Tag: clean

Get the Jump on Back-to-School Season

Posted on by Jordank

For kids and the college-bound, the lazy days of summer will soon come to an end. School starts as early as mid-August in many parts of the United States, so it’s goodbye to campouts and cookouts and swimming pools and pickup games, and back to the books.

Parents will want to take advantage of the many sales. Retailers are promoting back-to-school #deals earlier to tap the average $875 parents will spend this year to get each child outfitted in new clothes, computers and backpacks.

College students need even more to set them up for success: $1,365, according to the National Retail Federation, because they also need basic housewares such as sheets and minifridges. Whatever the student’s age, Good Housekeeping offers a guide to the things they might need.

You’ll want to get your students looking the part, from outfitting them in the latest styles (baggy jeans and leopard prints are back) to getting them a fresh haircut. (Great Clips is offering 24,000 free haircuts and a glossary of Gen Z slang to get parents up to speed.)

“It’s tough to keep up with the latest slang kids are using, but it is important because you can’t help your child succeed if you don’t really know what they want,” says former NSYNC singer Joey Fatone, who stars in a promo with his teenage daughter.

Parents who want to cut the #clutter will also want to prepare for the inevitable onslaught of student projects. Now’s a great time of year to work with your kids to #clean out #closets and make room for new #clothes, #organize a desk and #file last year’s school work.

Set aside any #clothing that still has some useful life in it and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #free #donation #pickup. Other parents appreciate the deals they can find at the #thrift stores supplied by those generous #donations, and #veterans benefit from the resale proceeds.

So (attempting Z slang here) don’t do back-to-school mid — gas up your kids for the new year. If your beige flag is organization, it’s a good time for you to cook. But start right away — letting kids start school unprepared is delulu!

Make an Impact on National Give Something Away Day

Posted on by Jordank

National Give Something Away Day — celebrated each year on July 15 — was created as a reminder for people to give back. How you choose to give can take multiple forms, but selfless acts are their own reward.

Many people have much more than what’s necessary to survive, but know that there are people in need nearby. National Give Something Away Day encourages us to take stock of the #things and comforts around us and share them with others.

What you give and to whom is entirely up to you. You might give a friend an old #tchotchke they’ve long admired or a bouquet of flowers. You might buy the person behind you in line a coffee or a sandwich. No gift is too small.

You can also choose #donate the gift of time to a local charity or organization by #volunteering. Perhaps there’s a food pantry or outreach organization that could use your help and specialized knowledge.

One fantastic way to celebrate National Give Something Away Day is to #clean out your #closets and other #storage areas to weed out the #stuff you no longer need. If whatever you find is in wearable or working condition, chances are that somebody else can use it.

Start with a single #closet or room. Sort through all of the #clothing, #books, #decorations and other #household items to see what has a place, setting aside anything that doesn’t fit or only creates #clutter. You’ll probably see the piles build up fast!

Put that #junk into #bags and #boxes and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #free #donation #pickup. Not only will you be giving something away and reclaiming #space, you’ll be #helping to fund programs that benefit the nation’s #veterans.

You can observe National Give Something Away Day on any day of the year, of course. But its reminder to give is one that yields benefits for everyone involved. #NationalGiveSomethingAwayDay

National Get Organized Day Is Finally Here

Posted on by Jordank

National Get Organized Day is finally here! It’s a great day to start or continue your #spring #cleaning and cut the #clutter for good. Make the most of the day by starting with a plan, says the Network of Enlightened Women, and tackle an easy task first. As your momentum builds, purge anything you no longer use from your closets, shelves and drawers, setting aside any still-useful items to #donate. Schedule a pickup with ClothingDonations.org and #reorganize the things you still need, want and use by giving them a “home” in the places that make sense. #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Think Like a Chef to Get Organized

Posted on by Jordank

Think like a chef to get #organized on National Get Organized Day, April 26, Calendar.com says. Mise-en-place (French for “put in place”) originally described how professional chefs arrange their tools and ingredients, but it has expanded to become a lifestyle practice that helps manage the materials and mindset needed to create complex dishes in a hectic work environment. Give your tools a home and center yourself. “It’s a way of concentrating your mind to only focus on the aspects you need to be working on at that moment [and] rid yourself of distractions,” said a student at the Culinary Institute of America. #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Get Organized, One Messy Space at a Time

Posted on by Jordank

It’s easy to celebrate official National Get Organized Day on Friday, April 26 or another day of your choosing. Start by #decluttering a messy space — it might be a drawer, shelf, closet or an entire room. Empty the space out and survey its contents. If you haven’t used something for a year, you probably don’t need it anymore. Dust or #clean the space if necessary, and put the things you do use regularly back in a tidy, more #organized fashion. Then, bag/box and #donate any usable leftover #stuff to ClothingDonations.org by scheduling a free #donation #pickup at your convenience. #NationalGetOrganizedDay