Doritos for Valentine’s Day?

Pop rapper Jack Harlow starred in a Doritos ad unveiled during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast, revealing that he is in a “love triangle” with the savory tricornered snack and Missy Elliot. After evangelizing triangular themes on stage, Harlow is shocked to discover that superstar Elton John has taken Triangle Player of the Year at a Grammy-style awards show. Whatever your snack of choice, The #Organizing Blog wishes readers a Happy Valentine’s Day and reminds you that giving thoughtful, easily consumed gifts — chocolates, wine, coffee and yes, even tortilla chips — won’t create #clutter in your paramour’s home. #SuperBowlAds

Show Your Valentine You Care by Decluttering

You and your romantic partner probably have different #organizational styles and skills. And that’s OK — relationships demand compromise. But what can you do to meet in the middle this #Valentine’s Day?

Whether you consider yourself more the #hoarder or the #neat freak in the relationship, you must learn to respect their stuff, their attachments to it, and the ways in which they #sort and #organize it (or don’t).

“It’s rare that my clients have the same thought process, emotions and vision about the things that they own,” professional organizer Tanisha Lyons-Porter told The Washington Post magazine last year.

COVID-19 has only exacerbated these differences. The neat freak may have used their extra lockdown time to scrub down and organize every nook and cranny, while the #clutterer may have stockpiled canned goods and toilet paper.

Assuming that your differences are within the normal spectrum of neat vs. messy and not the indicator of a genuine psychiatric disorder, Valentine’s Day presents the perfect opportunity to join your partner in an effort to get more #organized.

Frustrated with your partner’s clutter? Have an honest discussion about the situation and dedicate a few hours of your time to help them get things sorted. If you are the #clutterer, ask for their help or make an attempt to rein in the #junk in an area you both use.

You can also hire a professional organizer to give you both a crash course in #decluttering — or if getting things #clean and #sanitized is the challenge, hire a maid service. Either service makes a great #Valentine’s Day gift that shows you care.

ClothingDonations.org is here to help! Once you declutter, we’ll pick up any lightly used items you decide not to keep with a free #donation pickup — and leave you to celebrate #Valentine’s Day in a more organized, clean home.

Valentine’s Romance Without the Clutter

Valentine’s Day inspires gift-giving of a specific kind: jewelry, apparel, greeting cards. These things don’t take up a lot of space on their own, but like anything else, they tend to accumulate even though you and yours may not use them every day. What’s a person, couple or family to do if they already have enough of that stuff laying around?

Get creative! Instead of giving your loved ones things that take up space, Organizing Maniacs says, give the gift of time. Take a hike, play a game, do a puzzle, clean the house or volunteer to wash and vacuum the car.

Make memories rather than more space for material goods. Plan a weekend getaway, take a virtual cooking class together, or schedule a spa day. Set a date night — whatever that might look like in the current pandemic climate.

If you want to get craftsy, you can buy or create a coupon book of actions or favors for your loved ones to cash in at their leisure, Meaningfully Organized says. Depending on your skill set, coupons can be exchanged for anything from a hug to a beach vacation.

There’s nothing wrong with food when it comes to giving, either — it rarely takes up space for long. But while that giant heart-shaped box of maple creams may be the perfect gift for a person who loves maple creams, your significant other may be more into coffee, craft beer, or crackers and cheese.

You can combine food with an experience by making a favorite meal at home together. And flowers may be appropriate, but we at the Organizing Blog think it’s better to give a living plant that rewards its recipient through the seasons than a run-of-the-mill bouquet that turns brown by week’s end.

A rule of thumb? The more thoughtful the gift, the more useful it will be — and the less likely it will one day be considered #clutter.

If you or yours need to #declutter, make that your Valentine’s Day goal, project or gift. Just be sure to contact ClothingDonations.org for a free #donation pickup before you and your loved ones tackle that drawer, closet or room. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Shop the Thrift for an Ecofriendly Valentine’s Day

Still stuck for a Valentine’s Day gift? Try the local thrift or secondhand store! Supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org, many thrift stores are full of gently used clothing, accessories, books and gifts that people will love at a fraction of the price of what they might cost new; they are also a great place to find cookware if you’re preparing a special feast. It’s an ecofriendly choice to reduce and and recycle gifts, and proceeds from the sale of donated goods help support veterans’ initiatives nationwide!

Sweets for the Sweet

Does your sweetest have a sweet tooth? Chocolate and other treats are a natural choice for Valentine’s Day gift-giving, and there are plenty of options that won’t break the bank. Chowhound suggests heart-shaped chocolates in rainbow colors, peppermint bark or a selection of raw artisanal honeys in addition to the classic “conversation” cookie, ultra-budget-friendly Reese’s hearts or chocolate-dipped strawberries. Best of all, when you give a gift that’s consumable, it can’t add to the #clutter of everyday life — the lucky recipient can indulge without worrying about where to put it.