(Radio Iowa) – Due to the pandemic, far more Iowans than usual are staying home for the holidays, which may be the perfect time to sift through crowded closets, drawers and shelves. Julie Braun, a professional home and office organizer, says Iowans should take stock of the clutter in their lives and make a plan for what to do with it. Braun says there’s one thing most of us have way too much of — clothes. “If you think about it, it’s just taking up wasted space,” Braun says, “and if you’re going to shrink or larger, it’s probably going to be out of style by then anyway.”

Taking on the whole garage or basement can be a daunting task, so Braun says to start small and organize each area, like a room or a closet, one at a time. She says a recent client of hers was delighted by the organizational process.  “She loved that feeling of everything is in its place,” Braun says. “I think it’s freeing for people. They don’t feel as bogged down by their stuff.”

Braun says most people keep paper items, like old bills and birthday cards, for way too long. As you sift through old clothes, she hints if you haven’t worn it in a year, donate it.

One person was injured during a collision Friday afternoon east of Harlan. The Iowa State Patrol reports 28-year-old Dyllan Hamlin, of Walnut, was transported by Medivac Ambulance to Myrtue Memorial Hospital, following a rear-end collision involving his 2008 Ford F-250 pickup and a semi.

Authorities say a 2013 Mack truck driven by 57-year old Howard Lansman, of Harlan, was eastbound on Highway 44, attempting to turn north onto Redbud Road at around 4:25-p.m. A pickup was westbound on 44, and preparing to turn north onto Redbud.

Due to the oncoming traffic, the semi stopped on the road, while waiting to turn safely. Hamlin’s pickup failed to stop, and rear-ended the semi. The Patrol says Hamlin was not wearing a seat belt, and suffered serious injuries.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of streetlights still need to be repaired in the Cedar Rapids area months after they were broken when a derecho tore through Iowa. The Gazette reports that Mayuri Farlinger, the director of operations for Alliant Energy in the region, did not have an estimate as to how long it’ll take to repair the lights. The utility prioritized restoring power to homes and businesses after the Aug. 10 derecho. Streetlight repairs began at the end of October and crews have been out in “full force” to repair them, he said. The company’s crews and contractors have fixed hundreds of streetlights. Alliant says it has 12 two-person crews dedicated for streetlight repairs in every quadrant of the city.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa reported that 37 people died of the coronavirus in the past day. The state Department of Public Health said Friday the additional deaths bring the total who have died of COVID-19 in Iowa to 2,349. In the past 24 hours as of Friday morning, there were 1,266 new confirmed cases. Iowa has long had some of the nation’s highest coronavirus infection rates, but in the past week its numbers have improved slightly. The state now has the nation’s fourth-highest number of new cases per capita in the last 14 days. In the last week, one in every 145 people in Iowa was diagnosed with COVID-19.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are looking for the vehicle that hit a man and fled the scene in Des Moines, Iowa. Emergency responders found the pedestrian with critical injuries when they arrived at the scene at about 9:12 p.m. Thursday. The Des Moines Police Department said in a news release that he was transported to a local hospital where he later died of those injuries. Witnesses described the vehicle as a dark- colored, SUV-style vehicle. Evidence indicates it will have front-end damage, including a broken headlamp.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Bellevue, Nebraska, man is jailed after a lengthy chased that crossed back and forth across the Iowa-Nebraska line. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the 34-year-old suspect is accused of a long list of crimes. The chase began shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday when Council Bluff, Iowa, officers stopped a Chevrolet Silverado, but the driver took off on Interstate 480 and drove into Nebraska, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. The truck later crossed back into Iowa, then back to Nebraska again. In Omaha, troopers pulled in front of the truck and the driver got out and tried to run but was caught.