Tag: clutter-free

Breaking With the Decluttering Trends

Posted on by Jordank

We at The Organizing Blog like to think that we’re a respected authority in the #decluttering knowledge space, continually lending tips and strategies to get your home and life in order while #donating the things you don’t need to a worthy cause.

We weren’t the first on the scene, of course, and we won’t be the last — dozens of experts and gurus have made careers out of helping people #declutter, and there are as many trendy strategies to help people #minimize and #organize their excess #stuff.

While the scholarship agrees that a #clean and #organized home environment is optimal for one’s mood and health, today we’re going to remind readers that there is no single “right” way to tackle the problem. The right way to #declutter is the way that works for you.

“Decluttering is very much a personal process — it’s your home and your belongings,” says Homes & Gardens. “Some may find it harder than others, preferring a more gentle approach to a more ruthless one, and vice versa.”

For example, Marie Kondo’s much-vaunted KonMari method asks you to sort every category of possession, keeping only the things that “spark joy.” But consider the lowly vegetable peeler: It probably does not spark joy, but it is undeniably useful — and you can feel good about holding onto it.

Some #organizing schemes are just too gimmicky to keep up, Apartment Therapy says. For example, you may overlabel your stuff. You might buy too many organizing products. Or you may be too meticulous about folding and sorting small items such as socks and underwear, wasting time and energy on a single drawer.

Because #organization and #clutter are widespread challenges, the clutterati will keep inventing new ways to deal with them. Try one or invent your own. The strategy that works for you — the one that you can follow and get results — is the best to follow.

Do Your Seasonal Shopping Sustainably

Posted on by Jordank

Part of living a #clutter-free lifestyle is to keep only the things you use, wear and otherwise enjoy. But you can eliminate #clutter on the front end, too, by shopping more sustainably — and this is especially important  to remember when giving #gifts during the #holiday season.

The supply chain demands huge amounts of resources to get those special somethings delivered to your door. Make an effort to shop smaller local businesses for gifts, a practice that reduces the carbon footprint of whatever you buy. Or exercise your creativity to make some of your gifts rather than buying mass-marketed products.

Gifts don’t have to take a physical form at all, says Sustainability Victoria. You can give an experience such as a massage or facial, a cooking class, a yoga session or a dinner out rather than a product. Or you can make a charitable #donation in a person’s name; whatever you choose, chances are good that someone on your gift list doesn’t need more #stuff.

You can also shop the local #thrift stores — many of which supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. “Upcycling” gifts can save money and keep more quality goods out of landfills.

“Buying secondhand clothing helps preserve the earth’s natural resources and prevents the additional pollution created by producing new garments,” Maryville University says. “Thrift stores provide shoppers with excellent bargains [and] often sell nearly new clothing alongside unique vintage pieces.”

Gift wrapping is one of the most wasteful aspects of holiday giving. Substitute newspaper and reusable packaging such as bags, baskets and tins for single-use wrapping paper, California Environmental Voters suggests. And try to buy gifts that are packaged in sustainable materials such as bamboo, recycled plastic and biodegradable paperboard rather than plastic clamshells.

Finally, be intentional about gifting and perform your due diligence, Bloom & Spark says. Figure out which businesses follow sustainable practices and how far your purchases need to travel to get a spot under the tree. Consider your giftees’ priorities, too; nobody wants another gewgaw that they don’t know what to do with. With a little forethought, you can reduce the environmental impact of giving — and make your home environment more clutter-free, too!

The Ultimate No-Clutter November

Posted on by Jordank

With #Halloween in the rearview and temperatures dropping fast, it’s on to November and the #holidays. ’Tis the season that you’ll see more #stuff than ever, as you give and get gifts, bake up platters of cookies, prepare your home for guests, get the good China out and put up the decorations.

But November can also be a month of measured austerity. The Great American Smokeout happens mid-month every year, and No-Shave November encourages cancer prevention and awareness. But there’s an unofficial cause you can take up in the effort to lead a calmer, more stress-free life: #No-Clutter November.

You can start with décor items that don’t get used, Organize Your Stuff Now says. As you #decorate for the fall and winter #holidays, take a good look at the stuff that doesn’t make the cut. You don’t need to save that stuff for next year — you aren’t using it, so get rid of it now. When you pack the decorations away again in January, they will take a lot less space.

Chances are you’ll be spending more time in the kitchen, too, making cookies, a dish to pass or hosting a full feast yourself. As you prepare, have a box handy and throw any shabby kitchen towels, hot pads and oven mitts in it. Do the same as you go through your drawers and cabinets; there are probably utensils that you haven’t used in years.

It’s also a great time to assess your cold-weather #clothing, much of which you’ll be getting out for the first time in November. “We recommend people #declutter their collection of hats, scarves and gloves,” professional organizer Diane Quintana told Homes & Gardens. “Look at these items critically. If they are in good condition but [you don’t] want to use them anymore, release them so someone else can benefit from them.”

To attack No-Cutter November aggressively, First for Women suggests, eliminate one item on Nov. 1, two on Nov. 2 and so on. You’ll eventually have a pile of 465 items that you don’t want or use, and you can #trash, give away or #donate them to ClothingDonations.org by arranging a #free #donation #pickup. By the end of the month, your home will be #decluttered and #streamlined — and you’ll be ready to meet the holidays head-on.

What Does Freedom Mean?

Posted on by Jordank

Amid the bombast of the fireworks, the festivities of the family cookout and the splashy hubbub of the pool party on Independence Day, you might take a minute to think about what #freedom means. Few of these celebrations would be possible without it — or at least they might not be nearly so joyous.

Too often, the word “freedom” is misused in service to a partisan position, author, Afghanistan war correspondent and documentarian Sebastian Junger told Military Times upon the 2021 release of his book, Freedom. “Freedom comes with responsibility. Freedom means freedom from oppression, not freedom from obligation.”

While The Organizing Blog regularly talks about freedom from #clutter, true freedom is an all-encompassing imperative. Even as you thank a #veteran, remember that you, too, are in the fight. Be wary of those who misuse the term in service to an ideology that seeks to undermine it, and join in the work to guarantee that every person in America is equally entitled to lead a life of liberty.

“Freedom is being able to come out of your house and do what you want to do,” Maryland veteran Harrison “Lumpy” Johnson told the Severna Park Voice in 2015. “People complain all the time about the country and where we are headed. We have freedoms other countries do not have. When The Star-Spangled Banner plays, it gets me.”

The concept is not lost on children. “Freedom to me is being able to go school to get an education, to go to church to practice my religion, to have a house to call a home,” wrote Kylar Thomas, winner of the Manistee (Michigan) VFW’s 2015 Patriots Pen contest. “These are just a few of the things we have in the United States that some countries cannot do freely. That is why many people from other countries want to move to the United States.

“We are a country that has brave men and women who have fought to protect these rights. They know first-hand how important it is to be thankful and to protect our freedom,” Thomas noted in his essay. “We need to be grateful for all they do and the sacrifices they made for our country.”

The definition of freedom may be just a little bit different for every person in the good ’ol U.S. of A. It’s a melting pot of cultures and attitudes — people working together toward a brighter future. That’s what makes the country great and free. Remember to celebrate that fact in the weeks ahead.

Happy Fourth of July from the Vietnam Veterans of America and ClothingDonations.org!

When Dads Create Clutter

Posted on by Jordank

As #Father’s Day approaches, you may be thinking about ways to celebrate dear old #dad. Depending on his pastimes, a pizza oven, automotive accessory or gadgety gift may be in his very near future. But before you buy, consider for a second how dads create #clutter.

It may be a gross generalization to say that moms probably think about clutter and household #organization more. In a consumerist society, individuals of every gender can accumulate lots of #stuff as time goes by, and that stuff can pile up around the house.

But surveys say that women often spend more time cleaning than their spouses. They are also more adept at planning work-related tasks, travel and holiday celebrations. They largely dominate the professional #organizer field.

Dads may be prone to let things pile up. And they many build vast collections of tools, garden implements, collectibles and other highly specific and specialized #stuff that’s seldom used on a day-to-day basis.

If you have one of those dads, try to make Father’s Day a day free of added clutter. Focus on the experience: buy him tickets to a ball game, a round of golf or an online class. Or go for something consumable, such as a nice steak dinner — in or out — or a bottle of his favorite spirit.

Like with moms, you also can give the gift of #organization by actively helping #clean, sort and consolidate his stuff. Wash his car or have it professionally detailed. Install pegboard organizers in his home office or workshop. Help him clean out a storage closet or the garage.

If you find anything he no longer needs or wants, schedule a free #donation #pickup from ClothingDonations.org. That way, you’ll assist in clearing the extra unwanted #junk from the home environment, which will make dad’s life less stressful overall.

The best gift for any parent is not only #clutter-free, it’s also virtually free: spending quality time together. So whether he’s a hoarder or a neat-freak, that’s the best way to honor dad on Father’s Day. #FathersDay