Tag: decluttering

Need More Organization in Your Life? Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

Posted on by Jordank

If you’re struggling to keep your home organized and clutter-free, you don’t have to invest in expensive furniture or storage units. Sometimes the solutions you need are things you already own, or could purchase for a fraction of the cost of high-end options. In other words, you can do it yourself (or DIY)! While people have always been crafty, the era of DIY seemed to boom with the start of sites such as Pinterest and Etsy. Now DIY ideas are everywhere. You can find a do-it-yourself remedy for just about anything — home repairs, home remodeling ideas, jewelry projects and more.

When it comes to your home, though, it’s nice to know that there are simple organizational solutions you can take care of on your own. Emily Co and our other friends over at POPSUGAR.com have put together some simple and fantastic DIY solutions you can use to help keep your home organized.

If you have a home office or study area for kids, one idea they suggest is tacking computer, printer, and scanner wires to the bottom of your desk or table. That way, no one trips over the wires, and they don’t get caught and tangled around one another. This idea is a small and simple way to make a room more clutter-free!

Looking to optimize empty space? POPSUGAR suggests putting a shelf right above your bedroom or bathroom door. These shelves can be used for storing extra bath towels, T-shirts, sweaters and more. Going along with this idea, POPSUGAR also suggests folding and rolling your T-shirts to optimize space in your dresser and closet — something that we’ve advocated for in a few of our previous blog posts!

Going through your clothing and rolling your shirts will also help you identify clothing items that you no longer wear, or that no longer fit. If these pieces of clothing are in good shape, don’t throw them away. Donate them to us! Simply visit our newly updated ClothingDonations.org website to schedule a time for us to pick up your donation. Put your clothes in a bag or box marked “for donation, ” and we’ll take care of the rest!

Basement Reboot—Keep Your Basement Organized!

Posted on by Garrett Goeppinger

Many people focus on rooms guests will see when it comes to keeping their home organized and clutter-free. While this is a great place to start, it’s important to remember that this emphasis may be causing you to neglect the upkeep of other places in your home, such as your basement.

Some people have finished basements that serve as entertainment areas, “man caves, ” bedrooms, or  even playrooms for kids. For others, the basement is primarily a place for storage, and a place for things that we simply don’t know what to do with. Either way, since basements are out of sight, it’s incredibly easy to leave them unorganized.

Shawn Gauthier offers basement organization solutions in her Houzz article, “12 Tips for Supremely Organized Basement Storage.”

Gauthier says the first step in organizing any basement is to go through everything and decide what you need to keep and what can go. As we’ve written about before, clutter tends to be a result of too much stuff. Take this as an opportunity to purge your basement of items you no longer need. If you come across these items, donate them to us! Place your donations in a box, and schedule a donation pick-up time on ClothingDonations.org. We’ll even come by and pick them up for you, so you can continue organizing your basement.

Gauthier also recommends that organizers embrace shelving units. Whether it’s floor-to-ceiling cubed shelves that keep like-items together, or an entertainment center that allows you to store a television, DVDs, and books, shelves really make a difference in keeping your basement floor clean and clutter-free.

Another tip we liked of Gauthier’s is to utilize the space underneath your basement staircase. It could be a great place for a coat rack for extra winter coats or fall jackets, or a spot for extra shelving and cabinetry. Even if it’s just a small space, this could be the perfect spot for your child’s toys or play sets.

Take a look at Gauthier’s article, and let us know about your own basement organization secrets!

A Valentine’s Day Donation

Posted on by Garrett Goeppinger

Show our veterans some love this Valentine’s Day by donating your gently used clothes, books, kitchen utensils, and more. Your donation helps fund our veterans programs. Simply visit our website, schedule a donation pick-up time, and we’ll come by to take these items off your hands!

Coping With Post-Holiday Cleanup

Posted on by Jordank

Now that the holidays are coming to a close, we’re left with the post-holiday mess. Family and friends have come and gone, leaving signs of their presence (and presents) behind. Those gifts need to find a place among your current belongings, and holiday decorations need to come down. The clean-up can be overwhelming.

But, a clean and clutter free home after the holidays (and just in time for the new year!) is important for getting back into a routine. If this task seems easier said than done, don’t panic—we’re here to help!

We suggest picking one task to tackle first, which will prevent the entire cleaning and packing-away process from seeming insurmountable. Start with the presents. Looking at the new goods you received this season, determine which items belong in which rooms. From there, designate spots for each new item.

Next, start packing away Christmas and other holiday decorations. Whether it’s a closet or a corner of your basement, have a designated section in your home for all holiday decorations. Then, have a few plastic bins or tubs to neatly pack your decorations away, labeling the outside of the container with what’s inside. This way, you’ll have a spot for each decoration, while also keeping them neat and contained.  

As you put gifts and decorations away, think about which items you may no longer need. Post-holiday clean-up is a great time to declutter.

Put these unwanted items in a bag or box, marked with “donation” on the outside. Then, contact ClothingDonations.org and schedule a time for us to swing by and pick up your donations. We’ll take care of the pick-up, and take these items off your hands, so that you can continue organizing your home. Not only will these donations declutter your home, but they will also go toward funding our veterans’ programs this year!

What are your holiday clean-up secrets? Share them with us!

A New Year and a Fresh Start for Your Home!

Posted on by Jordank

We’re only a few weeks away from the end of 2015—can you believe it? While it’s fun to reflect on the year and see all that you’ve accomplished, it’s time to look forward to all that’s to come in 2016. It’s also time for the age-old traditions that accompany a new year.

Resolutions. Many people use the start of a new year to set goals for themselves. For some this means getting into better shape and becoming healthier. For others, it’s a chance to start that business they’ve been dreaming about, or time to plan a trip they’ve been wanting to take.

For those who may have a difficult time keeping their homes organized and clutter-free, though, 2016 resolutions might be focused on staying organized throughout the entire year. Does this seem daunting to you? It doesn’t have to be! Here are a few techniques you can use to help make your clean-home resolution a reality!

  1. One room at a time. Don’t feel like you have to organize your entire home by January 1. Instead of tackling the entire house at once, go room-by-room. Start in the kitchen and work your way into the living room. Once those rooms are done, move onto the basement.  Then repeat. This can help keep the task of keeping your entire home organized less overwhelming!
  2. If it doesn’t have a purpose, donate it! While cleaning and organizing each room, if you come across items that you don’t remember buying, or can’t remember why you ever needed them in the first place, there’s a good chance you don’t need them. If the item is new or gently used, don’t just throw it away—donate it to us! Simply fill out our donation pick-up form on ClothingDonations.org. Then put the items in a box marked for “donation, ” and set it outside by your mailbox. We’ll pick it up for you!
  3. Once it has a place, keep it there. Cleaning and organizing at first seems daunting, but it’s actually the easy part. The hard part is keeping your home organized. While it might seem easier to just leave your clothes on the floor after a long day at work, take the extra time to hang them up in your closet. It’ll keep your home organized for longer, and you won’t feel overwhelmed by clutter!

A new year means a fresh start for keeping your home clean. If you start now, you’ll have a head start on the new year. Take this opportunity to keep your home organized!