Military careers became more attractive to African Americans following the desegregation of the armed forces during the Korean War, says The Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech, since they offered employment, education and training. As a result and in spite of the Vietnam War’s unpopularity, African American service members played key roles as soldiers, medics, pilots, sailors, marines and nurses. Celebrate Black History Month in February by #thanking a #veteran or making a #donation of time, money or used goods to organizations such as #VVA and ClothingDonations.org. #BlackHistoryMonth.
Tag: donate to veterans
Make Every Day Boxing Day
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 Cleanup Starts With Decluttering
A quick and effective #holiday #cleanup starts with #decluttering, Apartment Therapy says. It instantly makes a home more #organized and helps streamline actual cleaning tasks. Make sure you have plenty of essentials such as napkins, toilet paper and beverages. Focus on high-traffic areas and high-touch surfaces if you’re short on time, targeting the entryway, living room, dining room and kitchen. Hire a cleaning service if you have more money than time, or enlist the help of family members, housemates and trusted friends. Deputizing them to help clean may even turn into a festive #holiday event in itself!
The 12 Days of Christmas Cleaning
There’s enough time before #Christmas to complete the 12-day holiday cleaning countdown Real Simple suggests to get the whole house in order with just a little daily effort. On the first day, simply stock up on #cleaning supplies. Next, clean out the pantry; you may be doing some cooking, and expired items will get in the way. Ten days out, take stock of your tableware; then clean the oven, refrigerator and kitchen floors. Move on to the bathrooms and guest rooms. With targeted but ongoing efforts, all you’ll need to do is empty the trashcans and sweep the floors by the final day before your guests arrive.
Start Your Holiday Cleaning ASAP
Start your #holiday #cleaning early, Forbes advises. #Declutter things that have a tendency to collect in places they don’t belong, such as laundry, mail and other objects. Tackle a room at a time, starting with the ones that will get the most use: the dining room, living room and kitchen. The entryway is important to maintaining cleanliness, so designate a space for guests’ shoes and coats, including a boot tray or doormat for mucked-up footwear. Once you’ve completed the #cleaning to your satisfaction, set the mood by mulling a hot beverage or lighting a scented candle. Turn on the holiday tunes and enjoy the season!