Labor Day Offers a New Beginning

While you could book a last-minute trip to celebrate Labor Day, the beginning of September represents new beginnings, Her Agenda says. It’s (nearly) a new season, and the day off presents an opportunity to #purge some of the old #stuff you no longer use. Take a day to go through your house and figure out what you don’t need. “This three-day weekend is the perfect time to throw on Netflix or a podcast and start digging through the closet and building a ‘donate’ pile.” Once you have that pile, contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup — and enjoy the rest of the weekend unburdened. #LaborDay

Keep Your Car Clutter-Free

Anyone who operates a vehicle knows how quickly it can fill up with papers, empty beverage containers, automotive supplies, receipts and other junk. If you don’t #clean and #organize your vehicle frequently, it can fast become a #cluttered #mess.

The mess gets worse if you’re shuttling kids, who leave articles of clothing, sporting goods and food wrappers in the back seats, glove compartments and seatback pockets. “Kids add a whole new level to car clutter,” says Home Storage Solutions 101.

To keep your ride #clean and #organized, start by reducing the #stuff you keep in it. Remove everything from the car’s interior at the end of each day you drive. Make a habit of emptying cup holders and consoles, and disposing of any #trash.

Once you have a baseline of #cleanliness, buy a seat back or floor organizer to keep any essentials — wipes, a flashlight, first-aid kit, charging cords, etc. — in a single place. Place important documents such as your vehicle registration and insurance card in the glove box.

Keep a trash bag in the car for the wrappers and container that otherwise would get stuffed into a crevice or stashed under a seat. Train yourself and your children to collect all of their stuff at the end of every ride. Repetition will make it second-nature, says blogger Kerilynn Snyder.

Next, establish a regular cleaning routine, Danielle Moss says. Vacuum the floors and wipe down all surfaces and glass. For the easiest #cleanup in all kinds of weather, invest in all-weather floormats to make spills, mud and dirt easy to deal with.

You can often find lightly used baskets, organizers and automotive accessories at the #thrift stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. And if you find any #junk in your car you don’t need as you #declutter, bag it and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup.

Those #donations help fund valuable programs that #help the nation’s #veterans. So you’ll get the good feeling that goes along with #donating to a good cause along with a clean and comfortable vehicle. Happy motoring!

Make an Impact on National Give Something Away Day

National Give Something Away Day — celebrated each year on July 15 — was created as a reminder for people to give back. How you choose to give can take multiple forms, but selfless acts are their own reward.

Many people have much more than what’s necessary to survive, but know that there are people in need nearby. National Give Something Away Day encourages us to take stock of the #things and comforts around us and share them with others.

What you give and to whom is entirely up to you. You might give a friend an old #tchotchke they’ve long admired or a bouquet of flowers. You might buy the person behind you in line a coffee or a sandwich. No gift is too small.

You can also choose #donate the gift of time to a local charity or organization by #volunteering. Perhaps there’s a food pantry or outreach organization that could use your help and specialized knowledge.

One fantastic way to celebrate National Give Something Away Day is to #clean out your #closets and other #storage areas to weed out the #stuff you no longer need. If whatever you find is in wearable or working condition, chances are that somebody else can use it.

Start with a single #closet or room. Sort through all of the #clothing, #books, #decorations and other #household items to see what has a place, setting aside anything that doesn’t fit or only creates #clutter. You’ll probably see the piles build up fast!

Put that #junk into #bags and #boxes and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #free #donation #pickup. Not only will you be giving something away and reclaiming #space, you’ll be #helping to fund programs that benefit the nation’s #veterans.

You can observe National Give Something Away Day on any day of the year, of course. But its reminder to give is one that yields benefits for everyone involved. #NationalGiveSomethingAwayDay

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!

Helping Mom Sell and Donate Her Best Stuff

Even if she’s sorry to see #things go, there may be some money in it that encourages Mom to #downsize. Help her sell antiques and collectibles to specialized dealers, post bigger-ticket items on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, or stage a #garage sale to earn some extra cash. #Donate any items of historical significance to the area historical society, and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation pickup of any wearable used clothing, furniture, or other household odds and ends. Whatever you do, take it slow with the “maybe” pile, says HomeLight. Make a box for those items revisit them with your parent every couple of weeks so they can process what they really need. #HelpMomDownsize #MothersDay