To get a #donation together quickly, try speed #decluttering. Pick a room and stand in the middle of it. “Spend 10 minutes identifying the things within view that are more #trash than #treasure,” says Food52, such as junk mail, empty containers or that scented candle you always hated. “These are things that don’t belong in your space. At the end of 10 minutes, you’ll easily have a pile of things to toss or #ive away.” You’ll need to make quick decisions, but in a matter of minutes, your space will be brighter, healthier, more #organized and easier to keep #clean. #QuickDonation
Tag: clutter
Five Questions to Ask Yourself When Decluttering
Want to make fast #donations to ClothingDonations.org without overthinking? Observe five basic ground rules, says Apartment Therapy, by asking yourself the following questions: (1) Have I used this item in the past year? (2) Will I use it in the year ahead? (3) Would I buy this again today — or do I already own a better version of the same thing? (4) If it’s broken, is it worth fixing? And (5) Would I keep this if I moved? If you answer “No” to any of these questions on whatever it is, it’s time to #declutter. Throw it in a bag and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #pickup. #QuickDonation
Target Clutter Problem Areas for a Quick Donation
Many homes have problem areas where #clutter accumulates. Maybe your entryway can’t handle all of your outerwear, so coats are hanging on chairs and doors. Maybe your pantry is overstuffed with seldom-used spices and other ingredients. Or maybe the bathroom is awash in partially used beauty products. To #declutter and get a #donation together quickly, “identify one place where clutter is an issue (visible or hidden) and address it,” says Apartment Therapy. “Examples include cluttered counters, overstuffed drawers, messy cabinets and disorganized shelves. Decide what needs to be tossed, relocated or placed in an outbox.” #QuickDonation
Declutter a Closet to Make a Fast Donation
The #closet is a great place to #declutter for make a fast #donation to ClothingDonations.org. Thirty minutes might be all you need. Get #bags in place for #donated items, and a trash can or rag bag for things that can be eliminated due to excessive wear. Then, tackle each category of #clothing by stack or rod, making snap judgements based upon whether you’ve worn the item in the last year, not cost or “someday” potential. Consider how your closet got so cluttered in the first place, says Apartment Therapy: Are you holding onto #garments that don’t fit? Do you impulse-buy? Is your #organizational scheme ineffective? #QuickDonation
Make Summer Memories Without the Clutter
#Summertime is ripe for making #memories. People are out and about, taking time off from work and school, and visiting with friends and family at all sorts of warm-weather events. They’re also often buying #stuff they don’t need.
The good news is that you don’t need to buy a lot of #junk or spend a lot of #money to have fun. There are lots of #thrifty ways to enjoy summer and preserve the memories without adding a ton of #clutter to your home.
Let’s say you’re on a budget (and with prices on everything from hamburger to gasoline rising fast, who isn’t?) and have #kids at home. Take advantage of the public pools, playgrounds and parks in your area, or choose from a range of low-cost activities from Modern Parents, Messy Kids.
Brainstorm a list of ideas for your perfect summer and get the family involved, says Smart Mom, Smart Ideas. Then, “eliminate anything you can’t afford, eliminate things [that are] too far away and eliminate things with too many constraints” to create and your bucket list and plan events.
If a summer #vacation is on that list, keep #costs and #clutter at a minimum by skipping most of the souvenirs. Instead of plasticky gewgaws, bring home small, useful gifts such as local spices or handmade items, suggests Saskia’s Travel Blog: “I collect moments, not magnets.”
Make preserving your summer memories simple by taking photos and printing a few favorites for display. Keep a scrapbook to organize tickets, maps and papers. Learn a local recipe for later use, or buy exactly one special item that you can’t get anywhere else. If you must buy a souvenir, make it #sustainable and consumable — the local crafts or foodstuffs, for example.
To maintain memories without adding to the piles of stuff in your home, #minimalist Jules Acree says to write about your experience or take a photo. Only buy and keep #things that you use regularly, would pass down to your children or would grab “if your house was on fire.”
You can make summer memories without creating clutter. And nothing lasts like a memory!