Take Advantage of the Independence Day Sales

Fourth of July is a good excuse for the nation’s retailers to put their most #summery merchandise on sale — and most of those sales will continue through the extra-long weekend. Big retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe’s and REI are slashing prices on grills, outdoor furniture and camping gear, CBS News reports. The Organizing Blog doesn’t advocate unnecessary spending or accumulating lots of #stuff, but if you need something and find a great price, treat yourself! Otherwise, look to #recycle and #reuse whenever possible by donating the things you don’t need to ClothingDonations.org. #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay

Happy Fourth of July From ClothingDonations.org!

The Fourth of July commemorates the day the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the new nation’s Declaration of Independence in 1776, according to Constitution Facts. The date was also printed on the official handwritten copy ratified in August 1776 and the printed facsimiles that were circulated throughout the United States. But the landmark document proved controversial, and Independence Day #celebrations were rare until founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died within hours of each other July 4, 1826. It wasn’t until 1870 that Congress finally declared July 4 to be a national holiday. ClothingDonations.org wishes you a safe and happy Fourth of July on the nation’s 248th Birthday! #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay

Decorating for the Fourth Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

It’s easy to decorate for the Fourth of July #celebration without spending a lot of #money, says Fun, Cheap or Free. Paper chains, balloons and bunting; bouquets of dyed carnations; and other inexpensive red, white and blue decorations from the discount or #thrift store can contribute to the festive atmosphere. Fly the flag, wear #patriotic colors and feature red, white and blue foods at your cookout such as cupcakes with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries — or just stock up on #American #flag toothpicks for your sandwiches and burgers. As night falls, settle in and enjoy the #fireworks. #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay

Congrats to the Dads & Grads

June is the month of #dads and #grads. Different accomplishments, yes — but the two events can get you #celebrating all month long.

Father’s Day is straightforward enough: You #thank dear old dad for helping raise the family. That may involve cooking a favorite meal, taking him to a game or concert, or any number of other gestures to show how much you appreciate him.

Grads are a little more complicated. You want to mark the milestone and give them a good sendoff if they’re heading to college. This often involves the ceremony, a big potluck, friends and family from various eras of their young lives, and more.

Good #gifts include anything they will need as they move toward independence with nominal life skills: air fryers, a decent set of sheets, maybe a new laptop. And just as practical, Oprah Daily says, are gift cards and cash they can spend on meals and other supplies.

If you really want to go overboard for a college-bound teen, the latest celebration idea is a college reveal party, TLC says. While are a bit controversial, the new trend often includes parties decorated in college colors, “reveal” photoshoots and mailed announcements.

New graduates should take a few days during the summer to #declutter the #stuff that has amassed over the first 18 years of their lives, Making My Way says: “You obviously can’t bring everything to college, and storing everything is just too much of a hassle.”

Want to cut the #clutter and pad your teen’s pockets before sending them off to an expensive trade school, college or university? Ask them to #organize, #declutter, and sell their excess #junk at a #garage or #yard #sale. They can keep the cash to fund the first year.

Dads can benefit from a good #decluttering, too. They usually have even more years’ worth of accumulated #stuff they can afford to part with, and some of them may be getting older and need to #downsize.

You can always #donate that extra #stuff to ClothingDonations.org — and that donation will help fund valuable #veterans programs. Best wishes to the dads and grads this month!

In Search of a Clutter-Free Summer

Memorial Day — the unofficial start of summer— has come and gone. If you’re anything like us at The Organizing Blog, you probably used the long weekend to plant some flowers, take a bike ride, visit with friends and/or have a cookout. Fine pursuits!

But do you know what can make one’s enjoyment of those pursuits (and most others) even better? #Organization! A #clutter-free environment knows no season — and it can provide you with the #clarity you need to truly live in the moment.

Think about it: A cluttered space demands attention. Maybe you waste a lot of time looking for things among the stacks of papers, piles of laundry and dusty gewgaws. Or maybe wrangling all that #stuff leaves you with little down time.

Summer is a great time to get those things under control. With good weather and a few hours each week, you can conquer that #clutter — and enjoy all of the seasons to come.

Start with the #garage. Has that #space attracted a lot of stuff that doesn’t have a home elsewhere ? Go through it and ask yourself why you hide #junk there and if you’ll ever really need those things again. Weed out what you don’t have a use for and set it aside.

Along the way, fine-tune your storage of the things that do have a purpose — even if that purpose is occasional, such as holiday decorations. Sort “like” items into labeled bins and boxes that you can find and access easily without a lot of hunting. Shelve or stack them thoughtfully, and you’ll be creating new space!

Next, do the same for the basement. Organizing your below-ground space likely will have the added benefit of helping you keep cool while you work. Set aside the things for which you don’t have a purpose or can’t find a place, and put them in boxes and bags.

See that growing pile of #junk? Slap some price tags on those things and have a quick #garage or #yard #sale. Or click though to ClothingDonations.org to arrange a #free #donation #pickup. You’ll be #helping the nation’s #veterans and be ready to enjoy the rest of the summer #clutter-free!