Buy Holiday Tins and Platters at the Thrift

Presentation is half the battle when you’re making cookies or other #holiday treats to #give. Instead of buying new tins, bags and boxes for your edible #gifts every year, visit the local #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. There, you can find lightly used decorative tins, platters and plates ready to reuse with your homemade #gifts. The resale of all goods #donated contributes to programs that support the nation’s #veterans, and your festive recipes will make you the star gift-giver of the season! #HomemadeHolidayFavorites

Do a Pre-Holiday Decluttering

It may be hard to believe, but the #holidays are right around the corner! Two weeks from now, you’ll be enjoying a #Thanksgiving feast; then, it’s on to the big shopping and gift grabs of the Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa season.

Do yourself a favor, and #declutter ahead of those holiday events. Whether you’re going to be hosting or not, #streamlining your home and weeding out your extra #stuff will help you get ready for seasonal #celebrations with less stress.

Start with the #kitchen. You may be baking cookies, contributing a side dish to the potluck or hosting a family feast. Go through your cabinets and drawers, and pull out anything that’s broken, cracked or chipped. #Trash and #recycle these items immediately.

If you find anything you haven’t used in more than a year or is ever-so-slightly less than perfect but still could be of use to someone, set it aside in a box or bag and #schedule a #free #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org.

Before you know it, your kitchen will be streamlined and ready to churn out that green-bean casserole or roast turkey with no fuss. Why? Because you’ll be able to find the cooking tools, serving dishes and dinnerware you need quickly because you’ve eliminated the #clutter!

Next, do the same thing as you get any #holiday #décor items out of #storage. Are some of your table linens worn and stained? Are those strings of twinkly lights half-lit? Clean and fix them if you can, and #trash them if you can’t. And again, you can #donate anything that no longer makes the cut.

“I love a good declutter before the holiday season,” professional organizer Carly Adams told Real Simple. “The best time to #declutter and #tidy the spaces you’ll be using to #host guests is before the social expectations of the holidays are here.”

Prepare your home for the holidays now! With a quick #decluttering, you’ll be able to everything you really need faster, reduce the stress surrounding holiday gatherings and have a happier holiday season. #HolidayDeclutttering

Edit Your Wardrobe With the Change of Seasons

Making the transition from #summer to #fall #clothing is simple. While it might take a couple of hours and some decision-making, it can pay off in terms of #closet space and time saved. First, do an edit of your clothing, sorting everything into keep, store, #donate and repair piles. Dedicate prime #closet space to the cold-weather #garments you know you’ll wear and fill in any blanks in your #wardrobe with a few new items. Then, contact ClothingDonations.org. for a #donation #pickup. “Ditching items that no longer serve you is not just about creating space,” says Simply Spaced. “When you purge the old, you make space for the new — whether it’s new career aspirations, a new relationship or simply a new season.” #ClothingSwap

Make Space by Storing Summer Clothing

Sorting out your #summer #clothing for #storage can free up valuable #space early in the #fall. Just empty out your #closets and drawers, and  ask yourself whether those summery outfits still fit, if you’ll wear it again, and if you wish to keep, #donate it or trash it. Then, organize anything you want to keep for next summer into types of clothing and hide them away in bins to revisit when the weather gets warm again. “Swapping out clothes allows for extra closet and drawer space,” says A Bowl Full of Lemons. “It alleviates cramped spaces and #clutter. It’s also a great way to inventory what you have and what you need.” #ClothingSwap

A Checklist of Summer Clothing to Store

When you’re prepping your #closets for #fall, you may be unsure just what can go into #storage bins and #donation bags. Likely candidates are flip-flops, espadrilles, sandals and other open-toed shoes; light cardigan sweaters; tropical prints; beach dresses, swimwear and summer rompers; and shorts and linen pants. If you don’t typically travel to warmer climates, all of these items can be stored out of sight — under the bed or on a high shelf — until you need them again in six months, says My Closet Edit. “If you do need access to your items for travel, you can have all of the off-season items to one side of your #closet or in a whole other closet in your home.”