One part of prepping your home (and yourself) for #winter involves swapping out #summer #clothing for heavier flannels, sweaters and coats. “With these cold-weather clothing staples about to take up significant closet space, now is the perfect opportunity to stage a clean-out,” says Martha Stewart. “Toss items that are damaged beyond repair, #donate what you no longer wear, and store pieces like swimsuits and sundresses where they’ll be out of the way for the winter season.” You’ll have more room in your closets — and probably several #bags of #donations for a ClothingDonations.org#pickup.
Tag: clothing donations
It’s Time to Reset Your Fall Routine
You’ve probably noticed that the days are getting shorter and the temperatures (a bit) cooler. The kids have returned to school and the merchandise on the store shelves has a sepia-toned, spooky or pumpkin-spice bent. And even if the first leaf hasn’t changed color, it’s fall.
As your rhythms adjust to the available daylight, you may feel a desire to change other parts of your routine. It’s “a temporal landmark—a moment in time that separates one’s past self from one’s present self, making it easier to adopt new habits,” says Calendar.com.
While summer is more freewheeling, school and work schedules rule the fall. Cooler weather makes it easy to get a good night’s sleep, cook comfort meals and exercise. And just like the trees shed their leaves, you can shed the habits that no longer work for you.
Begin with reflection. Ask yourself what summertime habits might undermining your energy and productivity. Perhaps you need to cut down on screen time, make a list of to-dos ahead of the holidays or get to work on a household project before the first snow.
Align your habits with the flow of the season. The early sunset might inspire an earlier bedtime — and there’s nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. Nights out with friends might morph into quiet nights around a firepit. Burgers on the grill might turn into hearth-warming butternut squash casseroles.
One way to meet the fall season is to #declutter. Items such as coolers, outdoor games, pool toys, sporting goods and tents won’t get much use in the months ahead, so #organize the keepers for #storage and #donate the things you don’t want to ClothingDonations.org.
The same goes for clothing. Designers debut the new fall fashions as the weather changes to drive sales, abandoning summer clothing to the clearance bin. You can do the same as you pull out your cool-weather clothing — decide what to keep, store, wear, donate and trash.
The changes you make to meet the season don’t have to be massive to have a positive effect. Even a tiny bit of #decluttering or a few extra hours of sleep can improve your outlook on life. Make a few small, attainable goals and stick to them for the season. Have a happy fall!
Observing National POW/MIA Recognition Day
National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed on Sept. 19 this year, honoring service members who were prisoners of war (POWs) and those who are still missing in action (MIA). Its eternal message? That POWs and MIAs will not be forgotten.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day became an official observance under President Jimmy Carter in 1979, with the families of more than 2,500 Vietnam POW/MIAs pushing for full accountability. While associated with those who served in Vietnam, the day isn’t limited to their recognition.
More than 130,000 U.S. service members were held as POWs in World War II, and 14,072 of them died. Some 7,000 were imprisoned in the Korean War, and 2,701 of them died. And 725 service members were imprisoned in Vietnam; 64 died.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 83,000 Americans remain missing in action, including more than 73,000 from World War II and more than 7,000 from the Korean War. The number of MIAs in Vietnam is now 1,571.
The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world that prioritizes recovery and identification of its service members. Efforts are ongoing to identify MIAs — and each year, more men and women are identified from their remains and interred with military honors.
The most recent to be identified is U.S. Army Master Sgt. Donald P. Gervais, who was killed when his helicopter crashed in Vietnam’s A Shau Valley. U.S. Navy Capt. Thomas E. Scheurich was identified in April, 57 years after his A-6A Intruder was shot down.
The Vietnam Veterans of America’s Veterans Initiative Program helps identify remains, using clues from maps, stories, after-action reports, pictures and personal items. It’s just one of the initiatives funded in part by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org.
You can honor POW/MIAs in multiple ways this week. Fly a POW/MIA flag below or adjacent to your U.S. flag. Take a moment of silence when you see it flown. Wear a POW/MIA bracelet. Attend a local ceremony featuring the POW/MIA Missing Man Table. And support veterans organizations dedicated to recovering the missing.
Shop for Back-to-School Supplies Before Clothing
This year’s elementary #school supply list typically includes Post-it notes, glue sticks, headsets and other tech accessories, according to The New York Times. Add basics such as paper, facial tissues and plastic storage bags, and the tally can easily reach nearly $200. To economize, shop for needed supplies first (accepting generic brands), budgeting expert Andrea Woroch says, and look for #back-to-school clothing as growth and need dictate: “Don’t assume you need a brand-new wardrobe on Day 1.” You can always find quality used goods to fit your growing child at the #thrift and #secondhand shops supplied by #donations to ClothingDonations.org. #BackToSchool #Inflation
Consumers Tighten Belts at Back-to-School Time
A survey performed by the Mall of America recently asked more than 500 consumers how they plan to handle the #back-to-school #shopping season, finding that more than half (51%) will focus on deals rather than labels when making purchase decisions. Three out of 5 (61%) say they plan to spend less this year due to economic concerns, though a greater majority (70%) estimate their spending will be in the $100-$499 range. And even in the days of AI-fueled bargain-hunting, the vast majority of respondents said they would do at least some of their shopping in person at a physical store. #BackToSchool #Inflation