Tag: charity donations

Building Upon the Benefits of Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

The Organizing Blog has often extolled the many virtues of decluttering in streamlining your space and building your overall well-being — and offered plenty of targeted advice on many aspects of the topic.

We have also made it easy to get rid of the extra junk that we’ve helped you clear out of your closets, basements and garages by contacting ClothingDonations.org for convenient, tax-deductible pickups throughout the year.

But you may not yet be aware of what happens to your donations and the ways in which they help the nation’s veterans. Reducing clutter is reward enough, but your donations are crucial to programs that help veterans throughout the country.

When you donate to ClothingDonations.org, the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) coordinates pickup. VVA is a national veterans service organization that’s funded mostly though fundraising activities and membership fees.

The association’s primary source of funding is the resale of items donated to ClothingDonations.org. VVA picks up your generous donations and resells them in bulk to qualified, privately owned thrift-store operators, who in turn sell the used goods to bargain-shoppers.

Money from resale goes directly to local, state and national programs designed to help VVA’s more than 75,000 members, other veterans in need and their families. They help throw chapter get-togethers, build memorials to those who gave their lives in service, send veterans’ grandchildren to college and more.

Proceeds from your donations assist veterans nationwide in accessing guaranteed government benefits, affordable housing and health care. They help veterans cope with problems such as Agent Orange exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse.

On a national level, VVA uses the funds to advocate for legislation supporting veterans such as the Blue Water Navy Act. In short, all funds garnered from donation pickups help veterans continue to be active and vital members of the communities in which they live.

So, the next time you schedule a pickup with ClothingDonations.org, you can feel doubly good. Your simple act — decluttering — will not only improve your situation, but will also improve the lives of thousands of veterans in your community and others throughout the country.

We make it easy to #ThankAVeteran and give something back!

Thrift to Save on Back-to-School Costs

Posted on by Jordank

Most schools across the country will be starting the school year in just a few weeks — and you can tell, since the back-to-school promotions have begun in earnest at the chain stores. But if you really want to save money, you don’t have to buy everything brand-new at a Target, Walmart or Gap. Back-to-school time is one time of year when it pays to shop at the local thrift store.

If you have young children headed back to school, chances are good that they have grown out of the clothes they were wearing last fall. Good news! Thrift stores are full of lightly used clothing and school uniforms that either fit someone’s kid until recently or didn’t get worn much at all. A lot of it is desirable, big-label stuff, points out The Well-Kept Wallet, that’s getting sold at a fraction of its original price.

If you live in a northern climate, you can get the jump on winter shopping, too. When people donate used or disused clothing to charities such as ClothingDonations.org, they often eliminate items such as sweaters and winter coats from their closets in the season they need them least — and that means you can score great deals well ahead of the onset of winter weather — and long before the selection gets picked-over.

One parent writing in The Penny Hoarder reports that she was able to outfit her two daughters, both in elementary school, for less than $40 by visiting thrift stores and rummage sales strategically. The children helped her shop on most trips, she says, and likely learned to appreciate a great value at the same time.

If the kids are headed off to college, a thrift store can be an even greater resource. There, you can find items such as desks, bookshelves, coffee tables, lamps and small appliances at bargain prices, as well as the bed linens, dishes and other household goods every college student will need for the first time when moving into a dorm or residence. The thrift can also be a great source for office supplies and backpacks.

Buying at a thrift store supplied by donations to ClothingDonations.org has the added benefit of saving you money while helping fund programs for veterans. And remember, you can contact ClothingDonations.org at any time to schedule a pickup of the clothing and other items your own kids have grown out of or just don’t use anymore. Somebody will be able to use that stuff, but to you, it’s just clutter.

Including clothing, electronics, shoes and school supplies, families will spend an average of $688 on each child during the back-to-school season, according to an annual survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF), and $970 on every college student. But you can keep those costs down — way down — with a trip to the thrift store!

The First Day of Spring Means Cleaning

Posted on by Jordank

Ah, spring! It’s the season of new beginnings, when the gloomy grays of winter surrender to sunnier weather, warm temperatures and new growth. The flowers are starting to bloom, the birds are chirping and the grass is turning green again. What’s not to like?

As you emerge from your wintry cocoon, you might notice that your home has also suffered from the winter doldrums. Things might look a little bit dingier and a little bit more cluttered than they were just a few months ago. That’s not your imagination.

Your home was shut against the cold, and as a result, it kept the dirt and clutter in. But as the season of renewal begins, you can also refresh your home in preparation for the warm months that lie just ahead. And to do a thorough job, you need a plan, Vogue says.

Start by decluttering. The holidays likely helped you bring a lot of new junk into the home; you don’t need it all, and after you weed through what you want to keep, trash or donate to ClothingDonations.org, you’ll be able to see what needs a good scrubdown.

Next, gather your supplies. You’ll need your favorite all-purpose cleaner, rubber gloves, glass cleaner, a sponge, a duster, and rags or paper towels. Put these in a carry-all so that you can transport them easily from room to room.

One by one, start at the top of each room. Dust the ceilings, picture frames, wall hangings, books and shelves. Get into spaces that rarely get cleaned — behind the toilet, under the bed and under the sink.

Finally, do the floors. Pick up and wash throw rugs and send the finer area rugs out for a professional cleaning. Sweep and mop hardwood and tile floors, and vacuum all drapes, carpeting and upholstered furniture.

Don’t forget the refrigerator. Toss expired foods, unused condiments and leaky containers. Wipe the appliance’s interior clean and any jars you plan to keep, wash the shelves and drawers, and finally, replace what you’re keeping.

When you’re done, celebrate your accomplishment by bringing the spring indoors. Display a bouquet of fresh flowers or bring a new plant into your space. There’s no better way to start the season.

Decluttering Helps Bring Dignity

Posted on by Jordank

Not only do your donations to ClothingDonations.org help declutter your home, they also help fund VVA programs such as Uniforms for Final Salute, an initiative that Chapter 910 in Corpus Christi launched that ensures that homeless and indigent veterans are laid to rest in uniform and with dignity. Chapter members in the area have arranged funeral services and honor guards for more than a dozen of their brethren so far, and ClothingDonations.org has helped many thousands of people get rid of their unwanted stuff.

Clothing Donations Help Fight PTSD

Posted on by Jordank

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse are a problem for many of the people who witness the horrors of war in service to their country. The Vietnam Veterans Association (VVA) stages town hall meetings throughout the United States to encourage veterans of all conflicts to get help if they are dealing with depression, abusing alcohol or other substances, or having thoughts of suicide. And that’s just one of the many veterans’ initiatives that your generous donations to ClothingDonations.org help fund, so you can feel twice as good about cleaning out your closets.