As June comes to a close, I have been doing my spring cleaning. Yes I do realize that I am a few months late doing this, however, I will be moving at the end of next month so it seems like a perfect time to purge.
After cleaning out a mountain of clothes and other household items, I discovered that I have a lot of STUFF! I absolutely hate throwing anything out and due to the green movement there are finally ways to start getting rid of unwanted items without all the guilt of creating more waste.
Here are a few places to do just that:
Freecycle is a place to give away, trade, and request items that you are looking for. Think Craigslist but FREE. The idea here is that your trash may be someone else's treasure. Lots of goodies are listed on Freecycle everyday, and for those that live in a large city or metropolitan area, there are literally hundreds of listings a day. If you are looking to get rid of items, simply join the group in your area, then list what you have. You can chose to have others contact you by email or phone to set up an appointment to meet you. The best part is, you don't have to lug your unwanted stuff down stairs, to your car, and to a drop-off point. They come and PICK IT UP! That's right, you list, then watch someone else haul it away. For those looking for specific items, such as furniture, Freecycle is the perfect place to look. Just make sure you have the man power to haul your treasures away.
Book lovers beware! This site is addicting! List your old books for other members to browse. When someone requests your book, simply mail the book to receive credits. You do have to pay postage yourself (usually about $2.41 for an average sized book), but in return you get to request your own book for free from another member. If you're like me and purchase books often this can save you hundreds of dollars. I have received brand new books many times that would have cost $15-$20 in the store. Once you're done reading, re-list your book and send it to a new home!
I have TONS of papers...everywhere. I keep pages from magazines of things I like so I can be reminded later...thanks Martha! I also have all of my important documents like check stubs, income tax forms, bills, and insurance. To make more space in my home...and on my computer, I've scanned all my documents and magazine articles into my computer than stored them in Drop Box. With 2Gb of free space, I can store everything important and recycle all the paper lying around the house. Plus you can access Drop Box online, on your other computers, and phone.
Before I go, I just wanted to let everyone know this may be my very last post made on the LPD blog with blogger. Almost everything has been moved to the new site and I expect it to be ready by the end of next week! I'm very excited and can't wait to share what I've been working on with the rest of you. See you on the other side!
Audrey