Tag: declutter

Giving Up Clutter for Lent and Life

Posted on by Jordank

Lent is a Christian observance commemorating the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert before beginning his public ministry. Those who observe the period typically mark it with prayer, fasting and personal sacrifice.

A Lenten sacrifice is a spiritually motivated, voluntary renunciation of a pleasure or luxury. Common modern-day Lenten sacrifices include abstaining from meat-eating, chocolate, sweets and alcohol. Some people attempt to eschew “sinful” behaviors such as profanity.

Not every faith observes Lent, of course, but each of the major religions has a holiday observed through fasting and sacrifice. Regardless of faith or level of observance, the Organizing Blog suggests that there is something you can give up today for the betterment of everyone: #clutter.

#Decluttering can help you lead a more spiritual existence. When you don’t have to tend to all of the #stuff you’ve collected over the years, you’ll have more time and energy to focus on what really matters: health, family and well-being.

Establish a simple Lenten goal: “I’ll spend one hour per day #sorting through my stuff.” “I’ll #declutter one #closet per week.” “I’ll #clean and #organize my kitchen and bathrooms by Easter.” “I’ll fill X number of boxes and bags with stuff I no longer need or want.”

What would Jesus do? Granted, we live in different times, but he almost certainly would not let a bunch of clothing that doesn’t fit, disused household appliances and mass-market tchotchkes pile up and bog him down. He traveled light.

There’s another aspect of Lent and other seasonal observances demand: almsgiving. It’s charitable giving that puts the needs of others ahead of your own — sharing your time, money and material possessions with others, and especially those less fortunate.

ClothingDonations.org can help with this. Once you’ve #decluttered and gathered up the things you don’t want, contact us for a #free #donation #pickup. We’ll take those lightly used goods and resell them to #help the nation’s #veterans.

Once you see the results from your Lenten sacrifice, decluttering could become a lifelong habit. Have a safe and happy Lent!

Start 2024 With a Decluttered Outlook

Posted on by Jordank

#Decluttering isn’t limited to only the things you have, according to The Simplicity Habit; you can also apply it to personal commitments, scheduling and overall outlook. You may already feel overwhelmed after a busy #holiday season, so now may be the time to eliminate a couple of social engagements or obligations and concentrate on personal growth. The emotional #clutter associated with negative thoughts, trauma and unrealistic expectations can bog you down, too, so “Go easy on yourself and be willing to forgive others. Remind yourself that no one is perfect and that your best is good enough.”

Organize and Store Your Holiday Decorations

Posted on by Jordank

#Holiday decorations are the first things you’ll want to sort and store when the calendar flips to the new year, says Organized Interiors. #Declutter any decorations that didn’t get used, tossing the broken and compromised ones and #donating those you just don’t like. And while you might feel sentimental about the holiday cards you received this year, there’s no reason to save them beyond the end of January. Take note of any updated address information on your phone or in a computer file and take a picture of the card if you want to preserve a particular memory. The rest can go into the recycling bin. #OrganizedNewYear

Make Every Day Boxing Day

Posted on by Jordank

Happy Boxing Day! British custom has it that the first weekday after Christmas is the day to acknowledge those rendering services throughout the year with gifts or gratuities. Servants and tradesmen have accepted “Christmas boxes” of gifts, cash bonuses, leftovers and secondhand items since medieval times, House Beautiful says.

Today, the United Kingdom and former colonies such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand celebrate Boxing Day as a shopping holiday, similar to Black Friday or a post-holiday clearance sale in the United States.

We’ve likely done all of the shopping we need to do for a while, and more shopping just means more #stuff to put away — or more #clutter. So let’s return to the “#giving” definition of Boxing Day and make it an everyday tradition from now through the new year.

It’s a great holiday for #minimalists, because it calls upon those celebrating to #give things away. Assuming it’s in good working order, the stuff you no longer use — wrong-sized clothes, extra kitchen and dinnerware, appliances, books, small furniture and so on — may have a second useful life in someone else’s hands.

That’s where ClothingDonations.org can help. Our drivers will pick up those extra things and resell them to #thrift stores to fund an array of programs that the nation’s #veterans rely upon. It’s a generous, safe and convenient way to observe the Boxing Day tradition of acknowledging others’ service.

You don’t have to limit yourself to a single box, of course. ClothingDonations.org will #pick up as many boxes and bags of #donations as you want to give. And if you’re still in the process of household #decluttering, you can schedule a #donation to match your progress as often as you gather a few boxes of stuff to #give away.

As the #holidays wind down, we hope you can make Boxing Day an everyday tradition — one that recognizes service and sacrifice while helping #declutter and #streamline your home life. Get started today, and make a new habit of observing Boxing Day as early and often as you want while getting organized for the new year. #BoxingDay

Holiday Traditions Around the World

Posted on by Jordank

Though you might not know it to look at the ads, stores and events, the #holidays mean more than #Christmas alone. In fact, nearly every faith and most cultures around the world will observe festive winter #holiday #traditions this month.

Hanukkah is currently underway, a #celebration that commemorates a rebellion in Judea that saw the Maccabees retake and rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem. More than 2,000 years later, The Organizing Blog hopes that peace can prevail this holiday.

A growing tradition in the United States, Kwanzaa is modeled after traditional African harvest festivals. The seven-day celebration begins the day after Christmas and lasts until the new year, with each day representing principles of faith, family and community.

Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day on Dec. 8 each year to celebrate Siddhartha Gautama’s spiritual enlightenment under the sacred Bodhi tree in the 5th century B.C. The day is observed with meditation, acts of kindness and often a humble meal of tea and cake.

Observations of the winter solstice go back to the Stone Age. Pagans celebrate the longest night of the year at Stonehenge, thought to be a celestial “clock” due to the arrangement of its stones, but the event is also celebrated by the Hopi and with holidays in China, Sweden and Iran.

Avid #declutterers and Orthodox Christians may wish to celebrate a pre-Christmas holiday, St. Nicholas Day. Symbolizing good deeds that Santa Claus’ inspiration was known for such as giving away his possessions, the day is associated with acts of service such as volunteering, sharing and raising money for charity.

And let’s not forget the anti-Christmas of Krampusnacht. Krampus — the goat-like evil twin of Santa — appears on Dec. 5 in Central Europe to remind children to be nice during the holidays or risk the penalty of being snatched and eaten.

The modern practice of getting a bucket of fried chicken at KFC on Christmas Eve notwithstanding, The Organizing Blog’s favorite Japanese winter holiday tradition is likely Omisoka, a New Year’s Eve celebration centered around a household #deep-cleaning.

However you choose to #celebrate, The Organizing Blog wishes you and yours a safe and happy holiday season!