It’s time to transition—goodbye, summer and hello, fall!

It seems like we were just having our garage sales and greeting our kids as they got off the bus, ready for summer. While some of us are scrambling to get in that last minute vacation, many children only have a few days left before a new school year is underway! Translation—fall is upon us.

If you checked out our back-to-school tips, you’ll remember that we talked about the clothes shopping excursions that typically accompany a new school year. Sure your children (and yourself!) may only have gotten a few new items for their wardrobes, but you’d be surprised by just how much space a couple pairs of jeans, some sweaters, and new coats will take up in your closet. Not to mention, you have summer clothes you still need to keep out—where do you put it all?

Our friends over at The Huffington Post have some great tips for helping make that summer-to-fall closet transition a little easier. Here are their suggestions:

1.)    Go through your summer clothes. Now that the season is (almost) over, try on everything. If you don’t wear it or it doesn’t fit anymore, put it in a plastic bag for donation. Then go to our website, fill out a donation pickup request form, and we’ll pick the items up for you!

2.)    Don’t pack it all away yet. The weather is still warm for the rest of August and most of September, so only pack up a few items. Keep any pieces that can be worn in the fall easily accessible in your closet.

3.)    Evaluate old fall clothes. Just like your old summer clothes, try on these fall items. If they are too big or no longer fit your style, donate them to us! We’ll be happy to help those pants and sweaters find a home in a new closet.

4.)    “Hang fall clothes, organizing by type.” By keeping flannel shirts separate from the big sweaters and jackets, you’ll be better able to see smaller items. It also lets you see all of the pieces you own, to keep you from buying things you don’t need!

Now that you have the knowledge you need, start getting your closets prepared for fall today!

Home is Where the Heart (and the Stuff) Is!

Summer represents different things for all of us. For some of us, it means spending hours sitting beside a pool or lying on a beach soaking in the sun. For others, it’s a time for summer camps, fun summer school classes, and taking family vacations.

For some of us, though, summer is a great time to move. The weather is great, and the temperature is warm, which makes this a favorable time to move. That being said, moving is often a task that people do not enjoy. Depending on how many items you own, packing can take forever, and trying to stay organized in your packing endeavors can be stressful. Then, on top all the packing, you have to make sure your old home is spotlessly clean.

All of this combines to create an emotional experience. It’s not easy to move all of your possessions from your old home that was filled with memories to a place that is brand new and feels more like a house than a home.

Fortunately, Michelle Sandlin recently wrote an article, “On the move: Be prepared for physical move when relocating, ” and she has some good ideas for making the moving process go as smoothly as possible.

Sandlin suggests scheduling a pre-move consultation with your moving company. Meeting them beforehand, as well as developing a strategy for moving your possessions, will make the process less stressful for you. Sandlin also suggests moving important items yourself, such as expensive jewelry, passports, social security cards, etc.

Another idea is to be as organized as possible. Consider taking inventory of each room in your house, and make a list of all the items that need to move to your new place. Then, if you come across items that you no longer want or need, make a list of items you’d like to donate. Place these items in a donation box, and fill out a donation pickup request form on our website. ClothingDonations.org will be more than happy to help you move by donating your items to someone who needs them!

Happy moving!

To Garage Sale or To Donate? That is The Question!

Spring is officially underway, friends! We’ve cracked open the windows, spring cleaned, and made a pile of clothes and other items we no longer need. Now, what should we do with them?

For most of us, the answer is simple: have a garage sale. Holding a garage sale seems like a natural step after spring cleaning. It’s a way for our belongings to find purpose and meaning with someone else who will use them, and it’s also a great way to make some quick cash.

While it’s validating to sell your things, it’s also great to donate your former treasures. Here are five reasons you should consider donating your clothes and possessions instead of selling them:

  1. It feels good. When donating to a cause we care about, we feel good. Instead of holding a garage sale, consider donating your gently used items? Even better—when you donate to ClothingDonations.org, you’re helping veterans. With last Saturday being Armed Forces Day, the timing could not be more perfect. Consider making a donation to us today!
  2. Planning a garage sale is stressful. Garage sales can take weeks of planning and preparation. We know how busy everyone is, so do yourself (and us!) a favor: donate your items. We make the process easy and painless, so there’s no need to stress out!
  3. Donations are tax-deductible. Donations made to ClothingDonations.org are tax-deductible—all the more reason to donate your gently used items!
  4. It declutters your home. Having a decluttered home should be enough incentive to donate your clothes. Imagine all of the extra space you’ll have. Sounds good, right? Donate today!
  5. It’s easy! Simply place your items in a donation box, and schedule a donation pickup with ClothingDonations.org. We’ll swing by and make sure your donated goods are given to loving homes.

Now that we’ve given you some pretty compelling reasons to donate your belongings instead of selling them, the question is this—when will you schedule your donation pickup?

3 Rules for Smart Shopping

1. Always take inventory of your closet before shopping and create a list of items that you absolutely need.

2. Resist the urge to buy things that aren’t on your list and focus only on the essentials.

3. As soon as you get home, make space for your new item by placing one piece of clothing you no longer wear in your donate bag and schedule a pick-up.

Following these tips will help you build a wardrobe full of clothes that you actually wear!

6 Tips to Help Busy Parents Stay Organized

1. Clear the clutter: Before implementing any new strategies, take time to remove the excess from your home. Sort through a drawer or two at night and create a place for everything. Use baskets to organize kids’ toys, games, etc., and while you’re organizing be sure to toss out the things that are damaged and donate the things that you no longer use, but that are still in good condition.

2. Create a cleaning chart: Since you may not be used to cleaning and organizing your home on a regular basis this chart will work well because it will give you some structure. If you can’t find enough time to clean during the week, consider moving some of the chores over to Saturday and/or Sunday. If your children are old enough to help, then by all means, delegate those tasks!

3. Make a weekly meal plan: Each week plan out what you will make for dinner and create a shopping list of the ingredients you need. Here’s an excellent template.

4. Tackle the kids’ rooms: Start by organizing their toys, these 5 tips will help.

5. Get the bathroom in order: First take inventory of your products and throw out medicines that have expired and anything you no longer use. Next, organize the items you plan to keep: get a caddy for bath products, use drawer dividers for items, such as make up, hair ties, brushes, etc., if you need extra space, this terry-cloth tidy is an excellent option and this magnetic strip is great for small items. Store your child’s bath toys in a mesh bag, or in a corner basket and put the toys away after each bath. Save space in the bathroom by donating the toys your child has outgrown.

6. Simplify things: Create go-bags for your home so that you’re always prepared when you leave the house. Fill the bags with snacks, coloring books, crayons, and whatever other goodies your little one likes to have while out and about.

Getting started will be the most difficult part, but once you have a plan in place it will be smooth sailing! Share your organization tips with us on Facebook and on Twitter at @clodonations.

Written By: Natalie Martin

Elliot’s Room by Amy Gizienski Licensed Under CC by 2.0