Tag: donate clothing

Make Spring a Time of Personal Renewal

Posted on by Jordank

Spring — at least in places with relatively well-defined seasons — is a time of renewal. In the northern climates, crocuses and daffodils are already popping up, the trees are budding, and birds are chirping. Warm weather won’t be far behind.

As nature wakes from its winter slumber, people often start to emerge from their hibernation. That may mean socializing more, exercising outdoors or launching a new project. Whatever one’s rebirth engenders, it’s a welcome respite from the cold, gray days of winter.

“What better time than spring to regroup and reprioritize, and even reinvent ourselves and the lives we find ourselves living?” asks Abigail Brenner, M.D., in a Psychology Today article. Leading her seven suggested personal “rituals” to start a spring renewal? #Decluttering.

First, declutter your living space, sorting out any clothing that you haven’t worn in more than two years and #donating it (ClothingDonations.org can help). Follow up by getting rid of any pantry items and medications that have expired.

Next (and perhaps more importantly), clear your mental and emotional clutter. Shed the practices and habits that sap your energy. Let go of the past, commit to decisions you’ve been putting off, challenge limiting beliefs, and think positively. Progress is the goal, not perfection.

Try something new, and take advantage of the weather to do something outdoors. Try to #streamline and #renew your life to improve its overall quality. What are your priorities? Focus on what you value the most and structure your time around it.

Once your living environment and psyche are clear, you’ll be more relaxed — there’s just “less noise” in your brain, Mayo Clinic psychologist Craig Sawchuk told CNN Health. And the altruism engendered in donating goods “psychologically can have a really good impact.”

So this season, take a hint from nature: Take the initiative to renew your surroundings and your outlook. You’ll feel better and more refreshed every step of the way.

Breaking With the Decluttering Trends

Posted on by Jordank

We at The Organizing Blog like to think that we’re a respected authority in the #decluttering knowledge space, continually lending tips and strategies to get your home and life in order while #donating the things you don’t need to a worthy cause.

We weren’t the first on the scene, of course, and we won’t be the last — dozens of experts and gurus have made careers out of helping people #declutter, and there are as many trendy strategies to help people #minimize and #organize their excess #stuff.

While the scholarship agrees that a #clean and #organized home environment is optimal for one’s mood and health, today we’re going to remind readers that there is no single “right” way to tackle the problem. The right way to #declutter is the way that works for you.

“Decluttering is very much a personal process — it’s your home and your belongings,” says Homes & Gardens. “Some may find it harder than others, preferring a more gentle approach to a more ruthless one, and vice versa.”

For example, Marie Kondo’s much-vaunted KonMari method asks you to sort every category of possession, keeping only the things that “spark joy.” But consider the lowly vegetable peeler: It probably does not spark joy, but it is undeniably useful — and you can feel good about holding onto it.

Some #organizing schemes are just too gimmicky to keep up, Apartment Therapy says. For example, you may overlabel your stuff. You might buy too many organizing products. Or you may be too meticulous about folding and sorting small items such as socks and underwear, wasting time and energy on a single drawer.

Because #organization and #clutter are widespread challenges, the clutterati will keep inventing new ways to deal with them. Try one or invent your own. The strategy that works for you — the one that you can follow and get results — is the best to follow.

Do Your Seasonal Shopping Sustainably

Posted on by Jordank

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!

The Ultimate No-Clutter November

Posted on by Jordank

With #Halloween in the rearview and temperatures dropping fast, it’s on to November and the #holidays. ’Tis the season that you’ll see more #stuff than ever, as you give and get gifts, bake up platters of cookies, prepare your home for guests, get the good China out and put up the decorations.

But November can also be a month of measured austerity. The Great American Smokeout happens mid-month every year, and No-Shave November encourages cancer prevention and awareness. But there’s an unofficial cause you can take up in the effort to lead a calmer, more stress-free life: #No-Clutter November.

You can start with décor items that don’t get used, Organize Your Stuff Now says. As you #decorate for the fall and winter #holidays, take a good look at the stuff that doesn’t make the cut. You don’t need to save that stuff for next year — you aren’t using it, so get rid of it now. When you pack the decorations away again in January, they will take a lot less space.

Chances are you’ll be spending more time in the kitchen, too, making cookies, a dish to pass or hosting a full feast yourself. As you prepare, have a box handy and throw any shabby kitchen towels, hot pads and oven mitts in it. Do the same as you go through your drawers and cabinets; there are probably utensils that you haven’t used in years.

It’s also a great time to assess your cold-weather #clothing, much of which you’ll be getting out for the first time in November. “We recommend people #declutter their collection of hats, scarves and gloves,” professional organizer Diane Quintana told Homes & Gardens. “Look at these items critically. If they are in good condition but [you don’t] want to use them anymore, release them so someone else can benefit from them.”

To attack No-Cutter November aggressively, First for Women suggests, eliminate one item on Nov. 1, two on Nov. 2 and so on. You’ll eventually have a pile of 465 items that you don’t want or use, and you can #trash, give away or #donate them to ClothingDonations.org by arranging a #free #donation #pickup. By the end of the month, your home will be #decluttered and #streamlined — and you’ll be ready to meet the holidays head-on.

School May Be in Session, But Summer Isn’t Over

Posted on by Jordank

This week, schools throughout the country are welcoming students back for another year. A few kids may not be ready to let the carefree, lazy days of the seasonal break go, of course, and may complain loudly that “summer’s over.”

#Summer is far from over, though, especially for anyone who isn’t in school. The start of school may be a harbinger of cooler climes to come, but there’s still a month to go before the vernal equinox — and plenty of warm weather left to enjoy.

Now’s the time to kick that summer fun into high gear! Have you gotten in any of your favorite outdoor activities, such as camping, fishing, boating, kayaking or swimming? Have you taken the opportunity to picnic in a park or cook out?

Maybe you’re more indoorsy — or a temporary heat “dome” is encouraging you to stay inside. Beat the heat at an indoor matinee. Or take on a household project such as #decluttering your wardrobe or #redecorating a room, Apartment Therapy suggests.

There’s still time to schedule an end-of-summer trip, too. September and October are beautiful months to visit many northern climates and see the leaves change color, and it’s still hot enough in the south and the tropics to swim and sunbathe.

If you opt to #organize and #declutter, there’s still time to schedule and stage a #garage sale. Set aside your castoff clothing and household goods and tag them. Pick a weekend and post signage directing shoppers to your door; you’ll have extra pocket money in no time.

If that sounds like too much work for your precious summer days, you can always schedule a free #donation #pickup at ClothingDonations.org to effortlessly relieve yourself of that #extra #stuff while supporting valuable #veterans programs.

Whatever you choose, there’s a lot of summer left to do it. Even the Labor Day holiday isn’t the limit — and if you have kids, they’ll be at school, leaving you much of the day to concentrate on personal and professional needs. Start planning what’s left of summer now!