LEWISTON – Better organization, a spot for hold items, and an earlier start to picking up college castoffs all helped to nearly double profits at Bates’ Clean Sweep on Saturday.

“Last year it was about $9,500,” Julie Rosenbach, Bates College’s environmental coordinator, said, “and this year it was probably between $17,800 and $17,900.”

The annual event aims to do good thrice over – helping the environment, local charities, and local people in one humongous yard sale.

The college hawks stuff – computers, televisions, microwaves, futons, heaps of clothing and nearly everything else under the sun – left on campus by departing students, which would otherwise go straight to the dump.

Locals can get couches for as little as $20, warm wool sweaters for $3 and kitchen stuff for as little as 50 cents.

Local charities, which send volunteers to staff the event and sort through wares beforehand, get the profits in the end.

It’s an extra-big pot this year. “Last year was my first year working with the college,” Rosenbach said, in explanation. “I had just come in, so we picked up (throwaways) later. This year it was more organized.”

Clean Sweep didn’t take junk this year, she said, and had more time to clean and price the wares before the big day.

There was also a spot for people to put things on hold this year, she said, which helped folks continue shopping even after choosing a large item, like a couch.

More people showed up to shop this year than they did last year, Bates security officer Craig Chicoine said, although an exact number was unavailable.

But it wasn’t vastly more than usual, Rosenbach said. People start lining up at the doors at 5:30 a.m. to wait for the 8 a.m. opening every year, she said.

“I’m just really happy. I feel like we put in a lot of work this year, and it paid off for all the volunteers,” Rosenbach said.