Saturday 19 September 2020

Where Did It All Come From? Where Will It Go?

I said I would review my progress in Zero Waste Week [which ended last weekend]

My aim this year was to carefully consider what came into my house, and its eventual destination - and also to continue the Grand Declutter & Downsize, but to do it more mindfully.

I am aware that during lockdown, many of us have been having a clear out - you only have to see the queue of cars at the council tip, the people trying to deliver carrier bags of stuff to the CS, and the wheelie bins whose lids aren't properly closed when they are out on the path for the bin lorry...

But whilst I know I have Too Much Stuff, I really didn't want to divide it mindlessly between the bin lorry and the CS. So the winter coats have gone to a Bournemouth Charity who will pass them freely onto people in need [I expect they would have raised a few quid in a CS, but I'd rather they were of immediate help] Furthermore, I do not want to overload the CS with stuff they have to store but cannot sell. 

Some stuff is still usable, but maybe too bulky to go to a CS - and selling online is not always successful. Postal costs deter distant buyers, and local sites appear to be full of time wasters 

We had planned a Church Yard Sale, inviting members to come and have socially distanced tables in the Church Car Park. However the latest round of Lockdown Rules put paid to that. Unfortunately, I had already started assembling stuff behind the front door and in the hall, in preparation for this event.

Pictures, stationery items, china, bedlinen, ornaments, books,  a coffeemaker, surplus craft materials, glassware, more surplus craft materials, small items of furniture, even more surplus craft materials...

So I have decided that I will have my own Yard Sale in the front garden of The Manse. The posters state only 5 customers at a time, and please observe social distancing etc. And it will be going very cheaply. I shall even  have a freebies table at one end.

I am not expecting to raise a lot and I'll tithe the proceeds for church funds, as was my original plan. Let us I hope I can clear a lot of this stuff - then I will have to decide what to do with what remains...

I know that I do not want to continue to acquire stuff, and that many things which have been very useful in the past will no longer be needed in the days ahead...but I would rather let them go to someone who can make use of them than just put them in landfill. If something leaves my home, I would prefer it not to go to waste. Let's hope for a sunny day and lots of [distanced] punters

7 comments:

  1. Hope your yard sale goes well. Stay safe and keep well.

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  2. I drive by neighborhood yard sales in the morning and then later in the day and it seems that nothing has gone, so I hope your sale is better than that.

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    1. It has been ok. Full report to follow later ...

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  3. My sister had a yard sale from her front garden a few weeks ago. It was quite successful and at the end of the day, we put all the books which didn't sell into a container with a 'Free' sign attached and got rid of them that way. I won't mention the fact that she charged me a fiver for the couple of things which I wanted (for my d-i-l)!! Good luck with yours, Angela.

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    1. I've left some stuff with a Free sign, we will see if it goes

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  4. Hope it went well.
    I took a bag of things down to my building's laundry room this morning. There is a table where you can leave things for others to take for free so hope they prove useful to someone.
    It was my birthday a couple of days ago and a friend very thoughtfully gave me a few presents - but to tell you the truth - I'm feeling more stressed about where to put them! I wouldn't hurt her feelings for the world but I'm glad that other friends just decided on an outing with lunch on a patio!

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