Join a Global Cleanup Event on Sept. 20

Sept. 20, is World Cleanup Day, an opportunity for individuals and communities to reduce solid wastes and contribute to a #cleaner, #healthier and more beautiful planet. Earthday.org’s Great Global Cleanup® is helping stage trash pickup events in parks, waterways and beaches worldwide to help beautify the surroundings and protect wildlife habitats, cut pollution, and build a more sustainable future. Get involved by joining a cleanup event or organizing one of your own with the Great Global Cleanup Toolkit. You can make a difference in the health of the planet! #WorldCleanupDay # GreatGlobalCleanup

In Search of a Clutter-Free Summer

Memorial Day — the unofficial start of summer— has come and gone. If you’re anything like us at The Organizing Blog, you probably used the long weekend to plant some flowers, take a bike ride, visit with friends and/or have a cookout. Fine pursuits!

But do you know what can make one’s enjoyment of those pursuits (and most others) even better? #Organization! A #clutter-free environment knows no season — and it can provide you with the #clarity you need to truly live in the moment.

Think about it: A cluttered space demands attention. Maybe you waste a lot of time looking for things among the stacks of papers, piles of laundry and dusty gewgaws. Or maybe wrangling all that #stuff leaves you with little down time.

Summer is a great time to get those things under control. With good weather and a few hours each week, you can conquer that #clutter — and enjoy all of the seasons to come.

Start with the #garage. Has that #space attracted a lot of stuff that doesn’t have a home elsewhere ? Go through it and ask yourself why you hide #junk there and if you’ll ever really need those things again. Weed out what you don’t have a use for and set it aside.

Along the way, fine-tune your storage of the things that do have a purpose — even if that purpose is occasional, such as holiday decorations. Sort “like” items into labeled bins and boxes that you can find and access easily without a lot of hunting. Shelve or stack them thoughtfully, and you’ll be creating new space!

Next, do the same for the basement. Organizing your below-ground space likely will have the added benefit of helping you keep cool while you work. Set aside the things for which you don’t have a purpose or can’t find a place, and put them in boxes and bags.

See that growing pile of #junk? Slap some price tags on those things and have a quick #garage or #yard #sale. Or click though to ClothingDonations.org to arrange a #free #donation #pickup. You’ll be #helping the nation’s #veterans and be ready to enjoy the rest of the summer #clutter-free!

Earth Day 2024 Focuses on Reducing Plastic Pollution

Earth Day is almost here! The annual celebration of the planet and its ecosystems reminds consumers that it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect the environment and  secure a sustainable and healthy future.

The theme for Earth Day 2024 is Planet vs. Plastics. In order to protect human and planetary health, EarthDay.org is targeting a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040, with the ultimate goal of a plastic-free future.

When plastics break down, they release toxic chemicals into the ecosystem, contaminating the food, water and air consumed by humans and other living creatures. Plastics also demand vast amounts of resources to create, so anything you can to avoid their use is good for the earth.

Start by carrying a reusable bag for your purchases. The average plastic bag is used for less than 20 minutes, but can survive hundreds of years in landfills. And despite the best efforts, they have proved to be nearly impossible to recycle; only 1% are returned to stores.

If you eat meals on the go, carry a set of reusable flatware instead of accepting a plastic fork, knife, spoon or spork. Borrow a set from the kitchen or invest in a camp-style kit to contribute less to plastic pollution. Add a stainless steel straw for good measure!

Plastics are everywhere. “Fast fashion” — cheap garments that are designed to be disposable — are a leading source of pollution, too. Many are made of petroleum-based microfibers — plastics that pollute the waterways when washed. And most cheap garments end up in landfills after only a few months’ wear.

To dress more #sustainably, shop smarter: Buy fewer higher-quality #garments that will last several seasons or years rather than trendy throwaways. Scour #secondhand and #thrift stores for quality #clothing, and you can save money while protecting the earth.

And always #donate any lightly-used #clothing you no longer wear to ClothingDonations.org instead of throwing it away. Those garments can have a second useful life instead of clogging the local landfill. These and other small steps can contribute to conservation. Happy Earth Day!

George Washington, Presidential Pen Pal

Many of the “facts” people know about George Washington are actually myths. The cherry tree anecdote was fabricated by a creative biographer, he powdered his real hair rather than wearing a wig, and he never wore wooden teeth, instead relying on dentures made of ivory, brass, horse teeth and human teeth. But Washington established expectations for all U.S. presidents to come and was a prolific letter-writer, says Mental Floss, writing between 18,000 and and 22,000 letters during his lifetime. Those papers are now historic, but today, people can correspond with much less #waste and #clutter. #PresidentsDay