Experts agree that small, incremental New Year’s resolutions are easier to keep and may turn into healthy, lifelong habits. For example, Good Housekeeping suggests keeping the kitchen clutter-free by putting all recipe cards, small appliances and incoming groceries in their place immediately. One study found that women who were surrounded by kitchen clutter tended to eat more cookies, the magazine says; so, this resolution can contribute to other common goals such as losing weight and eating right.
Tag: donating kitchen items
Declutter Before Your Thanksgiving Feast
Hosting Thanksgiving can be a huge responsibility. The major menu items — turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and so on — aren’t incredibly hard to prepare, but can often be messy and time-consuming. Add to that the need to make your home inviting and presentable for the feast, and the holiday can quickly get to be an unwieldy chore.
If you declutter your home ahead of the feast, however, you will likely find all of the tasks on your list will suddenly become more manageable. When you don’t have to trip over stacks of stuff you don’t need before your guests arrive, your stress will dissipate fast.
The kitchen will see heavy use during the Thanksgiving feast, so make sure it offers the chef a streamlined workspace. Apartment Therapy recommends eliminating clutter by paring down the numbers of duplicate utensils in your drawers. Keep a maximum of three spatulas, three whisks, one can opener and one corkscrew, it says, and donate the rest.
Now, throw away junk that’s collected in the kitchen such as condiment packets, takeout menus, orphaned Tupperware lids and extra glass jars. Toss old rags and sponges, used candles, and expired canned goods and spices. Finally, get rid of anything chipped or less-than-perfect, and file away that refrigerator artwork to make space for a new selection of masterpieces.
The second phase of the kitchen streamlining project should store occasional-use items such as party platters, pie tins, apple peelers, melon ballers, cake stands and pastry bags somewhere other than the kitchen. You may need some of these things for Thanksgiving, the story notes, but taking inventory ahead of time will help you find them exactly when they’re needed.
To keep the home clutter-free for the big day, The Spruce suggests creating a complete “game plan” for the feast and keeping the decorations minimal. Arrangements of mums, fresh fruit, shell nuts and fall gourds make for a simple, seasonal scheme. If you already have lots of Thanksgiving-themed decorations, consider which may be starting to look a bit shabby and get rid of them.
As you streamline your kitchen and decorate your space ahead of the holiday, set aside those kitchen utensils, appliances and other goods you no longer need and contact ClothingDonations.org for a pickup. Before you know it, your house will be free of some of that clutter and full of family and friends — and that’s what makes lasting memories.
Give Thanks and Donations this Holiday Season!
We’re just a week away from Thanksgiving, a holiday known for family gatherings, football games, and lots of food. More than anything, it’s a time to be reflect on our lives and feel grateful for all that we have. For many people, Thanksgiving is also a great time for giving. For some that means giving their time and serving a Thanksgiving meal at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. For others, it means donating.
At ClothingDonations.org, we enjoy bringing your donations to individuals and families everywhere, and we love seeing how grateful they are. Not only are you helping these families, but all of your donations and contributions go toward helping our veterans who have fought to give us the freedom we’re so thankful for.
As you’re preparing your home to host the upcoming holiday, take a minute to go through coat closets and dressers for any jackets, sweaters, pants or shoes that you may no longer wear. As we’re getting closer to December, the weather’s getting colder. Your donations will help people prepare for winter. Same with bookshelves and your DVD rack—if you have books you’ve already read, children’s books your kids have outgrown, or movies you no longer watch, donate these items, too.
Kitchenware also makes for a good donation. As you’re preparing your Thanksgiving meal, take note of the kitchen items you no longer use or need. From cookie sheets and Pyrex pans, to pots and skillets, ClothingDonations.org will be happy to help these items find a new kitchen to call home. Simply put your donations in a bag or box marked with the word “Donation.” Then, visit our website to schedule a donation pick-up time. Place the donation box outside by your mail box, and we’ll come and pick it up for you!
A BIG thank you to those who have donated to us in the past, and a thank you to those who will donate to us in the future. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!