Now that #summer is over, you may find that your warm-weather #clothing is getting in the way of — or getting in the way of locating — the pants, shirts, sweaters and coats you want to wear for #fall. It’s time to do a seasonal #wardrobe swap! Gather space bags, shoe bags, #bins and labels, and sort all of that summer gear out of your #closet and into #storage for the #winter, says Apartment Therapy. Also have some bags for any #garments you find that can be trashed immediately or #donated to help #veterans through ClothingDonations.org. You’ll be thrilled to rediscover your cold-weather clothing and be able to #organize and find it easily. #ClothingSwap
Tag: clothing donation pickup
Fall Fashion for the Fastidious Declutterer
September is when the haute couture #fashion houses release their new designs for the year. And while few people can afford to shop the actual runway looks of Paris, New York and Milan themselves, the annual tradition helps set the trends and drives demand for new #clothing at every price point.
This year, the hottest #fall #fashions for women include the relaxed suit, the track pant, the draped top and the corduroy vest, according to Vogue. Men will be wearing knit hoodies, cardigans, rollneck sweaters and long trenchcoats, GQ says.
If you follow the #styles, you may have a lot of #clothes from past seasons in your #closets and drawers. Some may fit perfectly and look great season after season, while other garments may be a bit snug, outdated or just plain unflattering.
With the weather starting to turn cooler and new fall styles hitting the stores, it’s a great time to take stock of your #wardrobe. Do so before you start any fall clothes #shopping, so everything will have a place in your #closet and your personal style.
Start by purging your #closets and #drawers. Take everything out and try things on. Sort your clothes into “love it,” “hate it” and “maybe” piles, says fashion blogger Jo-Lynne Shane. The love-its can eventually go back in the closet, and the hate-its — at least the lightly used ones — can go directly into a #donation pile.
Clothes that just don’t get worn can go in the donation pile, too; there’s no benefit to save #garments for someday. “Once you ruthlessly purge your closet and get rid of all the stuff you don’t wear and don’t love, you can start to rebuild your wardrobe into one you will love to wear,” Shane says.
Once you’re done, you might be surprised at all of the #space you once dedicated to unflattering, ill-fitting and otherwise useless clothing. Contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup and say goodbye to those garments for good.
Afterward, reward yourself with one or two new pieces if you feel like it. You’ll have a streamlined, stylish wardrobe in no time and help the nation’s #veterans, to boot!
Get the Jump on Back-to-School Season
For kids and the college-bound, the lazy days of summer will soon come to an end. School starts as early as mid-August in many parts of the United States, so it’s goodbye to campouts and cookouts and swimming pools and pickup games, and back to the books.
Parents will want to take advantage of the many sales. Retailers are promoting back-to-school #deals earlier to tap the average $875 parents will spend this year to get each child outfitted in new clothes, computers and backpacks.
College students need even more to set them up for success: $1,365, according to the National Retail Federation, because they also need basic housewares such as sheets and minifridges. Whatever the student’s age, Good Housekeeping offers a guide to the things they might need.
You’ll want to get your students looking the part, from outfitting them in the latest styles (baggy jeans and leopard prints are back) to getting them a fresh haircut. (Great Clips is offering 24,000 free haircuts and a glossary of Gen Z slang to get parents up to speed.)
“It’s tough to keep up with the latest slang kids are using, but it is important because you can’t help your child succeed if you don’t really know what they want,” says former NSYNC singer Joey Fatone, who stars in a promo with his teenage daughter.
Parents who want to cut the #clutter will also want to prepare for the inevitable onslaught of student projects. Now’s a great time of year to work with your kids to #clean out #closets and make room for new #clothes, #organize a desk and #file last year’s school work.
Set aside any #clothing that still has some useful life in it and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #free #donation #pickup. Other parents appreciate the deals they can find at the #thrift stores supplied by those generous #donations, and #veterans benefit from the resale proceeds.
So (attempting Z slang here) don’t do back-to-school mid — gas up your kids for the new year. If your beige flag is organization, it’s a good time for you to cook. But start right away — letting kids start school unprepared is delulu!
Make an Impact on National Give Something Away Day
National Give Something Away Day — celebrated each year on July 15 — was created as a reminder for people to give back. How you choose to give can take multiple forms, but selfless acts are their own reward.
Many people have much more than what’s necessary to survive, but know that there are people in need nearby. National Give Something Away Day encourages us to take stock of the #things and comforts around us and share them with others.
What you give and to whom is entirely up to you. You might give a friend an old #tchotchke they’ve long admired or a bouquet of flowers. You might buy the person behind you in line a coffee or a sandwich. No gift is too small.
You can also choose #donate the gift of time to a local charity or organization by #volunteering. Perhaps there’s a food pantry or outreach organization that could use your help and specialized knowledge.
One fantastic way to celebrate National Give Something Away Day is to #clean out your #closets and other #storage areas to weed out the #stuff you no longer need. If whatever you find is in wearable or working condition, chances are that somebody else can use it.
Start with a single #closet or room. Sort through all of the #clothing, #books, #decorations and other #household items to see what has a place, setting aside anything that doesn’t fit or only creates #clutter. You’ll probably see the piles build up fast!
Put that #junk into #bags and #boxes and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #free #donation #pickup. Not only will you be giving something away and reclaiming #space, you’ll be #helping to fund programs that benefit the nation’s #veterans.
You can observe National Give Something Away Day on any day of the year, of course. But its reminder to give is one that yields benefits for everyone involved. #NationalGiveSomethingAwayDay
Earth Day 2024 Focuses on Reducing Plastic Pollution
Earth Day is almost here! The annual celebration of the planet and its ecosystems reminds consumers that it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect the environment and secure a sustainable and healthy future.
The theme for Earth Day 2024 is Planet vs. Plastics. In order to protect human and planetary health, EarthDay.org is targeting a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040, with the ultimate goal of a plastic-free future.
When plastics break down, they release toxic chemicals into the ecosystem, contaminating the food, water and air consumed by humans and other living creatures. Plastics also demand vast amounts of resources to create, so anything you can to avoid their use is good for the earth.
Start by carrying a reusable bag for your purchases. The average plastic bag is used for less than 20 minutes, but can survive hundreds of years in landfills. And despite the best efforts, they have proved to be nearly impossible to recycle; only 1% are returned to stores.
If you eat meals on the go, carry a set of reusable flatware instead of accepting a plastic fork, knife, spoon or spork. Borrow a set from the kitchen or invest in a camp-style kit to contribute less to plastic pollution. Add a stainless steel straw for good measure!
Plastics are everywhere. “Fast fashion” — cheap garments that are designed to be disposable — are a leading source of pollution, too. Many are made of petroleum-based microfibers — plastics that pollute the waterways when washed. And most cheap garments end up in landfills after only a few months’ wear.
To dress more #sustainably, shop smarter: Buy fewer higher-quality #garments that will last several seasons or years rather than trendy throwaways. Scour #secondhand and #thrift stores for quality #clothing, and you can save money while protecting the earth.
And always #donate any lightly-used #clothing you no longer wear to ClothingDonations.org instead of throwing it away. Those garments can have a second useful life instead of clogging the local landfill. These and other small steps can contribute to conservation. Happy Earth Day!