#Decluttering can start with a single drawer, says Apartment Therapy’s January Cure, an annual #organization challenge that begins with the new year. Start by picking a drawer — any drawer — and dedicate 15 minutes to #cleaning it out. Remove everything from that drawer, clean the interior and replace only what you want to keep in that location back in a tidy, sensible and #organized fashion. Place anything that needs to be relocated or stored in a box and immediately throw what’s broken or unusable into the trash. Mission accomplished! At least one part of your home is clean and organized. #NewYear #NewYou #2023
Tag: donations
Leading Support for the Nation’s Veterans
Every other year, the Vietnam Veterans Association (VVA) hosts a National Leadership Conference to help it better support #veterans. This year, VVA will invite members from its more than 650 local chapters nationwide to the summit, set for Aug. 9–13 in Greenville, S.C.
While VVA was launched by and for #Vietnam veterans, the association’s motto is “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.” Topics discussed at the conference will be of interest to veterans of all U.S. conflicts and their families.
Seminars will cover multiple VVA initiatives, and many are open to the public. They will offer information on healing the wounds of war, including disabilities related PTSD, traumatic brain injury and toxic exposures to substances such as Agent Orange.
Others will discuss accessing veterans’ benefits, homelessness, substance abuse, suicide, and health care for the aging veteran. Special training will be available to veteran service officers (VSOs) who are helping veterans on the ground throughout the country.
Like any convention, there will be banquets, awards and special recognitions. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Walter Gaskin, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, will deliver a keynote speech at the event.
“It is my honor to serve the member of our military, veterans and their families in the state of North Carolina,” Lt. Gen Gaskin said upon being appointed to his current post. “Although I retired from active duty in 2013, my commitment to providing the opportunities, resources and care owed to our military members and veterans has never ceased.”
Likewise, VVA’s commitment to veterans is unflagging. It holds the summit to better serve the nation’s 17.4 million veterans in substantive, constructive ways. And the association couldn’t accomplish this important work without your generous #donations.
Every #donation to VVA — made directly or via ClothingDonation.org — helps a veteran. When you #clean a closet, #declutter a room or #organize the garage and donate, a veteran benefits. We thank you for your ongoing support!
PTSD Is Common Among U.S. Military Veterans
PTSD is endemic among U.S. military veterans, since their missions often include exposure to horrific, desperate and life-threatening experiences. The VA estimates that 11%–20% of Operations Iraqi Freedom veterans have PTSD in a given year, and about 12% of Gulf War veterans. An estimated 30% of Vietnam veterans have experienced PTSD in their lifetimes. The Vietnam Veterans of America advocates for all veterans with PTSD, regardless of conflict, with help from #donations to ClothingDonations.org.
Buy Gardening Goods at the Thrift
While the Organizing Blog never advocates buying more #stuff than you really need, savvy shoppers can often find springtime gardening essentials such as gloves, tools, pots and planters among the castoffs at local thrift stores supplied by your generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. And if you need to get rid of some of your lightly used (but disused) gardening equipment and other household items as you start spring cleaning, now is the time to schedule a #donation pickup!
Is It Safe to Donate My Used Stuff?
ClothingDonations.org is again scheduling pickups throughout the country. But with coronavirus cases and hospitalizations again on the rise, readers may be wondering whether or not they can make their donations safely. The answer is yes!
Donations can be made without coming into close contact with other people and risking viral transmission. Simply put your lightly used clothing and household goods into boxes and bags, then place the boxes and bags in a designated area such as the front porch for pickup on the scheduled day.
A ClothingDonations.org truck will visit that day and take that used stuff away with a contactless pickup — without even knocking or ringing the doorbell. In your donation’s place, the driver will leave a receipt so you can deduct your donation.
If someone in your household has already had COVID-19 and recovered, it should be safe to donate your used things, too. Early on, it was found that the virus could survive on hard surfaces for 24 to 72 hours. Transmission between people, however, has since been found to be mostly a function of airborne droplets. As long as you donate things that have been washed or wiped down, in other words, there is little chance of passing the virus on your stuff.
You can continue to wipe down high-touch surfaces in your home and use hand sanitizer after touching unfamiliar surfaces to protect yourself. But you can be secure in the knowledge that donated goods aren’t a significant vector for disease.
The same goes for shopping at the thrift stores ClothingDonations.org supplies with used goods. Donated by families like yours, those one-of-a-kind finds spend sufficient time out of circulation before being priced for sale.
Finally, remember that a clutter-free home is a home that’s easier to keep clean. So as you sort through and eliminate some of your stuff, you’ll actually be making it easier to keep your place COVID-free.
With new lockdowns and restrictions, you may find soon yourself with plenty of time at home to declutter. Box and bag that stuff up and visit ClothingDonations.org to schedule a pickup today!