Tag: clothing donations

The Perfect Time of Year for Renovations

Posted on by Jordank

Every season has pros and cons when it comes to home projects: Spring is best for starting new landscaping projects, for example, while summer is good for a kitchen overhaul since you can grill while your new stove is installed.

These seasons are the busiest time of year, however, so your project may face shortages of labor and materials — or pay top-dollar to get what you want, when you want it. Fall and winter may be equally good for a renovation project, Renofi says..

Right now, you can still install new flooring or finish your basement and finish in time for the holidays. Temperatures are still warm enough for exterior painting, too, as well as many landscaping projects such as reseeding a lawn or planting bulbs and shrubs.

Should your roof need repairs, don’t hesitate. In areas with significant amounts of snow buildup in winter, a faulty or damaged roof may not last until spring. Roofing has the benefit of being a fairly quick project that won’t disrupt your home’s interior.

Interior painting is a good project to tackle in the fall, since the lower humidity will help paint dry faster. You’ll be spending more time inside those rooms soon enough; why not do so in a fresh and clean environment?

Larger projects such as a kitchen or bath overhaul may take more foresight, experts say. Plan at least a month or two in advance to get those renovations started, whether you decide to do them yourself or hire a contractor.

Winter has the added benefit of being contractors’ slowest season, so if you’re eyeballing a big job such as a new kitchen, bathroom or whole-house renovation, start planning and booking workers now. The only downside is that the weather may be messy.

Big renovations are likely to test your patience, considering ongoing supply-chain issues and labor shortages. Project timelines may be three to five times as long as they were in the past, U.S. News & World Report warns, and prices for materials and labor have gone up.

But there’s no time like the present to get started. Just remember to contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, #contactless #donation #pickup of any castoffs you discover as you prepare to freshen your space.

Streamline Your Wardrobe as the Seasons Change

Posted on by Jordank

Fall begins on Thursday, Sept. 22, and most areas of the country will soon enjoy cooler, crisper weather. As the seasons change, one’s wardrobe has to change, too; shorts and T-shirts won’t be of much use as temperatures tumble from summery 70s and 80s to the 60s, 50s and below.

Without getting into the weeds on what the Vogue fashionistas say is and isn’t in style this season, The Organizing Blog would like to remind readers that this transitional time is a perfect opportunity to #edit your #wardrobe.

As you reintegrate cold-weather garb into the daily routine, take a look at the #summer clothes you did and didn’t wear this year. Sort out the items you wore back into a closet or a storage bin, and trash or #donate the rest. You didn’t need them this year, and you won’t in 2023.

Summer-only clothing that makes the cut but should definitely be packed and stored for next year includes short-sleeve tops, open-toed shoes, beachwear, summer shorts, tropical prints, and linens and other lightweight garments, says The Closet Edit.

Wash or dryclean these items and store them in tucked-away baskets, plastic bins or a closet that’s distinct from your main or go-to closet. Then you can begin to integrate all of the fall and winter clothing you stored last year into active rotation.

As you make room in your closets for those fall garments, you’ll find items that didn’t get worn and shouldn’t have been stored last year. #Trash or #donate these garments unless you have a compelling reason to keep them. Perhaps you lost a few pounds and those old pants fit again?

There will also be #transitional #clothing items that you wear year-round and #accessorize according to the weather. Since they are subject to heavy use, check to see what’s going to continue to serve you through the winter, and what’s come to the end of its useful life.

As always, bag up any lightly used garments that you don’t need or want and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, #contactless #donation #pickup. We’ll take those items off your hands and resell them to fund valuable #veterans programs.

Here’s to a fashionable, #streamlined and #organized fall and winter!

Declutter to Support MIA Research

Posted on by Jordank

The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) seeks “the fullest possible accounting” of troops still missing from all U.S. conflicts. Supporting its efforts is easy: Every time you donate your used clothing and household goods to ClothingDonations.org, VVA resells them to thrift stores and uses the proceeds to help chapters nationwide engage in research and outreach that can help identify service members’ remains and other clues to the missing. We make supporting the nation’s POW/MIAs as simple as cleaning out your closets, kitchen or garage — but you’re encouraged to attend a memorial event or fly the POW/MIA flag today and this weekend, as well. #NationalPOWMIARecognitionDay

Making a Major Move More Manageable

Posted on by Jordank

About 27 million people changed primary residences last year in the United States, according to Move.org, and one-fifth of those #moves were out-of-state. With the job market still competitive and real estate activity starting to slow, more people will likely be on the move this season.

A move is rarely easy, and supply chain dirsruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic made things more difficult. But you can make a major move more manageable if you make a timeline and spread the work out over a period of days, weeks or months.

If you hire a moving company to transport your #stuff (as 80% of people do) there’s a financial incentive to #packing as little as possible. That’s why the first step in any move is to #declutter and #organize your possessions. “If you don’t love it, need it, [or] use it regularly, or if it’s broken, get rid of it!” says Living Well Spending Less. “There’s nothing worse than unpacking boxes of stuff later on only to realize you don’t really need any of it.”

Edit your stuff well ahead of time to give yourself time to sell some of it, or #purge as you #pack. Either way, you’ll have less to transport and integrate into your new home when the move is complete. Assuming you find lightly used items things that you won’t need in the new home, contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, contactless #donation #pickup — or schedule multiple #pickups during your pre-move #packing period and another in your new location.

Moving long-distance is particularly challenging. While couple of friends with a UHaul may be able to handle small moves, that may not be sufficient for families with houses full of stuff. Architectural Digest offers a guide to the moving companies adept at facilitating relocation across the country or another part of the world.

Near or far, a major move is a great opportunity to reinvent your lifestyle and revisit the things you truly value, use and need. It may not be easy, simple or cheap, but you can start fresh in a new place — without the #clutter that weighed you down in the last one. #MovingTips

Start the School Year Clutter-Free

Posted on by Jordank

It’s back-to-school time, and if you are a parent of a student or a student yourself, you know that the sudden influx of homework, books and other supplies makes it a challenge to stay #organized and on top of tasks. But several strategies can help manage all that #stuff better while keeping track of assignments, due dates and extracurricular activities.

Parents can help young students stay #organized by streamlining the household environment. Invest in a chore chart, white board and academic planner, Good Housekeeping suggests. And to keep clothing, books, shoes and other items from getting #disorganized, get as many shelves, bins and cubbies as you need and label them.

A homework station is a good idea for students of all ages — and WFH parents, too. You’ll need a rolling cart, plastic storage baskets, a dry-erase calendar and a desk, Woman’s Day says. Post a calendar, a daily schedule and a pegboard organizer or bulletin board nearby, and it will be easier to keep track of tasks and needed supplies.

Teens who build good habits in school will keep them their whole lives. Student empowerment specialist Daniel Wong offers 30 tips on using routines to stay focused, get homework done on time and still have time to relax with family and friends.

One is to #declutter one’s #workspace on a weekly basis. “Look through all the papers, notes, brochures, and other things you’ve accumulated,” Wong says. “Recycle or throw away all the things you don’t need. Clutter attracts clutter, so if you declutter once a week, you’ll be more likely to stay organized in general.”

#Thrift stores supplied by #donations of clothing and goods to ClothingDonations.org are a great place to look for lightly used organizers, baskets and bins. You might even find a good selection of stylish #clothing that growing students can wear to #school at prices that won’t break the bank.

And if you find anything your students won’t be needing in the as they move ahead in school — disused sporting goods, books, outgrown clothing, etc. — contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, contactless #donation #pickup. Here’s to a happy, healthy school year!