Tag: donations

Start Your Spring-Cleaning Engines!

Posted on by Jordank

Thursday, March 20, marks the beginning of #spring. The Organizing Blog’s favorite season, spring gives people everywhere a great incentive to #clean and #organize their homes.

#Spring #cleaning is a time-honored tradition. Over a long winter shut tight against the cold, homes tend to gather dirt and grime. It’s time to throw the windows open and sweep, mop and wipe away that buildup.

Four out of five American households engage in spring cleaning at least once a year, according to the American Cleaning Institute (ACI), and nearly as many — 78% — spend an average of six days spring-cleaning their homes.

ACI’s survey notes that Americans don’t like to clean hard-to-reach places that attract considerable dust and grime, such as vents. Most would rather clean their own homes than do their own taxes, however, and often concentrate on windows, floors and toilets. Still, it can be tough to get started.

The first step is to get rid of #clutter — clothing that doesn’t fit, old paperwork, broken knickknacks and other stuff that’s just taking up space. Put these items into the trash, storage or a #donation bag; cleaning will proceed more quickly with them out of the way. And as always, contact ClothingDonations.org for any lightly used castoffs you’d like to get rid of for good.

Next, make sure you have the equipment and supplies necessary to do a thorough cleaning, including gloves, cleansers, sponges, rags, and a good broom, vacuum cleaner and mop. A new broom sweeps clean!

Create a checklist of to-dos in order to make what might seem like a monumental task more approachable, The Spruce says. “Walk through your house and take note of the things that need to be done and tackle those first,” says Clean Mama Becky Rapinchuk.

Having an immediate impact on your home environment may make you want to tackle more tasks, so continue down that list. You might not get to everything in a week or month, but you’ll see progress toward a #cleaner, #healthier home — and that can get you energized to do more. Start your spring-cleaning engines!

#SpringCleaning

How Pet Parents Keep Their Homes Clean

Posted on by Jordank

#Pet parents know how hard it is to keep a home clean when #dogs and #cats are invited to cohabitate. While some can be relied upon to accomplish the simplest grooming tasks needed to stay clean themselves, our animal companions just don’t have the same cleanliness standards for the #home environment.

Let things go, and your home can quickly become beset with tracked-in dirt, shed hair, litter and other debris such as shredded toys. It takes a lot to stay on top of such #messes, but doing so can make everyone — #pets included — happier and heathier.

Hair is the first concern. The same thing that makes animals adorable comes loose constantly and sticks to clothing and furniture. Keep a lint roller or latex gloves handy remove it from upholstered surfaces, and be ready to sweep and vacuum frequently.

Robot vacuum cleaners are a good option for maintenance, says Kaleidoscope Living, but don’t think for a minute that they can eliminate all sweeping, vacuuming and mopping. They can cut down on these chores, however, as well as access hard-to-reach areas.

You can head off the accumulation of stray pet hair at the source by observing a good grooming schedule. Bathe and brush your pets regularly or take them to a groomer to help them shed that hair in a more manageable way.

Pets also tend to bring dirt in from the outdoors. Pet parents would be wise to keep towels at all entrances to wipe feet and coats before pets climb on the furniture or track in mud. Use washable rugs as another line of defense, MasterClass says; keep them at the door, under pets’ bowls and under litterboxes to catch debris and moisture.

Pets — like children — have occasional accidents. Have a stain and odor remover product available to clean up those messes and freshen the area. Or try what Architectural Digest calls the best pet stain-removing product for rugs and carpets: shaving cream.

You can find some items you’ll need to keep your house clean — throw rugs and used towels, for example — at the #thrift stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. And in the face of the worst messes, remember that having an animal companion is a long-term commitment that rewards your attention and work many times over.

Trick Yourself Into Decluttering Effectively

Posted on by Jordank

If you’re eager to #declutter and get #organized in the new year but haven’t been successful in the past, Apartment Therapy offers five tricks you can use to make the process easier: (1) Invite guests over, forcing you to #clean; (2) Pretend you’re #moving and eliminate anything you wouldn’t pack; (3) Take a photo of the room and examine it to find what’s out of place; (4) Ask a Type-A friend to help; and (5) Turn off your phone notifications and set a timer for 15 minutes of power-decluttering. Then, contact ClothingDonations.org for a free #donation #pickup. #NewYearNewlyOrganized.

Declutter Decisively With the Snowball Method

Posted on by Jordank

One key to the success of any new-year #organization effort is your mindset: One must be ready to #declutter decisively. To get started, Simply + Fiercely suggests trying the “snowball” method. Pick an item you already know you want to #trash or #donate, such as a shirt you never wear. “Look for concrete reasons why you don’t want that item anymore. Can you identify any other items that have the same characteristics?” Finding and eliminating similar items can help speed #decluttering, limit the saving of “just-in-case” #stuff and build #organizational skills. #NewYearNewlyOrganized

Why You Should Declutter in the New Year

Posted on by Jordank

#Decluttering is the first step in any plan to get #organized in the new year. “It’s important to let go of what you no longer need or want,” says Better Homes & Gardens. “It’s silly to create space for something that doesn’t belong anywhere, so don’t be afraid to #toss or #donate the items that no longer serve a purpose in your home.” Start with a small area and get rid of the easy stuff first — expired food and medicine, ill-fitting clothing and #tchotchkes that don’t fit your #decorating aesthetic. Schedule #decluttering sessions on your calendar; even just a half-hour of targeted decision-making done regularly will get you more #organized in no time. Happy New Year! #NewYearNewlyOrganized