Author: Lin Grensing-Pophal

Writer/Editor - YGS Group

Love Your Home This Valentine’s Day—Keep it Organized!

Posted on by Lin Grensing-Pophal

With the first month of the new year coming to a close, are you finding yourself struggling to keep your resolution of maintaining an organized home? We hear you, we do! Just when you thought the holiday madness was over, and it would be easier to keep your house clean, Valentine’s Day crops up, right around the corner. While this is a time to buy your partner flowers or chocolates, help your children make valentines for school, or simply pamper yourself, it’s also a perfect time to show some love to your home!

Much like some couples renew their wedding vows, it might be time for you to renew your clean-home resolution. Remember that by keeping your home organized throughout the year, you will have less cleanup to do on an ongoing basis. The time it takes to pick up your clothes and hang them at the end of the day is nothing compared to the deep-cleaning that’s necessary when you don’t keep things tidy.

Keeping your home organized doesn’t have to be all work and no play, though. You can try to make a game out of cleaning, by sharing these activities with your family. Consider having a competition to see who can pick up the room the fastest. Not only does this keep you from doing all the work yourself, but setting a timer will help you all clean up faster. Plus, the most competitive among us look forward to any kind of challenge!

Since it will soon be Valentine’s Day, give your home (and yourself!) a present to motivate you to keep your home organized. This could be a new picture frame or lamp to decorate your living room, a new dresser for your bedroom, or some other piece of home decor you’ve been wanting. Treating yourself (within reason!) is a great way to keep moving you toward the clean, organized home of your dreams.

Of course, when you buy new additions for your home, don’t keep those old items lying around your home. If you’re replacing a dresser, home decor or clothes from your closet, donate them to ClothingDonations.org! Schedule a time for us to pick up your donations, put your donation goods in a bag or box marked “for donation, ” and we’ll swing by to take care of the rest.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your home! 

Taming Your Closet—Keep it Organized All Winter Long!

Posted on by Lin Grensing-Pophal

We’re reaching the end of January, and we know what you’re all thinking: is it spring, yet? With the east coast just digging out from the snowstorm of the century, the answer to this question is, unfortunately, no. If you’re getting tired of putting on three or more layers each time you want to leave the house, we feel your pain.

If you’re tired of trying to shove all of those layers back into your closet, you’re not alone. When we talked about preparing for winter, we emphasized the importance of having a system to keep your winter gear as organized as possible. Now that we’re in the midst of winter, you might have found it easier to just toss coats and boots every which way instead of putting them away.

We found a Huffington Post article that really helps reinforce the idea of closet organization. If you feel your sanity slipping away at the expense of your unorganized closet, don’t fear. Browse these ideas and solutions in Korinne Kubena Belock’s article “6 Creative Tips for Organizing All That Winter Gear, ” where she offers creative solutions for trying to optimize space in your closet this winter!

One suggestion: organize items with bins. Bins can be stacked on top of each other on the ground, or they can sit side by side on shelves. Having certain items in a specific bin will make it easier to find gloves or hats when you’re in a rush to leave the house. It’ll also keep clutter away, which will keep your home clean and stress-free!

Another solution Belock offers is to use an over-the-door shoe hanger. While this might not be exactly right for your winter and fall boots, it can be a great solution for storing ballet flat-styled shoes, slippers, running shoes, high heels, and more. Keeping your shoes off the floor or off your shelves frees up space for you to either walk into your closet, or use shelving for sweaters, coats, and more. Plus, having your shoes put away will keep you from tripping over them because they won’t be lying around the house!

When you’re going through and organizing your bins, or placing shoes in your new shoe hanger, keep an eye out for gently-used clothing, jewelry, shoes, and winter gear that you haven’t worn in months or years. If you get the sense that you’ll never these items again, it might be time to donate them! ClothingDonations.org will be happy to come by your home and pick your donation up for you. What’s even better is that your donation will help fund our veterans programs!

Have winter closet organizing tips of your own? We want to hear from you—share your closet cleaning secrets with us!

Don’t Let the Cold Keep You From an Organized Home!

Posted on by Lin Grensing-Pophal

Now that the holidays are over, we’re left to face the rest of winter. With how cold it’s gotten, it’s easy to neglect chores and curl up in front of the fireplace for the rest of the season. Tempting as this is, it’s the season for wet boot prints, cold days, and numerous coats, scarves, and gloves. If left untended, your home could accumulate dirt and clutter before you know it!

With this in mind, we’re here to help you stay motivated in your journey to a cleaner home. We checked out Martha Stewart’s “Winter Homekeeping Tips, ” to figure out how to fight off dirt and disarray this winter.

One idea Stewart offers up is to “winterize” your home’s entryway. This means having a welcome mat at the door where your visitors can remove their shoes upon entering the house. Not only does a rubber or carpeted mat prevent slush and salt residue from entering into your home, but it also signifies to guests that they should take off their shoes, which leaves dirt and grime at the front door.

Another tip for winter housekeeping is to rotate or turn the mattresses in your house. While this doesn’t exactly keep your home clean, it will help your mattress last a long time. Plus, it will help you sleep better, which will give you more energy to organize your house! Stewart recommends flipping your mattress every quarter for even wear.

One more idea that Stewart offers is to reorganize your kitchen. For some this might mean buying a spice rack so you know what spices you have on hand. For others, it means reorganizing your entire kitchen now that the holidays are over. While you’re cleaning and organizing your kitchen, remember to keep an eye out for pots, pans, utensils, and baking equipment that you no longer use.

If they’re in good shape, and you’re ready to part with them, donate them to us! Fill out our online donation pick-up form, and place your donation items in a box marked with “for donation.” Then, set the box out by your mailbox. We’ll come and pick it up for you!

What tips do you have for keeping your home organized and clean during winter? Share them with us!

A New Year and a Fresh Start for Your Home!

Posted on by Lin Grensing-Pophal

We’re only a few weeks away from the end of 2015—can you believe it? While it’s fun to reflect on the year and see all that you’ve accomplished, it’s time to look forward to all that’s to come in 2016. It’s also time for the age-old traditions that accompany a new year.

Resolutions. Many people use the start of a new year to set goals for themselves. For some this means getting into better shape and becoming healthier. For others, it’s a chance to start that business they’ve been dreaming about, or time to plan a trip they’ve been wanting to take.

For those who may have a difficult time keeping their homes organized and clutter-free, though, 2016 resolutions might be focused on staying organized throughout the entire year. Does this seem daunting to you? It doesn’t have to be! Here are a few techniques you can use to help make your clean-home resolution a reality!

  1. One room at a time. Don’t feel like you have to organize your entire home by January 1. Instead of tackling the entire house at once, go room-by-room. Start in the kitchen and work your way into the living room. Once those rooms are done, move onto the basement.  Then repeat. This can help keep the task of keeping your entire home organized less overwhelming!
  2. If it doesn’t have a purpose, donate it! While cleaning and organizing each room, if you come across items that you don’t remember buying, or can’t remember why you ever needed them in the first place, there’s a good chance you don’t need them. If the item is new or gently used, don’t just throw it away—donate it to us! Simply fill out our donation pick-up form on ClothingDonations.org. Then put the items in a box marked for “donation, ” and set it outside by your mailbox. We’ll pick it up for you!
  3. Once it has a place, keep it there. Cleaning and organizing at first seems daunting, but it’s actually the easy part. The hard part is keeping your home organized. While it might seem easier to just leave your clothes on the floor after a long day at work, take the extra time to hang them up in your closet. It’ll keep your home organized for longer, and you won’t feel overwhelmed by clutter!

A new year means a fresh start for keeping your home clean. If you start now, you’ll have a head start on the new year. Take this opportunity to keep your home organized!

Tis the Season for Giving!

Posted on by Lin Grensing-Pophal

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the holiday season is underway. It’s the season for holiday cheer, getting together with family and friends, and buying gifts for loved ones. This might also be a time that reminds us of gifts that we stored away at the end of last season. For many people, the idea of re-gifting is offensive and rude; but not to us!

ClothingDonations.org would be thrilled to receive any items you no longer use. Whether it’s brand new and unopened, or gently used, we’d be happy to take these items off of your hands. They can be actual gifts you’ve received and forgot to return, or they can be items you’ve found around your home that you no longer use.

Given that the holidays involve colder weather, a good donation for us is winter clothing. Any coats, sweatshirts, mittens, hats, and other warm clothes will help keep veterans, and others in need, stay warm and toasty throughout the holidays. Other items we could use this holiday season are baby clothes and toys, kitchenware, and home décor such as curtains, tables, and more.

When you donate to ClothingDonations.org, re-gifting is completely acceptable. Simply put your items in a box clearly marked with the word “donations, ” and then call us, or go to our website to schedule a time for us to pick up your donations. We’ll swing by and pick them up for you so that you don’t need to take time out of your busy holiday schedule! Not only will your donations be a gift, or a warm blessing, for someone this year, but all proceeds will go toward veterans’ programs. You’ll be helping many people this season, bringing holiday cheer to all!