The decision to trash things carries with it a blissful immediacy. There’s lots of stuff people shove into a drawer and keep that’s of little use to anyone. So, throw out or recycle the old magazines, orphaned socks, takeout menus, plastic cutlery, mystery keys, half-used cosmetics and other items that are only cluttering up your home immediately. If something is unopened, in good shape and could be useful to a new owner, however, donate it to ClothingDonations.org, and you will help fund valuable veterans’ programs.
Tag: declutter
Set Aside the ‘Maybes’ When Decluttering
When considering what to keep, donate or trash, you will come across stuff that isn’t useful right now, but you think you might need or use one day. These in-between items can slow down the decision-making in your decluttering process, or derail it altogether. The solution? Create a “Maybe” box, the Zen Habits blog suggests, put the questionable items inside and store it in an out-of-the-way place for six months. Then, revisit the box. Most people find a box full of stuff they never needed, and can donate immediately.
Go Beyond Decluttering by De-Owning
The Becoming Minimalist blog says it isn’t enough to declutter; for a lasting effect, you must “de-own” the things you don’t use. Why? Because only improving organization won’t encourage you to make tough decisions or decrease your desire for new things; often, it will just sort them into a place where they are temporarily out of sight. “Carry a trash bag from room-to-room,” the blog says. “See how big of a donation pile you can make. It doesn’t matter so much how you remove [these items], as long as you do.”
Streamline to Make Your Space Gracious
Want to feel better about your home? One of the best ways is to streamline your stuff, according to HGTV’s “5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home.” Without regular purging, it’s hard to find what you really want, the story says, and too much stuff can make your space look dirty and dated. “This year, resolve to go room-by-room periodically clearing anything that you don’t use, wear or love and donate it to charity.”
It’s Time to Winterize Your Closets!
It’s officially time to clear the last of your summer-to-fall transition clothing items out of your closet. As we move deeper into fall and closer to winter, there is an unmistakable chill that’s set in, and it’s here to stay.
When it comes to winter, many of us have different jackets and coats that are worn for different temperatures. That being said, many of these jackets are big, bulky and difficult to fit into a closet that’s already housing sweaters, pants, and other clothing items and accessories. Once you’ve neatly packed away the rest of your summer clothes, you might stare into your still full closet and wonder where to put it all.
One idea we’ve discussed before is to group like clothing items together. This allows you to keep track of the clothes you own, without letting smaller pieces get swallowed up by thick winter coats and sweaters. Another suggestion is, if you have the storage space, use certain closets for certain pieces of clothing. For example, if you have a closet right near your front door, use this for all of your winter coats and accessories, such as winter scarves, hats and gloves. This way, you’ll know exactly where these items are, saving you time as you get ready in the mornings.
Remember, not everything has to hang in your closet. Sweaters often lose their shape when they’re on hangers. Consider folding them, and then rolling them so they stay wrinkle-free. Then, put them on shelves in your closet, or in a dresser. This will, again, free up more space in your closet for bigger pieces.
You might find, after trying the organizing tips above, that you just have too many coats or jackets. Instead of throwing some away, donate them to us! We’ll make sure someone stays warm this winter with your donation. Simply fill out our online donation form, and we’ll pick it up for you.
Be ready for winter—start winterizing your closet today!