Yard Sales

Yes, I am going to blog about a work topic of sorts on my personal blog! Call me crazy, but it is something that I personally have coming up next week and I also know that you might benefit from a little information in the subject. Here is a blog press release of sorts about “Yard Sales”. Continue reading for helpful tips and pointers. I hope that you will join me in de-cluttering your life and ridding yourself of unnecessary items around your household! If you need to contact me about “yard sales” or any work or personal topic my information is below also. 

Do you have a pile of clothes in your closet that no longer fit? Maybe you have an entire wardrobe of clothes like me that are taking up valuable space! Losing 50 pounds has caused my extra closet to become stuffed with clothes I can no longer wear. Or maybe some books piled in the corner that you have already read. Well a yard sale gives you the opportunity to make a little extra cash, and keep these items out of our landfills. And if you are like me it also gives you spending money for a new wardrobe that is much needed!

On average Americans produce almost 3 pounds of waste per person per day. Second-hand items are a great way to reserve space in our landfill for items that cannot be reused, recycled or composted.  Remember the old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”  This Savage Girl now loves shopping at yard sales, consignment stores, and thrift stores. You can get awesome deals! Any items leftover after your yard sale can be taken to a local charity like the Village Shop we have here in Monroe County, or places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army located in nearby towns. Make sure to get a receipt for the items you donated to receive a tax deduction.

Yard sales are also a great place to find bargains. By purchasing second-hand items, you’re not only saving money but also conserving natural resources that would have been used to produce that item if it were new.  Take a pair of jeans for example; to make one new pair it takes approximately 2,900 gallons of water.

Next weekend, September 6 & 7, I will be having a yard sale personally to rid my house of unwanted clothes and clutter.  So if you need a bargain come and see me! Or maybe this blog post will motivate you to have your own yard sale to give me a little yard sale competition!

When shopping at yard sales there are a few pointers you should consider.

1.  Although extremely unlikely, bed bugs could potentially hitch a ride into your home on your yard sale purchase.
2. Wash and dry all clothing purchased at a yard sale as soon as you bring the items into your home.
3. For items such as couches be cautious and inspect the item carefully before purchasing, especially near seams. 
4. Do not purchase a used mattress. For more information on bed bugs contact me at work at the Monroe County  Extension office.

Whether you’re looking to make a few extra bucks this summer like me (because I need an entire "new to me" fall and winter wardrobe) or if you are in search of a bargain, a yard sale may be your answer!

Sources:  National Geographic. Earth’s Freshwater: A Guide for Teaching Freshwater in Grades 3 to 8. n.d. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://education.nationalgeographic.com/media/file/freshwater_chapter7_v2.pdf.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. December 2011. Accessed on May 10, 2013 at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw_2010_rev_factsheet.pdf

 Ashley Osborne, Extension Associate for Environmental and Natural Resource Issues, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture

Home Organizing 4 the Busy Girl

I like to keep my house looking good, but sometimes it can be a challenge with my busy life. Sometimes I like to set the kitchen timer the first 15 minutes whenever I get home as motivation to “pick-up” around the house so that it doesn’t become overwhelming. I am a single lady so whatever mess I make I am usually the only one who sees it unless someone visits, but these fast 15 minute pickups usually do the trick. I like things within my house to have a location or “home” that is sensible and somewhat organized so that it saves me time and energy later whenever I need to find something.

Don’t get me wrong I have a few junk drawers, clutter collecting baskets, and cabinets that stuff somehow magically appears. I am not perfect! I put things in these areas and tell myself that I will deal with it later when I have more time. So occasionally I have to deal with it and face the reality of the “stuff” every now and again. I like to revisit these problem clutter collecting areas within my house occasionally because stuff seems to pileup overnight and no one else will put it up except me. Usually every season I will give everything a good once over to declutter and reorganize things. I do this in hopes to make my life more efficient when I do day-to-day activities. Plus this declutter session allows me to get a chance to take inventory of what I have on hand and it lets me wipe off places that sometimes don’t get touched during a quick clean-up around the house.  

When things are decluttered and organized I find myself happier and more efficient because I can find exactly what I need in a short period of time. Like I mentioned in a previous post I have been trying to lose weight, so whenever clothes get too big I immediately place them into a sell or give away pile in another part of the house so that I can make room for new purchases within my closet otherwise I try to get rid of one clothing article whenever I purchase a new item. I need to practice this in other areas of my house!  This weekend was one of those weekends that I tackled a few areas within my house since I had a little extra time on my hands. I took a good look into my laundry room closet, my bathroom, and my kitchen pantry and cabinets.

Whenever I am doing my seasonal declutter sessions I keep in mind and ask myself the following questions about whether or not I should…

Keep It
Toss It
Donate It
Sell It

Moving stuff gives me a sense of accomplishment, so if I come across something that has memories involved usually I set it back in a special place and save it for later to go through. I try to move swiftly and keep a steady pace so that I don’t get bogged down. I’m excited that this past weekend I knocked out a few spaces, next on the agenda is the catch all room in my house…the craft room / home office. Wish me luck…because it needs attention!