The Founding Fathers would never have believed the range of merchandise that American consumers have available today, though George Washington and Abraham Lincoln probably would have enjoyed advanced dental care and mattresses that weren’t stuffed with horsehair. Some of the best deals of the year are available on Presidents’ Day weekend, however, so if you’re in the market for a new vacuum, mattress or couch, now’s the time to buy. Good Housekeeping lists some of the biggest promotions, but The Organizing Blog urges readers to refrain from buying anything just because it’s a good deal; #stuff you don’t need creates #clutter. #PresidentsDay
Tag: clutter
George Washington, Presidential Pen Pal
Many of the “facts” people know about George Washington are actually myths. The cherry tree anecdote was fabricated by a creative biographer, he powdered his real hair rather than wearing a wig, and he never wore wooden teeth, instead relying on dentures made of ivory, brass, horse teeth and human teeth. But Washington established expectations for all U.S. presidents to come and was a prolific letter-writer, says Mental Floss, writing between 18,000 and and 22,000 letters during his lifetime. Those papers are now historic, but today, people can correspond with much less #waste and #clutter. #PresidentsDay
Honest Abe Had a Problem With Clutter
As a young lawyer, Abraham Lincoln “was a frightfully #messy person” who stored important speeches in his hat in order to not lose them in the #clutter, according to President Lincoln’s Cottage. “Papers, briefs, letters and notes scattered to the four corners of his office,” and his desk had an envelope on it marked, “When you can’t find it anywhere else, look into this.” As revered as Lincoln is for his accomplishments as president, take advantage of this Presidents Day to clear your desk or another space of space of clutter — and donate any lightly used #stuff to ClothingDonations.org. #PresidentsDay
U.S. Presidents Aren’t Immune to Clutter
The holiday reserved to celebrate the birthdays of founding fathers George Washington and Abraham Lincoln is often recognized with sales on mattresses and other household goods. But U.S. presidents had a range of organizing habits, says Clutter.com. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for example, had bookshelves built into every available space in his “Little White House” in Warm Springs, Georgia. His successor, Harry S Truman, had a desk built of scrap wood from a White House renovation that had at least 10 drawers, but nonetheless attracted a lot of stacks of important paperwork. So if #clutter ever gets you down, remember that it’s a problem even for the most powerful. #PresidentsDay
Do Your Seasonal Shopping Sustainably
Part of living a #clutter-free lifestyle is to keep only the things you use, wear and otherwise enjoy. But you can eliminate #clutter on the front end, too, by shopping more sustainably — and this is especially important to remember when giving #gifts during the #holiday season.
The supply chain demands huge amounts of resources to get those special somethings delivered to your door. Make an effort to shop smaller local businesses for gifts, a practice that reduces the carbon footprint of whatever you buy. Or exercise your creativity to make some of your gifts rather than buying mass-marketed products.
Gifts don’t have to take a physical form at all, says Sustainability Victoria. You can give an experience such as a massage or facial, a cooking class, a yoga session or a dinner out rather than a product. Or you can make a charitable #donation in a person’s name; whatever you choose, chances are good that someone on your gift list doesn’t need more #stuff.
You can also shop the local #thrift stores — many of which supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. “Upcycling” gifts can save money and keep more quality goods out of landfills.
“Buying secondhand clothing helps preserve the earth’s natural resources and prevents the additional pollution created by producing new garments,” Maryville University says. “Thrift stores provide shoppers with excellent bargains [and] often sell nearly new clothing alongside unique vintage pieces.”
Gift wrapping is one of the most wasteful aspects of holiday giving. Substitute newspaper and reusable packaging such as bags, baskets and tins for single-use wrapping paper, California Environmental Voters suggests. And try to buy gifts that are packaged in sustainable materials such as bamboo, recycled plastic and biodegradable paperboard rather than plastic clamshells.
Finally, be intentional about gifting and perform your due diligence, Bloom & Spark says. Figure out which businesses follow sustainable practices and how far your purchases need to travel to get a spot under the tree. Consider your giftees’ priorities, too; nobody wants another gewgaw that they don’t know what to do with. With a little forethought, you can reduce the environmental impact of giving — and make your home environment more clutter-free, too!