Dirt and dust collect fast in winter, when houses are closed up against the cold. To keep your air #allergen-free, do a top-down #cleaning that includes the tops of moldings, framed artwork, blinds, books, and other hidden horizontal surfaces, Broomstick Cleaning says. Change the furnace filter on a regular basis to maintain air quality and optimize your heating dollar. And remember that a #cluttered home is harder to keep #clean, so try to eliminate any #clothing, papers and tchotchkes that you just don’t need or want and are getting in the way. #Donate any lightly used items to ClothingDonations.org. #WinterCleaning
Tag: clothing donations
Revisiting Hygge’s Warm Minimalism
Now that you’ve put away the #holiday decorations (#decluttering and #organizing along the way, of course), it’s time to settle in for the remainder of winter’s cold, dark nights. But to do so cheerfully in #minimalist comfort and style, you’ll want to revisit the concept of #hygge.
Hygge (pronounced “hoo-guh”) is a Scandinavian concept that celebrates warm and welcoming indoor living — likely a compensating response to the region’s long winter nights. The term appears to derive from an Old Norse word meaning “protected from the outside world.”
While the outside world is less of a concern this year now that the spread of COVID is mostly controlled, hygge reflects values of equality, positivity and well-being. But it is an introverted practice that encourages “practitioners to shelter, cluster and enclose,” says Denmark.dk.
Being a hygge acolyte is easy: You just need to embrace things that signify warmth and comfort. A cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate; a roaring fire or some candles; and cozy slippers, blankets or sweaters are a few essentials.
What you won’t need is a lot of #clutter, because hygge is a practice that embraces simplicity. You’ll want to strip your space down to its simplest furnishings and neutral colors, and avoid the mental clutter brought on by too many screens and a cacophony of loud noises.
Hygge is more than hibernating — it’s making peace with the weather (something you can’t control) and embracing the simple joys of home, family and surroundings. And if you find that your surroundings are too chaotic to support such well-being, now’s the time to make a change.
Make a single hygge space — a nook, seating area or room where clutter and chaos won’t intrude. Strip it down to the bare essentials, getting rid of anything that doesn’t contribute directly to your feelings of warmth and well-being.
You can donate any lightly used items that don’t fit the new style to ClothingDonations.org by arranging a #donation #pickup. You can also find nice blankets, sweaters and other cozy hygge goods at the thrift stores supplied by your donations and help veterans in the process
Embrace the newfound calm and enjoy the winter from your cozy confines!
Look for Last-Minute Gifts at the Thrift
With only two days to go until #Christmas, you might want to check the options at a #thrift store supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org if you’re short on #gifts. Not only do they offer plenty of lightly used goods at nice prices, you can often find unique #gifts that might be just right for a particular person on your list if you browse for a few minutes, no shipping required. And if you’re feeding a crowd over the weekend, you can get necessities such as linens, baking pans, serverware and other essentials for the holiday table — and maybe even the perfect ugly #holiday sweater or white elephant #gift. #HolidayTips
5 Ways to Shop Sustainably This Holiday Season
You’ve got a dilemma: You want to give gifts that your friends and family will love during the holiday season, but you want to do so without creating undue environmental impact — not such an easy task in today’s global economy.
Mass-market merchandise requires raw materials — petroleum products, rare-earth minerals and so on — that are often toxic to extract. Manufacturing byproducts and product packaging go into landfills and oceans, where they can last thousands of years.
What’s more, even things that break down or recycle easily often travel long distances to get to your front door, using fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources. So even if you buy imported foods for the holiday feast, you add more carbon to the atmosphere.
But there are ways to at least minimize your impact during the #holidays:
1. Support small, local businesses. The closer you are to the product’s source, the less fuel it takes to get to you. Locally grown foodstuffs and handmade items — that one-of-a-kind scarf from the craft fair, for example — have minimal environmental impact and are usually better than anything you can find at a big-box store.
2. Shop sustainable businesses. Businesses that pledge to recycle, use #sustainable materials, plant trees and offset carbon emissions are easier on the environment; just be wary of claims that seem too good to be true. “Fast fashion” brands are some of the worst for creating trash.
3. Give an experience. Tickets to the movies, a local play or concert; a restaurant meal; or gift certificate to a yoga session, spa or salon make great gifts that don’t require a lot of sweatshop labor or create extra greenhouse gases.
4. Shop the thrift. Giving used goods a second chance is a great way to keep lots of clothing and household items out of landfills while saving money. Bonus? Buy from a #thrift shop supplied by #donations to ClothingDonations.org, and you’ll help fund veterans programs.
5. Donate. #Charitable organizations need help on Giving Tuesday and throughout the year. Choose a cause that aligns with your giftee’s goals and #give in their name. It won’t be the same as unwrapping the latest air fryer or smart speaker, but still makes a thoughtful #gift.
#Giving can be its own reward — especially if you shop #sustainably.
Giving Can Be Its Own Reward
Evolutionary theory dictates that gratitude and generosity are linked, Greater Good says, and those who give generously receive in kind and are more likely to survive. So as you begin to shop the #BlackFriday deals online and in person, remember to share some of your good fortune in the spirit of #Thanksgiving. Take some shelf-stable goods or wrapped toys to a holiday drop-off location, #donate a few dollars to your favorite #charity, or schedule a free #donation #pickup of lightly used clothing and household goods to ClothingDonations.org. “Emphasize the giving, and the thanks will follow.”