Wash Clothing Before Donating

The #coronavirus is thought to have a lifespan of less than one day on porous surfaces such as fabrics, according to epidemiologists. But if you wish to #donate lightly used clothing and are concerned that your items could be contaminated with #COVID-19, Best Life says you should wash them before #donating. Use regular detergent and the warmest washer and dryer settings you can safely use on the items, then bag them up and contact ClothingDonations.org for a free, contactless #donation pickup.

Surfaces No Longer of Great Concern

Scientists have learned a lot in the year since COVID-19 first began to spread in the United States. For one thing, the coronavirus doesn’t last very long on hard surfaces, Nature says, so the risk of catching it through touch is low. That means you can safely #donate clothing, books and household goods to a #charity like you did before the #pandemic. And pickups are safer than ever; when you schedule ClothingDonations.org, a masked driver will collect your used goods from your porch with a free, contactless pickup.

Use Extra Time at Home to Declutter

Stuck spending lots of time at home? instead of binge-watching Netflix (again), consider doing a good #decluttering. It not only make your space more liveable, but you can take any lightly used clothing and household items that you no longer need and #donate them to help veterans get through the #COVID-19 #pandemic. Just visit ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #pickup online. Donation pickups are easy, contactless and tax-deductible way to get rid of that extra stuff.

Valentine’s Romance Without the Clutter

Valentine’s Day inspires gift-giving of a specific kind: jewelry, apparel, greeting cards. These things don’t take up a lot of space on their own, but like anything else, they tend to accumulate even though you and yours may not use them every day. What’s a person, couple or family to do if they already have enough of that stuff laying around?

Get creative! Instead of giving your loved ones things that take up space, Organizing Maniacs says, give the gift of time. Take a hike, play a game, do a puzzle, clean the house or volunteer to wash and vacuum the car.

Make memories rather than more space for material goods. Plan a weekend getaway, take a virtual cooking class together, or schedule a spa day. Set a date night — whatever that might look like in the current pandemic climate.

If you want to get craftsy, you can buy or create a coupon book of actions or favors for your loved ones to cash in at their leisure, Meaningfully Organized says. Depending on your skill set, coupons can be exchanged for anything from a hug to a beach vacation.

There’s nothing wrong with food when it comes to giving, either — it rarely takes up space for long. But while that giant heart-shaped box of maple creams may be the perfect gift for a person who loves maple creams, your significant other may be more into coffee, craft beer, or crackers and cheese.

You can combine food with an experience by making a favorite meal at home together. And flowers may be appropriate, but we at the Organizing Blog think it’s better to give a living plant that rewards its recipient through the seasons than a run-of-the-mill bouquet that turns brown by week’s end.

A rule of thumb? The more thoughtful the gift, the more useful it will be — and the less likely it will one day be considered #clutter.

If you or yours need to #declutter, make that your Valentine’s Day goal, project or gift. Just be sure to contact ClothingDonations.org for a free #donation pickup before you and your loved ones tackle that drawer, closet or room. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Host a Virtual Super Bowl Get-Together

Technology is making it possible to join friends and family at a fully virtual, pandemic-era Super Bowl party that shares the fun while maintaining everyone’s safety. Hulu premium subscribers can use the Teleparty app to watch the game together on their screens, CNET says, or try Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype to “gather” remotely while watching the live broadcast. To get everyone engaged and involved, try a party game such as Big Game Bingo or rate the commercials together.