Go Beyond the Green Bean Casserole

While most Thanksgiving guests appreciate the basics—turkey and stuffing—there are lots of ways to go beyond green bean casserole when it comes to cooking up a fantastic feast. In addition to the classics, Southern Living offers down-home suggestions such as corn pudding, roasted vegetables with maple glaze and shrimp-and-grits dressing.

A Centerpiece for the Thanksgiving Feast

Start building a festive centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table today by collecting fall gourds, paper and pressed leaves, pumpkins, pine cones, wheat stalks and other harvest-time decorative elements. Arrange them with candles and ribbons, and you’ll have a homey, rustic setting for the holiday feast that welcomes family and friends.

Give Thanks and Donations this Holiday Season!

We’re just a week away from Thanksgiving, a holiday known for family gatherings, football games, and lots of food. More than anything, it’s a time to be reflect on our lives and feel grateful for all that we have. For many people, Thanksgiving is also a great time for giving. For some that means giving their time and serving a Thanksgiving meal at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. For others, it means donating.

At ClothingDonations.org, we enjoy bringing your donations to individuals and families everywhere, and we love seeing how grateful they are. Not only are you helping these families, but all of your donations and contributions go toward helping our veterans who have fought to give us the freedom we’re so thankful for.

As you’re preparing your home to host the upcoming holiday, take a minute to go through coat closets and dressers for any jackets, sweaters, pants or shoes that you may no longer wear. As we’re getting closer to December, the weather’s getting colder. Your donations will help people prepare for winter. Same with bookshelves and your DVD rack—if you have books you’ve already read, children’s books your kids have outgrown, or movies you no longer watch, donate these items, too.

Kitchenware also makes for a good donation. As you’re preparing your Thanksgiving meal, take note of the kitchen items you no longer use or need. From cookie sheets and Pyrex pans, to pots and skillets, ClothingDonations.org will be happy to help these items find a new kitchen to call home. Simply put your donations in a bag or box marked with the word “Donation.” Then, visit our website to schedule a donation pick-up time. Place the donation box outside by your mail box, and we’ll come and pick it up for you!

A BIG thank you to those who have donated to us in the past, and a thank you to those who will donate to us in the future. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

‘Tis the Season to Decorate Your Home!

We know it seems a bit early to think about Christmas decorations—it’s still October, after all—but many department stores already have their Christmas displays set up. Still, this post applies to all holiday decorations, from Jack-o-Lanterns, to decorative turkeys, to other winter holiday decorations. Often times, while we’re decorating, we realize we don’t always like the decorations we have. Maybe you really liked them when you bought the decorations a few years ago, but now your decorating taste and style has changed.

You’re left with boxes full of old pieces, so you decide to put them up anyway. The more the merrier, right? That phrase might work for some things, but the more decorations you have in your home (especially if they clash!) the more cluttered your house starts to feel. Before you know it, you’re swimming in little snowmen and Santa figurines or decorative pumpkins and witches for Halloween.

Having these excess holiday decorations lying around can make it difficult to move through your home or find things that you’re looking for. Instead of putting all decorations out, consider rotating decorations every year. This way, certain pieces aren’t left collecting dust year after year, and you also won’t overwhelm yourself, your family, and your guests with every single decoration you own.

Some decorations are too sentimental for us to not put out, such as children’s holiday art. Have a designated bulletin board in your kitchen where you can proudly display them. Keeping the art in one spot will feel more organized, and less cluttered. Some decorations, though, just no longer meet your needs. When this realization comes to you, don’t stress out. Simply put these items in a box marked with the word “donation.” Then, visit our website and schedule a donation pickup time. We’ll swing by and pick up your decorations so that someone else can make their home festive for the holidays!