It’s Time to Sort and Store Your Summer Clothing

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

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 Some may fit perfectly and look great season after season, while other garments may be a bit snug, outdated or just plain unflattering.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!

Supporting POW/MIA Accountability

Earlier this year, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains of U.S. Air Force Maj. John Creighton Gillespie Kerr, leaving the number of Americans still missing in action and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War at 1,576. The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and its local chapters help find and identify MIA remains through its Veterans Initiative Program, which uses artifacts taken from battlefields such as maps, after-action reports, pictures and other items to help locate the remains of those who gave their lives in service. Your #donations of used #clothing and #household goods to ClothingDonations.org support this program and many others that help living veterans on a daily basis. Schedule a #pickup today! #NationalPOW/MIARecognitionDay

Labor Day Offers a New Beginning

While you could book a last-minute trip to celebrate Labor Day, the beginning of September represents new beginnings, Her Agenda says. It’s (nearly) a new season, and the day off presents an opportunity to #purge some of the old #stuff you no longer use. Take a day to go through your house and figure out what you don’t need. “This three-day weekend is the perfect time to throw on Netflix or a podcast and start digging through the closet and building a ‘donate’ pile.” Once you have that pile, contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup — and enjoy the rest of the weekend unburdened. #LaborDay

Keep Your Car Clutter-Free

Anyone who operates a vehicle knows how quickly it can fill up with papers, empty beverage containers, automotive supplies, receipts and other junk. If you don’t #clean and #organize your vehicle frequently, it can fast become a #cluttered #mess.

The mess gets worse if you’re shuttling kids, who leave articles of clothing, sporting goods and food wrappers in the back seats, glove compartments and seatback pockets. “Kids add a whole new level to car clutter,” says Home Storage Solutions 101.

To keep your ride #clean and #organized, start by reducing the #stuff you keep in it. Remove everything from the car’s interior at the end of each day you drive. Make a habit of emptying cup holders and consoles, and disposing of any #trash.

Once you have a baseline of #cleanliness, buy a seat back or floor organizer to keep any essentials — wipes, a flashlight, first-aid kit, charging cords, etc. — in a single place. Place important documents such as your vehicle registration and insurance card in the glove box.

Keep a trash bag in the car for the wrappers and container that otherwise would get stuffed into a crevice or stashed under a seat. Train yourself and your children to collect all of their stuff at the end of every ride. Repetition will make it second-nature, says blogger Kerilynn Snyder.

Next, establish a regular cleaning routine, Danielle Moss says. Vacuum the floors and wipe down all surfaces and glass. For the easiest #cleanup in all kinds of weather, invest in all-weather floormats to make spills, mud and dirt easy to deal with.

You can often find lightly used baskets, organizers and automotive accessories at the #thrift stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. And if you find any #junk in your car you don’t need as you #declutter, bag it and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup.

Those #donations help fund valuable programs that #help the nation’s #veterans. So you’ll get the good feeling that goes along with #donating to a good cause along with a clean and comfortable vehicle. Happy motoring!