It goes without sating that being in the military is tough job that requires an extraordinary amount of commitment, dedication, hard work, and of course sacrifice. Not only are these qualities required of active duty military members, but of their spouses, children and family as well.
It’s common for military families to face unique challenges that, while many civilian families may be able to sympathize with, may find it difficult to truly relate to. For example, any active duty military members often miss holidays with their families, and many times they may even miss the birth of their own children due to frequent, long deployments. In addition, it’s common for military families to carry higher amounts of credit card debt.
Therefore, Uncle Sam wants you to give back in anyway that you can. Everyone has busy schedules nowadays, thanks to work, school, activities, and family time. However, even though you may have a hectic schedule, there are still plenty of ways to give back and show your support for military families.
It’s common for organizations that help military families to receive the majority of their charitable donations during the winter holiday season, however, charity donations can be made all year round. In fact, they’re needed all year round. Perhaps one of the simplest ways to give back when you’re short on time is by making clothing donations.
Donating gently used clothing is perhaps one of the most beneficial and fastest ways to give back to the military community. For example, many veterans face higher rates of unemployment than non-veterans. By donating gently used business casual clothing and professional attire to the military community, you’re helping veterans and spouses of active duty military personnel gain a competitive edge.
Last but not least, clothing donations help the environment — another cause which many Americans are passionate about — be reducing the amount of textile waste and pollution that ends up in landfills.
Month: April 2015
Furnishing a home may not seem like a big deal, but it can actually become more complicated than you might think. Whether you’re moving for the first time or looking to replace old and worn out items, you have a lot to consider even before you begin furniture shopping. The best way to go about furnishing a home, however, is go room by room: think about what each room of the house needs and make a list.
If you’re not sure about what you might need, add these items to a checklist before you hit up your local furniture stores:
Living Room and/or Family Room
The items that you’ll need for these rooms depend upon how much entertaining you’ll be doing. For instance, seating should be determined by the number of people living in your home, plus any frequent guests you may have over. The size of your space is also important: some rooms just can’t accommodate large items like sectional sofas or bulky entertainment centers. Couches, love seats, arm chairs, settees, coffee tables, end tables, accent chairs, TV stands or cabinets and entertainment centers are all common items for these rooms.
Dining Room and Kitchen
Whether you have a formal dining room or an eat-in kitchen, you’ll need a table that the whole family can sit around. As with the furniture in the other spaces of the house, make sure to measure tables to ensure that they will fit in a particular space. You can choose from a variety of styles in order to give the room a unique look. Just make sure to select quality materials like hardwoods, so that table withstand the test of time.
Bedrooms
How you decorate a bedroom depends a lot upon who is using it. Adult bedrooms benefit from being quiet, tranquil spaces. For a child’s room, find something that matches your kid’s personality. Also important is selecting the right mattress. Ask your interior design experts for mattress tips to determine what will help you and your family members get the best night’s sleep. Don’t forget to add dressers, desks, and bedside tables to your list, too.
Bathrooms
The bathroom may not sound like an ideal space to decorate, but it’s a simple part of the house to put some finishing touches on. You can get some good quality bath mats and towels for your guest bathroom. Small decorative items are also perfect for a bathroom. For instance, if you like the coastal or beach look, try using accents like seashells, starfish, light houses, or other nautical accessories.
Have more questions about furnishing a home? Seek some interior design advice at your local furniture store. You can also leave us a comment with questions or suggestions.
There are a variety of charitable organizations in the United States, and they all do fantastic work. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2013, for example, more than $240 billion was donated to charity by individual donors alone, accounting for nearly 72% of all charitable donations. Compare that to educational sector donations (16%) and corporate donations (5%). Though donations of all kinds are wonderful and selfless in themselves, it does say something about the state of American charitable giving in that the organizations that can afford to donate the most — the corporations — wind up donating the very least.
Regardless, the bountiful charitable giving from Americans truly goes a long way. Charitable clothing donations are no exception. Donating clothes is a simple yet extraordinarily helpful way of combating homelessness and poverty in the U.S. There are several organizations across the country that accept clothing donations. In fact, some go as far as to pick up donations from a front door or curbside! In this sense, donating to charity has never been more convenient!
Though donation pickups may not seem like a necessity, consider this. A recent survey has found that nearly half of people who make clothing donations prefer a donation pickup. Moreover, more than 50% of donors would not travel more than 10 minutes from home to make a drop-off. Without donation pickups, who knows how much clothing would end up in the hands of the homeless and less-fortunate?
There are a slew of reasons to donate to charity but no matter the reason, the result is always the same. Charitable clothing donations provide warmth and comfort to those who arguable need it the most. Especially during the winter, the homeless are in dire need of adequate clothing. Please consider donating your lightly used clothing today.
Feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom for more information.
Television remote controls are a common device in most modern homes. In the right hands, they are a tool for relaxation and family harmony, allowing users to easily control their entertainment systems to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the level of noise and more. However, in a startling trend, it appears that this device can also be a tool of injury and abuse when placed in the wrong hands. For example, a man in Northampton, England was recently sentenced to community service after attacking his mother with one of their TV remote controls.
According to the local media, Marcin Slonina moved into his mother’s house in Northampton last year after the demise of a long-term relationship. He lived in the home for four months, reportedly growing angry and aggressive as time passed. Finally, on December 23, the 29-year-old violently pulled his mother off of a kitchen chair and began beating her with one of their television remote controls in an unprovoked attack. The abuse later continued in her bedroom, after Slonina’s mother attempted to pack her bags and leave the residence; her son reportedly entered the room with a knife and pushed her onto the bed. After some time, the woman was able to escape and call a friend, who contacted local emergency services. Slonina was immediately taken to the local prison, where he remained until his trial. His mother escaped with heavy bruising.
In court on Tuesday, April 7, Slonina was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced to a 15 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a two year supervision order. During this time, he will be required to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and attend an offender behavior program. However, his mother requested that he not be given a restraining order. His lawyer also stated that his client was coming to terms with what he had done, and that the incident was largely a “suicidal gesture.”
Slonina’s case is just the latest in a string of domestic violence incidents in which attackers have used television remote controls. Fortunately, it seems that Slonina is willing to commit to his recovery, and his mother is willing to forgive him, although she might keep him away from their original remote controls. In light of this trend, it is important to note that a number of common household items, including all remotes, can be used for malicious or harmful purposes. However, it should be remembered that in most cases, programmable remote controls are a device that promotes harmony rather than strife. As this trend continues, make sure you are using your device as intended.
While you’re in the midst of your spring cleaning, why not carve out a little time to clean out your closet and determine what stays, what can be discarded, and what can be donated. You may just one of many Americans who discards nearly 68 pounds of clothing each year. However, did you that almost 99% of that could have been recycled or donated in some way? So why not get cleaning and help your community out at the same time!
It’s been said that three basic needs all humans need in order live are food, shelter, and of course clothing. After a particularly severe winter, organizations that accept clothing donations are in dire need of not only clothing donations but other charitable donations as well, such as non-perishable food items and household goods.
However, finding time to donate can be difficult. Luckily, there are several organizations that make donating and giving back easier than ever before thanks to donation pick up services. All you have to do is place your items outside your home or work and schedule a donation pick up time with your charity of choice. That’s it! Helping military families has never been more convenient thanks to organizations that accept clothing donations!
Aside from helping those in need, clothing donations are also beneficial to the environment because they help to keep fabric and textile waste out of over burdened and crowded landfills. In turn, this helps to reduce overall environmental pollution.
In addition to clothing donations, there are a number of other ways you can help military families in your area. Many organizations allow you to assemble custom gift or care packages that can be delivered to military spouses, active duty military, or veterans. You can choose to gift anonymously or include a personal note or message.
When you imagined lofts and apartments for rent, your mind is likely to conjure up images of chic, swanky, and maybe even bohemian style apartments in cities such as New York, San Francisco or Boston.
Sure, city loft apartments are cool, but you don’t have to live in a big city in order to rent a loft apartment. There are a number of lofts for rent in suburban and even rural areas. For example, many old factory and mill buildings in smaller communities are being renovated into beautiful apartment buildings will lofts.
There are many reasons that loft-living fun, exciting, and most of all convenient. Lofts for rent are surprisingly affordable, are often located close to public transportation and area businesses. Here are few other reasons why people choose to rent a loft.
Open spaces
Part of what makes a loft apartment a loft is the wide, open floor plan that allows one room to seamlessly flow into the other. In addition, many loft apartments for rent also feature high ceilings, further creating a sense of openness. This allows you to really exercise your creative muscle in terms of decorating. In order to create “rooms”, try using area rugs and furniture to section of and separate spaces, while still allowing them to flow into each other.
Charm
Loft apartments offer a rare kind of charm that can be difficult to find in other kinds of apartment buildings. This is usually due to the existing architecture, in addition to the sense of openness created by the open floor plan. Many loft apartments boast exposed brick walls, as well as exposed ceiling beams, both of which provide inspiration for decorating.
Amenities
Many loft buildings also boast shared amenities such as fitness centers, decks, patios, or roof top space which include areas for grilling or sitting around a fire. This creates a sense of community, and encourages neighbors to get to know each other.