. It is newly re-modeled after several years of construction work, and the new dining room is very open and airy with a much more modern feeling.

The De-Cluttering Group meets via Zoom on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. All Villagers are welcome to join us. Many of us are making progress in parting with stuff accumulated over decades. It’s been helpful to do this with the support of others. Our Field Trips are informative, and our lunches are the reward we all look forward to at the end of our tours. Villager Lois Russell said, "I had not been to our field trip places before, and I was very happy to learn about them.”

 

Taking Action to Help Villagers

In addition to our monthly meetings and occasional field trips, the De-Cluttering Group is hoping to lead the way in helping Villagers whose homes were destroyed or damaged by the Eaton Fire. As Villagers affected by the fire are settling into permanent or long-term housing they will be needing items to set up housekeeping again…. perhaps a set of dishes, cookware, a nightstand, some kitchen towels, etc. We are looking for furniture and housewares to help with this transition.  Tino Melchor, Pasadena Village Intern, along with Suzi Hoge and BJ Ledyard, De-Clutter Team Leaders, have set up a digital database so that items can be listed by category, subcategory, description, photo, and the contact information of the person offering the item or items.

Any Villager who has new and/or gently used items to donate can fill out a Google form (that will be shared with the Village) along with a photo and send to Tino at tino@pasadenavillage.org. Tino will upload the photo into the listing. If you are not comfortable using a Google form we can help you.

Our goal is to have an organized, descriptive listing of items available to Villagers when they need them. They will be able to look through the items and use the contact information to connect with the donating Villager. It will be our free Marketplace for Villagers where those affected by the fire can “shop” for things they need without cost to them. This is one more way for us to demonstrate what it means to be part of a Village.