Leap Into Spring Cleaning

It’s difficult for busy people to find the time to tackle their many #organizing and #cleaning tasks, The Kitchn says. The good news? Every Leap Year offers a full extra day to #declutter, #organize and #clean the trouble spots in your home. Take advantage of that extra 24 hours to organize a kitchen cabinet, pantry or countertop; #purge and #donate the cookbooks you don’t use; or go on a full #decluttering “spree” with a #donation bag or box a the ready. It’s also a great time to wipe down and #sanitize things that escape routine cleaning, such as windows, ceiling fans, ovens, baseboards and picture frames. #SpringCleaning #LeapDay

Giving Up Clutter for Lent and Life

Lent is a Christian observance commemorating the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert before beginning his public ministry. Those who observe the period typically mark it with prayer, fasting and personal sacrifice.

A Lenten sacrifice is a spiritually motivated, voluntary renunciation of a pleasure or luxury. Common modern-day Lenten sacrifices include abstaining from meat-eating, chocolate, sweets and alcohol. Some people attempt to eschew “sinful” behaviors such as profanity.

Not every faith observes Lent, of course, but each of the major religions has a holiday observed through fasting and sacrifice. Regardless of faith or level of observance, the Organizing Blog suggests that there is something you can give up today for the betterment of everyone: #clutter.

#Decluttering can help you lead a more spiritual existence. When you don’t have to tend to all of the #stuff you’ve collected over the years, you’ll have more time and energy to focus on what really matters: health, family and well-being.

Establish a simple Lenten goal: “I’ll spend one hour per day #sorting through my stuff.” “I’ll #declutter one #closet per week.” “I’ll #clean and #organize my kitchen and bathrooms by Easter.” “I’ll fill X number of boxes and bags with stuff I no longer need or want.”

What would Jesus do? Granted, we live in different times, but he almost certainly would not let a bunch of clothing that doesn’t fit, disused household appliances and mass-market tchotchkes pile up and bog him down. He traveled light.

There’s another aspect of Lent and other seasonal observances demand: almsgiving. It’s charitable giving that puts the needs of others ahead of your own — sharing your time, money and material possessions with others, and especially those less fortunate.

ClothingDonations.org can help with this. Once you’ve #decluttered and gathered up the things you don’t want, contact us for a #free #donation #pickup. We’ll take those lightly used goods and resell them to #help the nation’s #veterans.

Once you see the results from your Lenten sacrifice, decluttering could become a lifelong habit. Have a safe and happy Lent!

Sports Fandom and Clothing Donations

This weekend, Super Bowl LVIII will kick off in Las Vegas, pitting the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs against the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. Whichever team takes the prize, it will almost certainly be a drag-out contest punctuated by multimillion-dollar ads, star-studded halftime entertainment and celebrity cameos.

Throughout the season, sports fans spend a lot of money to support their favorite teams — buying expensive tickets to live games; celebrating with tailgate parties, at home and in bars; and sporting their team’s colors religiously on game days and other occasions. Licensed fan apparel is a $40 billion business worldwide, and that’s not the only merch out there.

If you’re a sports fan, chances are that you have a cherished jersey with a favorite player’s number and name on the back — or maybe several. You may complement this with other wardrobe items such as a stocking cap, sweats and other items in the team colors, and you may have spent quite a bit to share your allegiance.

But like anything, even a premium jersey can outlive its usefulness. Perhaps you gained or lost weight since you bought that jersey or have a new favorite for game-day wear. Maybe it was a gift that wasn’t on the mark, or maybe you have one jersey too many. Or maybe you started following a different team altogether (!), making that particular piece of apparel a relic of the past.

ClothingDonations.org can help. If you have fan apparel that you’d like to get rid of but is still in usable condition, #donate it! Schedule a #free #donation #pickup, and one of our drivers will come get your disused fan gear and other household items at the designated time and date.

Conversely, if you need a good piece of fan gear for game day or general wear, the #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org often stock lots of logoed items from area teams at prices that are a fraction of what such items cost to buy new.

Whether you #donate fan gear, buy it used or both, the proceeds from #donations and resale fund valuable programs that support the nations #veterans. And that’s a team everyone can get behind.

Purge as You Pack for Vacation

As you pack for your #winter #getaway, take note of what doesn’t make it into the suitcase. You likely have lots of items in your wardrobe or #closet that simply won’t make the cut, even if they’re perfect for someone else’s beach #vacation or a night out. Set those items aside in boxes and bags, and contact ClothingDonations.org for a free #donation #pickup. If you have the time, go ahead and make it a complete closet #purge! That will give you a sense of accomplishment and ample license to reward yourself with some well-earned R&R. Bon voyage, wherever it is that you decide to go! #WinterGetaway

Clear Your Closets for Colder Weather

With the temperatures falling and the days getting shorter, you’ve probably started getting out a few cold-weather garments that you haven’t seen for several months. It’s a great time to #clean out your #closet and decide what you will and won’t be wearing this fall and winter.

Start by taking everything out of the closet, Cleaning Is Caring suggests. Wipe the walls, doors and baseboards, and dust the ceiling, shelves and light fixtures. Empty and clean any bins, too; finally, vacuum or mop the floor.

Now the #decluttering and #organizing can begin! Separate all of your #clothing into piles designated #keep, #donate or #trash. Be honest with yourself — if you haven’t been that size for years or the garment is just too shabby to wear again, get rid of it. It’s only taking up space.

You’ll have to say goodbye to summer, The Spruce says, washing or dry cleaning the warm-weather wear you decide to keep before storing it in a location other than your main closet. Vacuum-seal bags and plastic storage bins are ideal for this.

Now that you’ve thinned the herd, you can put the things you do plan to wear back in your closet in a more #organized fashion. Houzz suggests folding most casual knits and putting them on shelves, while hanging dresses, pants, button-down shirts and outerwear. Smaller items such as socks and jewelry can go in drawers, bins and organizers.

If you notice an item or two that you would like to add to your #fall #wardrobe, feel free to buy it! But take that heap of also-rans that didn’t make it back into your closet or storage, bag it up and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup.

You’ll be able to find the things you want to wear faster when you need them, reducing #stress, and keep your #closet consistently more #clean and #organized. Bonus? #Donating to ClothingDonations.org helps #veterans. So you’ll look good and feel good, too!