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Now is a Great Time to Have a Garage Sale if You Have Certain Items

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It may feel like it’s near the end of the Garage Sale season but now just might be a great time to have a sale.  With all the back to school shopping going on many parents are looking to stretch the budget and will buy some items at a garage sale (see below).

If you live near a university or college those students will be looking for used furniture and other household items to fill their dorm rooms or apartments.

It takes time to put together a big garage sale but if you have a fair amount of the items listed below you might want to consider having a quick garage sale in the next couple of weeks. That way you could take advantage of the back to school rush and clear out some of the clutter from your home. Plus you’ll be able to make a little extra money to help with your own back to school budget, if you have one.

Most schools do not reimburse school teachers for all the supplies, books, and other educational materials they have in their individual classrooms.  I know that at some of my past garage sales I have had teachers, especially new ones, looking for items (books, educational games, etc.) to build up their classroom resources for their students.

So check out the list of items below and if you have a fair amount of them you no longer use, consider planning a garage sale as soon as possible.

Children’s Items

  • children clothes – all sizes, but especially grade school
  • school supplies – new or slightly used
    1. backpacks
    2. lunch boxes/bags
    3. crayons, markers, pencils, pens
    4. 3-ring binders, pocket folders, notebook paper, erasers
    5. children’s books – good for building child’s home library and teachers like to purchase for their classrooms.
    6. calculators, rulers, staplers, etc.
  • educational learning toys and games

Household Items

  • small scale furniture – for small apartments or dorm rooms
  • kitchen supplies – for apartments and dorm rooms
    1. microwaves – usually small ones
    2. toaster ovens and hot plates (some dorms don’t allow these)
    3. dishes, silverware, pots, pans, mixing bowls, etc.
  • linens such as towels, sheets, comforters, etc.

Advertise the Sale

There are a lot of online sites to advertise your sale for free. Google your city and garage sales to help you find some local sites. You can also put an ad in your local paper.  You might be able to post a note about the sale in your local grocery store if they have a bulletin board for sale items.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Back to School Tips

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Everywhere you look there are “Back to School” products being advertised. It just seems like yesterday that the kids were running down the street to catch the bus.

The first day and even the first few weeks of school can be total chaos if you don’t plan ahead.  Below are a few tips to help you get organize now plus take advantage of those “Back to School” sales.

 

Clothes Shoppingschool boy in jeans

Although my boys are grown now, I remember those crazy days with getting ready for the first day of school. It always seemed like they grew an inch or two over the summer. That made shopping for school clothes a challenge especially in the early years. Because I knew it would stay warm enough for them to wear shorts until at least mid-September I didn’t go out a buy too many winter clothes (pants or long sleeve tops) yet. Some years they grew out of their jeans every few months! I wrote about it in this blog post.

 

School Supplies

Notebooks, Eraser and Pencil
Notebooks, Eraser and Pencil

Now is the time to take advantage of the sales on school supplies. Just remember to only stock up on basic supplies you know the kids will need. It’s also a good idea to keep these basics in neutral colors so they won’t become an outdated design before the school year is over. Go ahead a buy a few things with this year’s popular character on it.  Just limit the amount and if money is tight stick with pocket folders and other lower cost items. The more expensive items like 3-ring notebooks and backpacks, if bought in basic colors, can usually be reused for a couple of years.

 

School Papers

If you didn’t go through all the old papers from last year yet take time now to do it. It will be a good feeling to have those decluttered and organized before all the new school papers start entering your home at high speed.  It will help your children start off the new year more organized without last year’s clutter laying around.  The article “Decluttering Children’s School Papers” gives you step by step instructions to help you.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Ideas For A Fun July

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We’re in the heart of summer and there are so many ways to enjoy it. Below are some of the special events that are celebrated during the month of July.  First the month starts out with a bang on The 4th of July.  Then there’s National Hot Dog Month, National Ice Cream Month, National Watermelon Month, and even National Baked Bean Month. You would think that all we do is eat during this month!

Well, below are links with information and recipes to celebrate these events. If you have children or grandchildren pick a date and plan on a festival to enjoy their favorite foods.  Get them involved in picking out the recipes and then making them.  It will be a fun time for all! 

 

Fourth of July:

If you are planning to set off fireworks here is some information you’ll want to read first.  Every year around the 4th of July the emergency rooms are filled with burn injuries. Learn how to prevent them before you set off those fireworks.

http://www.fireworksafety.com/

 

National Hot Dog Month:

All those summer BBQ’s seem to include the little (or not so little) red dog, grilled to perfection.  But there are lots of other ways to cook those hot dogs.  If your up to experimenting with recipes here are a couple of links to get you started.

http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/national_hot_dog_month.htm

 

National Ice Cream Month:

 

Is it any surprise that National Ice Cream Month would be in the middle of summer?  The 3rd Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day but pick any day to celebrate with your family.  Make homemade ice cream with or without an ice cream maker.  The links below have recipes and instructions on how to do it.  Oh, the simple pleasures of life don’t have to cost much.  Just a little planning ahead can make a memorable sweet experience.

http://www.ice-cream-recipes.com/ice_cream_month.htm

http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/ice-cream-desserts-00417000074424/

 

National Watermelon Month:

What would summer be without a cold juicy watermelon to bite into?  July is also National Watermelon Month.  Now is the time to buy those big red fruits and experiment with different ways of eating them.  Find a couple of recipes from the link below that look good. On a day when it’s too hot for the children to play outside just pull out a recipe for all of you to make together.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/watermelon/index.html

 

National Baked Bean Month:

                                                                                                                                                                       Beans go great with those hot dogs and hamburgers.  Check out some of the links below for recipes to make them special.

 

 

http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/publish/article_355.shtml

http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotbeans/r/bl15c11.htm

 

July can be a long boring month if you have children at home with nothing to do.  It’s not too late to make this a fun and active summer.  Check it this post for lots of ideas. “Vacation In Your Own Home Town”

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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July 4th Foods–Yum!

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Many holidays are celebrated with a meal or two that have lots of special foods. Looking forward to eating those foods is part of what makes the holiday fun.

The Fourth of July is no different.  All the summer vegetables and fruits are at their best.  Their cool refreshing taste in the heat of the summer help balance out all those heavy hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, and baked beans that are a part of the meal.

If your not sure what to cook or want some new ideas I’ve listed below plenty of links with mouth watering recipes.  Don’t forget the decorations to complete the festive celebration.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/4th-of-july/package/index.html

http://www.watermelon.org/Recipes/Default.aspx

http://recipes.familyeducation.com/slideshow/recipes/51053.html

http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/4th-of-july-recipes/

http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/holidays-occasions/4th-july-recipes-00412000071753/page24.html

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/july-4th/recipes/

 

Happy eating!

Janice

Website:  https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Facebook Page:  http://facebook.com/CutClutterWithScissors

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Are Your Children Already Bored With Summer?

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Today is the official first day of summer.  However, for most families summer started around Memorial Day or shortly after.  If your children aren’t going to camp or summer school most likely they are already looking for things to do.

Below are some ideas to help you get organized and come up with ways to keep your children busy.  These ideas are great ways to keep them from spending hours and hours in front of the TV or computer.  That may keep them out of your hair but it isn’t healthy for them.  Check out these links now and have a plan in place before you hear those dreaded words, (if you haven’t already) “Mom, we’re bored.  What can we do?”

Organize Your Summer

These sites are filled with ideas to help you organize your schedules.

http://www.bhg.com/videos/m/32064133/organize-your-summer.htm

http://www.bhg.com/health-family/parenting-skills/family-relationships/family-tips-for-a-successful-summer/

Summer Game Ideas

Here are some ideas for backyard games. Create a simple notebook with the instructions so it’s easy to help your children get started playing.

http://www.bhg.com/health-family/activities/games/backyard-games/#page=1

http://familyfun.go.com/summer/summer-games/1/

Vacation in Your Own Home Town

Last year I wrote a blog post after the 4th of July filled with ideas and links to websites about vacationing close to home. This year I’m giving you the link to that post now so you can plan ahead and take advantage of some great things to do before, during, and after the holiday. There are also some links for ideas for the 4th of July.

http://organizebythemonth.com/vacation-in-your-own-hometown/

http://fun.familyeducation.com/fourth-of-july/holidays/32874.html

http://holidays.kaboose.com/july-4/

 

It’s not to late to set up a Summer Planner filled with ideas to make this summer an organized and fun one.

Janice

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