Tag: donating

This Earth Day, Make Your Style More Sustainable

Posted on by Jordank

Earth Day 2023 is Saturday, April 22 — the 53rd edition of the annual celebration of Earth and its ecology. Why do we have such an observance? Because the human race has had the biggest impact on the planet, and we are the only species able to adjust our behavior as its stewards.

As we observe Earth Day, we must remember that the climate is in crisis. There’s no use denying it: While shifts in #climate have occurred naturally in the past, the success of a species that’s now over 8 billion strong is accelerating climate change.

We are nearing or beyond a tipping point where we can no longer expect to avert all serious problems. But individual and collective action can still mitigate disaster and lead to a more sustainable future.

One step everyone can take is to dress in a more sustainable way. Due to “fast fashion” — the cheap, trendy and basically disposable #clothing most of us buy and wear — people now have more garments than ever before and use them for shorter periods of time.

The apparel industry is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions equal to Germany, France and the U.K. combined, according to EarthDay.org, and it could account for more 26% of emissions worldwide by 2050. Just washing all of those clothes is poisoning waterways with microplastics.

Recycling is minimal. “And while there are innovative technologies that can break down the fabric of used garments to make new clothing, many await business investment to scale their systems to the colossal size necessary,” the site says.

You can spearhead #reuse, however, by scheduling a free #pickup and #donating your lightly used clothing to ClothingDonations.org. Once you’ve #decluttered, apply one simple principle of #sustainability to your wardrobe: Buy fewer items and make sure that the ones you buy are made to last.

As consolation, remember that you can spend a little more on #garments you’ll use for several years. These steps — reduction and reuse — are two tiny, personal steps toward #sustainability, but if enough people perform them, it can have a positive impact on the Earth.

For more ideas on creating positive change to benefit the environment and a listing of Earth Day observances nationwide, visit EarthDay.org.

How to Use an ‘Extra’ Hour

Posted on by Jordank

Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7, when most U.S. households turn their clocks back one hour. That means people will be able to take adavantage of an “extra” hour to do whatever they see fit.

In actuality, the hour isn’t “extra” at all, having been borrowed from the clock earlier in the year to provide more daylight in the warmer months. You may feel like like going to bed earlier for a few days, but plan now to make the most of that extra time.

Dreamed up by a New Zealand entomologist and an English golf aficionado who wanted longer daylight hours for their pursuits, DST has long been championed as a way to conserve energy. Its first widespread use came during World War I as a strategy to conserve coal.

Most of the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and France never completely abandoned the practice, although it remains unpopular among dairy farmers. DST has become so popular among retailers and the general public, in fact, that four U.S. states have advanced proposals to make it permanent.

So what will you do with that “extra” hour? The first, most obvious option is to sleep though it in order to adjust to the new schedule faster. If you wake up early instead, you can use the hour to do some of the household winterizing chores you’ve been putting off.

Alternatively, you can take that extra hour and use it to #organize, #decutter and #clean a single spot in your home — a drawer, desktop, shelf, closet or room — and benefit from a newly streamlined space throughout the winter.

If you really want to thrive through the darkest months, consider making this a practice every week. Take one hour — any hour in the week — and use it to organize. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish if you set aside the time and make #organizing a part of your routine.

If you find any articles of #clothing, small appliances or other household items that have some life left in them, bag or box them and take one of your extra minutes to contact ClothingDonations.org for a #contactless #donation pickup.

Time is the most precious commodity we have. Take advantage of your “extra” hour this week, no matter how you choose to spend it.

It’s Time to Shed All of Your Possessions

Posted on by Jordank

#Minimalism means giving up everything you own. April fool’s! While the concept does include letting the things that don’t bring value to your life go, minimalism is really about giving yourself more time, space and freedom, Simple Lionheart Life says. You can still have a collection or hobby as long as it brings joy and satisfaction into your life — if you love and use books, for example, keep lots of books! But the #minimalist lifestyle goes beyond simply #decluttering your #stuff and can help you focus on relationships, diet, spending patterns and more.

Shopping for Christmas … From Your Screens

Posted on by Jordank

The novel #coronavirus has upended life as we know it. Even the holidays haven’t been spared, with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommending that more than 330 million Americans reconsider their Thanksgiving travel plans to stop the spread.

Generally speaking, the fewer people you come into close contact with, the better. And with Christmas, Hannukah and other celebrations due up, CDC lists “Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on or after Thanksgiving” as a high-risk activity.

Since it rarely requires interpersonal interaction, online shipping is low-risk. It has been growing apace with the internet for more than 25 years, and it is now set to eclipse all other channels for holiday gift-giving during the pandemic.

Retailers are ready to provide home delivery and contactless pickup if you’re willing to offer a credit card number. The deals aren’t bad, either; many outlets are offering loss leaders just to get you through their online storefronts.

Sitting in front of a screen trying to source great gifts can be tedious — there’s just no way to browse as fast as you might in a physical setting. That’s where online gift guides can help: They can point you in the direction of good gifts for anyone on your list.

Stuck for ideas? Just Google “gifts” and few keywords of the things and activities your giftee likes, and you’ll soon have a page of links to lists suggesting products with click-throughs to online stores ready to take your money.

Whatever they like — be it tech, gaming, music, movies, pets, exercise, cooking — there’s a gift guide for it. At the Organizing Blog, we like to give gifts that don’t add to clutter, meaning they are immediately useful or take up little space. Gourmet foodstuffs, a subscription to a streaming service, or a charitable donation are good options.

To help fund valuable veterans programs during a particularly stressful and often isolating holiday season, consider donating your extra stuff to ClothingDonations.org or making a direct donation of money or a vehicle to VVA.org. The veterans appreciate the help. Now get shopping!

Keep Only the Essentials When Decluttering

Posted on by Jordank

“A bag a day keeps the clutter away,” according to the Inspired Room blog. Author Melissa Michaels’ 12-month plan offers a systematic method of ridding your home of unwanted stuff. “Only keep what you actually use or need,” she says. “Be ruthless and focused on the end goal: a clutter-free home and the peace that will come with knowing where everything is.” Call ClothingDonations.org for a pickup every month, and your home can be clutter-free in no time.