Tag: donations pickup

Celebrate Boxing Week Now and Into 2023

Posted on by Jordank

Long celebrated in the British commonwealth on Dec. 26, Boxing Day is the day to present servants, tradespeople and the less fortunate with gifts or cash. The name derives from alms boxes collecting money for the poor, some believe, or to boxes of gifts or bonuses given to employees on the day after Christmas.

Americans often erroneously associate Boxing Day with boxing up and putting away all of the holiday decorations once gift-giving and celebrating are done. While acknowledging this complete misinterpretation, The Organizing Blog would like readers to follow up on it this week and into 2023.

The holidays are notorious for clutter. You may have hauled out box after box of decorations, themed tchotchkes, wrapping paper and greeting cards in preparation for the holiday. Add all of the new stuff that accumulates during the season while shopping and giving, and you can easily create crisis-level #clutter.

As the season winds down, take advantage of the opportunity to edit some of that #stuff. Get a plastic bin (or several), and systematically de-stage your space. #Organize everything upfront, sorting like items into bins by room or purpose, #decluttering expert Vicky Silverthorn told Good Housekeeping — whatever works best when it’s time to display the items again.

Think of your future self: When you open these bins again in 11 months, you’ll want to find everything neatly packed and organized; it will make finding and using them easier. Also store boxes and bins away properly to eliminate more stress from decorating and add to your #holiday cheer.

Do not, however, pack and store anything you don’t plan on using again. If something is broken or compromised, trash it. If something just doesn’t suit your taste, #donate it. Schedule a #free, #contactless #donation #pickup from ClothingDonations.org, and a driver will whisk those lightly used castoffs out of your sight on the appointed day.

Since your #donations help fund #veterans programs, you’ll be merging the two meanings or traditions of Boxing Day, however archaic and/or misconstrued — giving and storing. What better way to observe the event?

Have a safe, happy and #clutter-free New Year!

The Perfect Time of Year for Renovations

Posted on by Jordank

Every season has pros and cons when it comes to home projects: Spring is best for starting new landscaping projects, for example, while summer is good for a kitchen overhaul since you can grill while your new stove is installed.

These seasons are the busiest time of year, however, so your project may face shortages of labor and materials — or pay top-dollar to get what you want, when you want it. Fall and winter may be equally good for a renovation project, Renofi says..

Right now, you can still install new flooring or finish your basement and finish in time for the holidays. Temperatures are still warm enough for exterior painting, too, as well as many landscaping projects such as reseeding a lawn or planting bulbs and shrubs.

Should your roof need repairs, don’t hesitate. In areas with significant amounts of snow buildup in winter, a faulty or damaged roof may not last until spring. Roofing has the benefit of being a fairly quick project that won’t disrupt your home’s interior.

Interior painting is a good project to tackle in the fall, since the lower humidity will help paint dry faster. You’ll be spending more time inside those rooms soon enough; why not do so in a fresh and clean environment?

Larger projects such as a kitchen or bath overhaul may take more foresight, experts say. Plan at least a month or two in advance to get those renovations started, whether you decide to do them yourself or hire a contractor.

Winter has the added benefit of being contractors’ slowest season, so if you’re eyeballing a big job such as a new kitchen, bathroom or whole-house renovation, start planning and booking workers now. The only downside is that the weather may be messy.

Big renovations are likely to test your patience, considering ongoing supply-chain issues and labor shortages. Project timelines may be three to five times as long as they were in the past, U.S. News & World Report warns, and prices for materials and labor have gone up.

But there’s no time like the present to get started. Just remember to contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, #contactless #donation #pickup of any castoffs you discover as you prepare to freshen your space.

Streamline Your Wardrobe as the Seasons Change

Posted on by Jordank

Fall begins on Thursday, Sept. 22, and most areas of the country will soon enjoy cooler, crisper weather. As the seasons change, one’s wardrobe has to change, too; shorts and T-shirts won’t be of much use as temperatures tumble from summery 70s and 80s to the 60s, 50s and below.

Without getting into the weeds on what the Vogue fashionistas say is and isn’t in style this season, The Organizing Blog would like to remind readers that this transitional time is a perfect opportunity to #edit your #wardrobe.

As you reintegrate cold-weather garb into the daily routine, take a look at the #summer clothes you did and didn’t wear this year. Sort out the items you wore back into a closet or a storage bin, and trash or #donate the rest. You didn’t need them this year, and you won’t in 2023.

Summer-only clothing that makes the cut but should definitely be packed and stored for next year includes short-sleeve tops, open-toed shoes, beachwear, summer shorts, tropical prints, and linens and other lightweight garments, says The Closet Edit.

Wash or dryclean these items and store them in tucked-away baskets, plastic bins or a closet that’s distinct from your main or go-to closet. Then you can begin to integrate all of the fall and winter clothing you stored last year into active rotation.

As you make room in your closets for those fall garments, you’ll find items that didn’t get worn and shouldn’t have been stored last year. #Trash or #donate these garments unless you have a compelling reason to keep them. Perhaps you lost a few pounds and those old pants fit again?

There will also be #transitional #clothing items that you wear year-round and #accessorize according to the weather. Since they are subject to heavy use, check to see what’s going to continue to serve you through the winter, and what’s come to the end of its useful life.

As always, bag up any lightly used garments that you don’t need or want and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, #contactless #donation #pickup. We’ll take those items off your hands and resell them to fund valuable #veterans programs.

Here’s to a fashionable, #streamlined and #organized fall and winter!

Making a Major Move More Manageable

Posted on by Jordank

About 27 million people changed primary residences last year in the United States, according to Move.org, and one-fifth of those #moves were out-of-state. With the job market still competitive and real estate activity starting to slow, more people will likely be on the move this season.

A move is rarely easy, and supply chain dirsruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic made things more difficult. But you can make a major move more manageable if you make a timeline and spread the work out over a period of days, weeks or months.

If you hire a moving company to transport your #stuff (as 80% of people do) there’s a financial incentive to #packing as little as possible. That’s why the first step in any move is to #declutter and #organize your possessions. “If you don’t love it, need it, [or] use it regularly, or if it’s broken, get rid of it!” says Living Well Spending Less. “There’s nothing worse than unpacking boxes of stuff later on only to realize you don’t really need any of it.”

Edit your stuff well ahead of time to give yourself time to sell some of it, or #purge as you #pack. Either way, you’ll have less to transport and integrate into your new home when the move is complete. Assuming you find lightly used items things that you won’t need in the new home, contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, contactless #donation #pickup — or schedule multiple #pickups during your pre-move #packing period and another in your new location.

Moving long-distance is particularly challenging. While couple of friends with a UHaul may be able to handle small moves, that may not be sufficient for families with houses full of stuff. Architectural Digest offers a guide to the moving companies adept at facilitating relocation across the country or another part of the world.

Near or far, a major move is a great opportunity to reinvent your lifestyle and revisit the things you truly value, use and need. It may not be easy, simple or cheap, but you can start fresh in a new place — without the #clutter that weighed you down in the last one. #MovingTips

Find Some Green Garb for St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on by Jordank

Planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and short on green gear? Make tracks to a local thrift store that’s supplied by your generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. There, you’ll find all manner of Kelly-green garb, and if you shop early, seasonal decorations that suggest Irishness such as artificial shamrock garlands. Any day is a good day to #donate, of course; lightly used clothing, small appliances and other household goods of all colors and sizes are welcomed throughout the year as part of a free #donation #pickup. #Donations are tax-deductible, too, so schedule yours today! #StPatricksDay