A Month of Saving Day 7

Today we are cleaning up and clearing out. Ryan and I are fortunate to have a 20'x12' storage room in our basement. While this is a blessing when it comes to putting things away, we also find it a catch-all when we are trying to clean up. This month, in the spirit of saving, we have been trying to clean up and clear out. While my storage room is fairly organized (we built approximately 120 running feet of shelf space that accommodates rubbermaid tubs. Each tub is numbered and the contents of each tub are recorded on a spreadsheet), we often place things in there that do not belong. We also use a portion of the room for storing items we just don't use anymore. Hence, the point of this post:

If you haven't used something in 6 months or haven't worn it for the season it is generally used for, get rid of it. Sell it, put it on ebay, Craig's list, have a garage sale, donate it to Goodwill, give it to a charity or friend who can use it. My sister and I have a garage sale twice per year. Recently, we have been getting rid of the baby clothes/gear that we just don't use anymore. It is a great way to make a little money and clear out some space. This year at the garage sale we had in April we started out with 21 tubs of baby stuff and sold everything except a couple tubs full. One rule we have with the garage sales is: What goes out does not come back in. If I didn't need it on Thursday when the garage sale started, I don't need it on Saturday when the sale is over. We typically donate any leftovers to Goodwill or some other charity. Recently, I even sold my first item on Ebay. I had a Dell PDA that I was told I would need for grad school. Let me tell you, it was probably the most wasted $300 ever spent on something I NEVER used. Confession: I did break the previously stated rule on this one, but my intention of bringing it back in after the garage sale was not to keep it, but sell it. 4 months later, I finally got around to listing it on Ebay. After 7 days and a 99 cent reserve as the initial listing which I thought was a tremendous mistake, I sold the PDA for over $90. Considering PDAs are pretty much going by the wayside with the emergence of the smartphone, iPod touch, iPad, etc., I felt the money I received was much better than allowing it to collect dust in the desk drawer and go completely obsolete. What do you have sitting around your house that you simply do not need or use anymore? Is there someone out there who could put it to use and you can be left with less clutter and perhaps even a little $$ in the bank?

By the way, I made 2 more loaves of bread after a somewhat disappointing first try and it is DELICIOUS! Ryan and I made paninis with it for lunch today! YUM! Persistence pays off!