Tag: charity donations pickup

Know When to Purge Your Possessions

Posted on by Jordank

Do you feel like you’ve outgrown your home because of all the #stuff inside it? Do you wonder if leasing a storage unit, buying a new set of shelves or organizers, or putting more things in the garage or basement is the answer?

Do you have trouble finding your wallet, keys or important documents? Do you ever set things down in the kitchen or on the dining room table only to search for them again in five minutes? Have you ever bought anything again when you couldn’t find the original?

Does the thought of others seeing the piles of stuff inside your home make you not want to have people over? Does all of that extra stuff get in the way of routine housecleaning tasks, making your home look dusty, dirty or unhealthy?

Do you have a #closet that’s bursting with stuff or a #junk drawer, or is every closet and drawer in your home like that? Are there parts of the home that are just too crowded to use? Do you find your home to be a relaxing sanctuary, or do you feel anxious, overwhelmed, distracted or depleted?

If you answered yes (or YES!) to any of these questions, you might need to do a complete #purge and #decluttering. All of that stuff is getting in the way of your life.

“There’s a whole body of research that shows how #clutter can actually negatively impact our moods and levels of stress,” says Minimalists Managed. “Clutter can make day-to-day life even harder [and] more difficult to manage when we’re surrounded by too much stuff.”

You can’t go on like this! Pick a single room, closet, drawer or shelf and start #decluttering. Sort goods into #keep, #donate and #trash piles; put the keepers where they belong and the trash into the bin. It isn’t easy to get started, but success in one area can help you move to others.

When you collect enough lightly used items to #donate (it will happen fast), put them in boxes and bags and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup. Those items will be resold to benefit the nation’s #veterans, while you gain a new, #clutter-free lease on life.

The more you #declutter, the more calm and fulfilled you will feel. Do yourself a favor and get started today!

Make Space for Charity This Holiday Season

Posted on by Jordank

’Tis the season for #giving! But what will you be giving this year?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with amassing a big pile of gifts under the #Christmas tree. It’s what most Americans have grown to expect over the years, and you might be seen as a spoilsport if you buck consumerism entirely. Everyone likes to open a wrapped #gift!

But also consider making room in your budget and schedule for #charitable #donations this holiday season. It’s a way to share your good fortune with the people and causes that you and yours care about, and even a small #donation can make an impact.

This year is fraught with need. #Charitable organizations worldwide are seeing their funding from the U.S. government dry up. Millions of people are facing food and shelter insecurity every day — overseas and down the street.

Dedicate your dollars to a cause close to your heart. It might be a global concern that feeds people in conflict zones or provides medical care, a nationwide #nonprofit protecting civil liberties or the environment, or the local humane society or food bank.

You can also #donate in another person’s name in lieu of giving some gewgaw that’s destined to wind up in in a landfill. Consider the organizations they value, and give; it’s a particularly good option for a last-minute gift or giving from a distance.

Be sure to pick a charity that uses your donations efficiently. At least 75% of the funds should go to the mission rather than administrative costs, according to Consumer Reports. Check the Charity Navigator to research giving options and charity ratings.

The gift of time is just a valuable. Volunteer at the local homeless or animal shelter. Start a fundraiser for a local charity or a drive to stock the local food pantry. Drop a few toys off for the tots to enjoy. Bring a few treats to the local #veterans’ home.

Speaking of #veterans, there’s an easy way to give that also can help you live a more secure, streamlined and uncluttered life. Bag or box up some of the #clothing and #household items you no longer need and #donate them to ClothingDonations.org.

Whatever you choose, give this #holiday season and throughout the year. For your trouble, you’ll get the good feeling of spreading joy. Happy Holidays from ClothingDonations.org!

The Meaning Behind Mardi Gras

Posted on by Jordank

Mardi Gras — a.k.a. Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday — is the final day of the Carnival festival season. In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a penitential season of abstinence and sacrifice.

Mardi Gras is the “last hurrah,” in effect, before 40 days of abstinence from foods such as meat, eggs, dairy and alcoholic beverages. Most people are familiar with the local fish fry on Fridays, held to serve Catholic families and others abstaining from meat.

Observant Christians also often pick an indulgence of their own to give up. Similar to a New Year’s resolution, such personal challenges might mean eschewing alcohol or sweets, or trying to break a bad habit such as smoking or gossiping.

Whatever your faith, the Organizing Blog suggests that you spend the season abstaining from #clutter. It will be a test of your will, to be sure, but you will be better off and maybe even a bit more righteous if you can do it. Here’s how:

Cut the clutter. Over the next 40 days, dedicate a set amount of time to #decluttering and #organizing a space in your home. As little as 10 minutes per day spent rearranging a drawer or shelf can add up to real improvements over time.

Avoid spending. If you want a real challenge, simultaneously abstain from buying anything new; any attempt to #organize will be easier if you don’t add to your #stuff. If something urgently needs replacement, vow to eliminate twice as many like items as you bring in.

Exercise charity. Set aside any castoff clothing and household items that might have some useful life left in them and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup. Quality, lightly used goods will be resold to benefit programs that help the nation’s #veterans.

Today, celebrate! Have a paczki, a big bowl of gumbo or an adult beverage. Tomorrow, make good on your vow get rid of #clutter and get #orgnaized. By the time Easter rolls around, you and your home will be unburdened by excess #stuff.

Organizational Accessories Perfect for Giving

Posted on by Jordank

One of the critical steps in #decluttering and #organizing is to corral all useful items into the spaces you can find them easily. Depending on the item, that may be a shelf, a drawer, a box or a bin — as long as you know where to look for it and get in a routine of putting things in their proper places, you’ll never be left wondering where something is. Whatever you or the people on your #gift list have trouble organizing — tools, jewelry, hats, closets, spices or life in general — That’s Why I’m Broke offers 33 accessories that can keep #clutter in check and perfect for #holiday giving. #GiftsToConquerClutter

Give a Gift That Cuts the Clutter

Posted on by Jordank

If you have a friend or family member who struggles with #clutter, consider giving them a #holiday #gift that helps get #organized. Good Housekeeping recommends a variety of #containers, #organizers, packing cubes and #storage bins that will help organize everything from charging cables to kitchen implements to yard tools, plus a labelmaker that can help put a name to the place. Once the essentials are organized and stored in a reliable spot, it’s easy to determine what’s extra and inessential — and those things can be #decluttered and #donated to benefit the nation’s #veterans through ClothingDonations.org.