Monthly Archives: March 2017

Spring Cleaning for a Cause with Red Cross Clothing Pickup

Red cross clothing donations

Spring cleaning is a yearly ritual for many people. It is a perfect opportunity to evaluate what has worked in the previous year and what we want for the year to come. Starting with our clothing is a quick and easy way to really examine what makes us happy on a daily basis. Then we can make space in our lives for what we want and bless others with items they need. Red Cross clothing pickup services take the clothing donations to a central clothing donation center. This makes it easy to help others while also doing something valuable for yourself.

Rethink Your Winter Wardrobe with Red Cross Clothing Pickup

Spring is the perfect time to go through your winter wardrobe and set aside those items that simply didn?t make it into the rotation to be donated. This makes far more sense that packing them away to be not worn again next winter. Take this time to really evaluate your winter wardrobe and only keep those pieces which bring you joy and that you use on a regular basis.

Do this for every family member. It only takes one afternoon to reduce the amount of storage needed for winter clothing and the stress of having to care for items which are not loved. This is an especially valuable space saving strategy for parents. If children do not have younger siblings who may utilize the clothing next winter, simply donate all of their winter clothing they will have outgrown by the following season.

Spring Fashion Planning with Red Cross Clothing Pickup

If this is your first year of sorting and selecting clothes donations, you can also use this time to reflect on the coming season. As you bring out items for warmer weather try them on and see how well they fit, how they make you feel, and if they are still appropriate for your style and lifestyle. Any that don?t fit well, that you are reluctant to wear, or that are no longer truly reflective of where you are in your life can be added to the clothing donations.

People often purchase something that speaks to their emotional and stylistic taste in the moment. They love it and wear it for a season but when the season arrives the following year they find their preferences have changed. Feeling guilty they hold on to the items but it is better to give them to people who can love them in the moment and who will use and enjoy them.

The American National Red Cross is one of the top 20 U.S. charities when ranked by private donations. It is easy to arrange for clothes to be picked up with the Red Cross clothing pickup service. This allows you to make a tax-deductible donation for your used clothing donations, help others, and give yourself more space in your home all at the same time.

The Ripple Effect of Good When You Donate Goods to Charity

Red cross pickup

Have you ever thought about donating all that clutter you have collecting dust to one of your local Red Cross donation centers? Or maybe you’re thinking that you didn’t even know that Red Cross donation centers were a thing. When you say “Red Cross donation center,” most minds go straight to blood donation, or even cash donation. The truth is, the Red Cross wouldn’t be able to administer aid in areas of crisis without the donations of household goods and gently used clothing from people like you.


We don’t mean for this to come across as a giant commercial for Red Cross donation centers. Whether you make Red Cross clothing donations, or you make used clothing donations to any other organization that does good, the impact of your clothes donations has a ripple effect that does good in so many more ways than just the cause of the organization you give to. Let’s think it through:


The Ripple Effect of Good When You Donate Goods to Charity

  1. RIPPLE ONE: Yourself.

    If you are an American, you are among the most fortunate humans on the planet. We have every thing we need, and more. So much more. We have so many possessions that sometimes our brains feel out of control. This is particularly true when we have more things than our brains feel like they can manage. This triggers a sense of anxiety and makes it more difficult to function and succeed in life.


    When you go through your possessions and clear out the items that you don’t need any more, your clean and clear home gives you a sense of zen. It’s easier to think clearly. It’s easier to function and thrive. And that’s not all. Giving your unneeded goods to a charity that does good gives you warm fuzzies. Doing a good deed makes you feel better about yourself, which gives you energy.

  2. RIPPLE TWO: The planet Earth.

    You don’t have to be a mathematician to know that the planet cannot exist forever with the way humans treat it currently. We rob the Earth of its natural resources to create energy and to create the possessions that clutter our homes. Our factories that produce those items also spew air pollution, and physical pollution all over the planet in the process of making out items. Then, when we’re done using them, we cast them off into a landfill. A landfill is essentially a giant hole in the ground that we dump trash into. Once it’s full, we just move along and dig a new hole. At the rate we’re going, one day, our whole planet will be a bunch of trash holes.


    However, when we donate goods to charity, we’re helping the planet in several ways: Instead of adding to the 10 million pounds of clothing that end up in a landfill each year, we’re giving our unneeded items a second life. On top of that, the person who makes use of your unneeded item doesn’t have to go buy it new. That means all the energy that would have been spent manufacturing, shipping it, and retailing it are saved. That also means that since one item met the needs of two people, only one item will be discarded in the long-run, saving the trash hole half the space that it would have taken if you’d just thrown it in the trash.
  3. RIPPLE THREE: Your local economy.

    The organization you donate your goods to isn’t the only one who benefits financially from your donation. The organization you give to might use your clothing to actually put clothes on the back of someone in need. But more likely, they’ll sell your goods in a thrift store and use the cash to further their cause. In addition to benefiting the organization you give to, the people who shop at the thrift store your donations end up are able to find items they need at a fraction of the cost of what they’d pay buying it new, so they benefit from your donation. On top of that, now they have more money in their pocket, so they go spend it at other local businesses, so they benefit. Maybe you’re one of those local businesses, so you put money back in your own pocket!

Retirement Communities for Fun, Social, and Independent Living

Assisted lifestyle

We go through life with so many plans. Plans for the day, for the weekend, for vacation, for the future. Society has set up a system that most people buy into, in which we are meant to work for the majority of our lives, often at jobs we don’t like so that we can enjoy retirement further down the line. The problem is, that the point of retirement is so far down the line, that some people forget how to enjoy life before they get there. And because society also has unrealistic standards for beauty and youth, many people begin to fear retirement age and the years beyond it, rather than looking forward to it. It is time for a collective shift in perspective.

Changing the narrative on aging

Some people view retirement homes as places to avoid at all costs. The popular views on aging are so skewed and backwards that most people let fear and resentment grow to bitterness, defensiveness, and hostility when it comes to suggestions of joining a senior care community. The truth is, reaching old age should be a feat that is both revered and respected. Isn’t the whole point of life to experience as much of it as possible, in a manner that is as fulfilling as possible? Why then do the elderly get forgotten, to the point that old age becomes something to fear and loathe?

The average retirement age is 63 years old. Hopefully, if you have lived a healthy life, you will still have plenty of time to enjoy life. But the fact of the matter is, for just about everyone on the planet, 63 years is the majority of our lives. This doesn’t always leave a lot of room between the time that one retires and the point that age begins to take aspects of health, abilities, and faculties away. The best retirement communities, however, encourage a zeal for life no matter your age. Because life is beautiful, and should be enjoyed in every possible moment.

The beauty of retirement communities

Of course, not everyone is ready to check out retirement communities as soon as they retire. But when you do get to the point of considering different retirement living options, know that you are not limited to the stagnant, drab, nursing homes that get portrayed in far too many aspects of pop culture. Retirement communities that promote and encourage independent living are not rare. You finally don’t have to work, let yourself live it up! These types of communities often provide services that make life simpler for its residents, but that doesn’t mean that entering into such a community means forfeiting your independence. Quite the contrary, in fact. Communities that provide activities for like minded individuals as well as maintenance and everyday duty services would be a great place to take advantage of your newfound freedom from work!

The happiness of residents

It may take time to realize, but old age is not a bad thing. In fact one survey revealed that about 48% of retirees said that they were happier than they thought that they would be when they entered retirement. And though it may seem obvious, anyone can start planning for a happy retirement at any time. About 81% of those who have entered retirement said that being in good health is the number one factor for enjoyable retirement years. Another factor, perhaps not as obvious to some, is the level of activity that residents take part in. Those who report being the happiest are those who participate in at least three or four activities on a regular basis. Those who do not participate in any activities, do not socialize, or only take part in one or two activities are reportedly not as happy.

Life is beautiful. The longer you are here to experience it, the better. Do not let circumstances or the ridiculous and misguided standards of society dictate how life goes for you, at any point in time.