Keeping your home #clean is more important than ever during the #COVID-19 pandemic. While most infections are passed through shared airspace, Wired says, you may still be able to pick up the virus from a surface. Clean (removing dirt) and disinfect (killing germs) all frequently touched surfaces in your home — doorknobs, tables, kitchen and bathroom counters, faucet knobs, light switches, and remote controls. And do this daily if anyone has had contact with the outside world.
Tag: cleaning
Declutter to Take Control of Your Quarantine
Spending more time at home doesn’t automatically result in a #cleaner, more #organized space. You’ll have to #declutter more often to stay on top of all the accumulated #WFH materials, school work, clothing and foodstuffs that you ordinarily might buy or use outside the home. Fortunately, ClothingDonations.org is still offering free, contactless #donation pickups just like it did pre-pandemic. Start weeding through the things that you don’t need, don’t want or don’t fit to get control of your #COVID bubble today.
Donation Pickups Temporarily Halted Due to COVID-19
The Organizing Blog regrets to inform readers that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted ClothingDonations.org’s regular donation pickup services. We are currently unable to collect your donations in all but a few areas of the country.
If you are unable to schedule a donation pickup at our websites, that’s likely because service in your area is unavailable at this time. To check on your location, call the pickup number for your state listed at ClothingDonations.org.
We will resume pickup service as soon as it is safe to do so for our donors and drivers. We encourage you to revisit the site when the social distancing guidelines designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus start to ease.
Social distancing and stay-at-home orders may provide the extra time you need to get started on #decluttering tasks you might have been putting off, however. Be sure to revisit the Tales From the Closet archives for advice on all kinds of #cleaning, #organizing and decluttering tasks.
Take advantage of your newfound down time to sort out the stuff you no longer need, want or find useful. Bag or box those castoffs and set them aside; we will pick them up as soon as we can resume donation pickup service safely.
We appreciate your support and patience during the COVID-19 pandemic and hope that you, your family and your friends are safe.
Sincerely,
Quentin Butcher, Business Director, Vietnam Veterans of America
Cleaning to Prevent the Coronavirus
With many parts of the nation initiating localized lockdowns against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, many readers may be wondering what they can do to help the situation as they prepare to spend more time at home.
First, don’t panic. The “social distancing” measures advised are intended to slow the spread of the virus by decreasing person-to-person transmission — and the faster they are implemented, the less impact the virus can have on day-to-day activity.
Although you may be forced to reduce participation in group activities for a short period time, purchasing six months’ worth of toilet paper and other supplies will only make it more difficult for others to access the basics. Stores will restock!
If you and/or your children are forced to stay home due to a COVID-19 lockdown at work or school, make the most of that time and do a good #decluttering. Set items you no longer need or want items aside for a donation to ClothingDonations.org.
Decluttering is a good step toward a thorough deep-cleaning, but since scientists say COVID-19 can survive on certain surfaces for up to three days, you may wish to do some cleaning and disinfecting to prevent the virus from spreading or causing an infection.
You’ll want to clean and disinfect household surfaces that get touched regularly, including doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, door handles, toilets and sinks, The Seattle Times says. Use EPA-registered disinfectants or a bleach solution to kill the virus.
Also remember to practice good antiviral personal hygiene to protect your health. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face, WHO says. If you feel feverish, develop a dry cough or have difficulty breathing, seek medical help immediately.
Hopefully, these precautions will prevent COVID-19 from affecting you directly and spreading. Stay safe!
Spring-Clean During the Spring Rains
There’s no better time than a rainy spring day to “clean and organize something really well,” says Apartment Therapy. The site suggests scrubbing and #decluttering the kitchen cupboards, sorting through a linen closet and organizing the home library, but there are likely a number of areas in your home that could benefit from a carefully considered purge and wipedown. Take advantage of the weather and contact ClothingDonations.org for a donation pickup when you’re done sorting through that stuff; the proceeds from your donations will help fund veterans’ programs nationwide.