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
Tag: decluttering
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
Know When to Purge Your Possessions
Do you feel like you’ve outgrown your home because of all the #stuff inside it? Do you wonder if leasing a storage unit, buying a new set of shelves or organizers, or putting more things in the garage or basement is the answer?
Do you have trouble finding your wallet, keys or important documents? Do you ever set things down in the kitchen or on the dining room table only to search for them again in five minutes? Have you ever bought anything again when you couldn’t find the original?
Does the thought of others seeing the piles of stuff inside your home make you not want to have people over? Does all of that extra stuff get in the way of routine housecleaning tasks, making your home look dusty, dirty or unhealthy?
Do you have a #closet that’s bursting with stuff or a #junk drawer, or is every closet and drawer in your home like that? Are there parts of the home that are just too crowded to use? Do you find your home to be a relaxing sanctuary, or do you feel anxious, overwhelmed, distracted or depleted?
If you answered yes (or YES!) to any of these questions, you might need to do a complete #purge and #decluttering. All of that stuff is getting in the way of your life.
“There’s a whole body of research that shows how #clutter can actually negatively impact our moods and levels of stress,” says Minimalists Managed. “Clutter can make day-to-day life even harder [and] more difficult to manage when we’re surrounded by too much stuff.”
You can’t go on like this! Pick a single room, closet, drawer or shelf and start #decluttering. Sort goods into #keep, #donate and #trash piles; put the keepers where they belong and the trash into the bin. It isn’t easy to get started, but success in one area can help you move to others.
When you collect enough lightly used items to #donate (it will happen fast), put them in boxes and bags and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup. Those items will be resold to benefit the nation’s #veterans, while you gain a new, #clutter-free lease on life.
The more you #declutter, the more calm and fulfilled you will feel. Do yourself a favor and get started today!
Why Storing Your Extra Stuff Isn’t Always the Answer
Storage is big business. A wide variety of “storage solutions” on the market promise to help you #organize your #stuff by purpose and season, from the underbed box of out-of-season sweaters to the huge green bins designed to hold holiday lights and decorations.
What’s more, about 10% of U.S. households lease a #storage unit to contain bins, boxes, boats, cars and other #things they just can’t cram into their current homes. Self-storage is a $44 billion industry in the U.S., and it’s growing fast.
But storage is rarely the answer to one’s #decluttering and #organizing needs. “Just because it’s out of sight doesn’t mean it’s out of mind,” says Miss Minimalist. “Your clutter is still there, hanging over your head, piled beneath your feet, lurking in the dark corners of your home.”
#Storage systems can help people #organize. You #sort items into a brand-new box or bin, label it and put it on a shelf. If you return to that bin knowing that it holds what you’re looking for, so much the better! But if you don’t, all you’ve done is hide your junk.
The same goes for a self-storage unit. You likely overestimated the value of the goods stored and/or the likelihood of using those things again. And you’ll do anything to avoid making a decision about that stuff, including continuing to pay the monthly fee.
Self-storage units can be useful in the short term if you’re transitioning between homes or downsizing. But most units are just a replacement for #decluttering. Reconsider renting if you don’t really need most of what you want to put in there.
“Because your #clutter is stored in an off-site location, there’s a greater chance you just won’t bother dealing with it,” says Garage Living. “Before you know it, years will have passed, the #junk in your storage unit will collect more dust, [and] your bank account will be emptier.”
Before you waste money on a bunch of new organizers or a self-storage unit, #declutter. Figure out what you aren’t using now and how likely that is to change. Reduce the sentimental items to only most treasured and put them in a truly safe place.
Then, contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #picukup. On the appointed day, a driver will pick up the things you no longer need and help you reclaim space in your cleaner, more streamlined home.