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!

New Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs

Is there any springtime family activity that’s more fun than decorating Easter eggs? Probably not — but you can expand upon the typical vinegar, water and food-coloring treatment to keep the kids entertained and your table stylish. Martha Stewart offers no less than 64 ideas to shake up your egg-decorating game. You can use chalk paints to make polka-dot eggs, for example, or decoupage them in gingham; you might even make them shine with an application of copper or gold foil. Whatever you choose, the project will help get the weekend off to a fun and crafty start.

Decorate for Easter With a Little DIY

Thrift, dollar and party-supply stores can all help you get your home in shape for a festive Easter brunch. But when you want to re-create a designer look on the cheap, there is often no substitute for DIY, says 3 Little Greenwoods blogger Ashley Greenwood. After seeing Pottery Barn market a moss-covered basket filled with glittery eggs as an expensive Easter accessory, she reproduced the look at home with a trip to the thrift store and some quick handiwork with a hot glue gun. And since many thrift stores are supplied by donations to ClothingDonations.org, you can get creative while contributing to a good cause.

Thrift Your Way to an Elegant Table

Decorate for an Easter brunch on the cheap by shopping at your local thrift and secondhand stores, many of which are supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. For inspiration, check out the holiday table Redhead Can Decorate blogger Julie Fiato was able to stage with a few fortunate thrift-store finds such as rose china, champagne flutes and pink plastic eggs. Donation pickups keep thrifts supplied with new items constantly, and when you buy and repurpose lightly used goods, the proceeds help fund veterans’ programs nationwide.

Easter Brunch on a Budget

Taking the family out for an Easter brunch can get costly, with restaurants competing to offer the most lavish seafood towers, made-to-order omelets and carvery plates. It’s simple to stage a family feast on a budget, however, if you shop wisely. Watch for deals on mainstays like ham and leg of lamb; crowd-pleasing sides such as deviled eggs, asparagus and scalloped potatoes are in-season and inexpensive to prepare. Check out sites such as the Food Network for seasonal ideas, and you’ll be able to create a spring banquet for a fraction of what you’d spend at the local buffet.