Yard Saling 101: There is No Magic Formula to Finding Bargains on Saturday Morning

Slowly but surely, people in our area are starting to have garage sales! I love this time of year, and by the end of April/first part of May, "Bargain Season" (Yes, I refer to it as a season of its own!) will be in full swing.

I oftentimes have people ask me if they can join me in my Saturday morning search for treasures - as if I have a secret formula for finding great stuff. I promise you, there are no hidden tricks! I assure you, bargain hunting with me is not a good luck charm. Today, I am going to share with you what you need to do to find great stuff out-and-about on Saturday mornings.

Tip #1: You have to get out of bed and GO! Yes, it is really that easy! You have to get up early, make yourself a cup of a coffee, and get.out.there! The early bird catches the worm, and if you are not willing to get up and go, you are not going to find the best stuff. Period.

Tip #2: Plan ahead. Throughout the week, I watch my local paper(s), and the night before, I check Craig's List. I used to live in an area where it was best to check the on-line newspaper/ad bulletin and local Facebook Yard Sale groups. I have tried a couple of Yard Sale apps, and I've not really been all that impressed. Find where people in your area are listing their yard sale info and watch for postings!
(Note: I used to live in a region where alot of folks had yard sales on Fridays! See if that's the case where you are located - Friday mornings can be a great time to shop.)

Tip #3: Go as much as possible. There are some Saturday mornings when I choose to stay home (for various reasons); There are some Saturday mornings when I'm out of town; However, most weeks, I go. Sometimes, I find ALOT of stuff, and other times, I find just a few things.

Tip #4: If you don't enjoy it, that's okay - don't do it. I do it because I find it fun! I do it because - $$for next to nothing$$ - I am able to provide clothes, toys, books, homeschooling supplies, home décor, etc. for my family. I do it because I am able to gather items for my local Pregnancy Center and other great charitable groups. I do it because I like to find items to refurbish and/or resell for a profit - My profit allows me to pay for the items I keep for my home and family. What a rush! I love it! If you don't enjoy it, stay in bed, and spend your Saturday doing something you love.

*When bargain shopping, only buy things you need or will use immediately!

Only buy items that have a specific purpose in mind...items that will quickly have a new home.

Do not veer away from this or you will - in no time - go from bargain hunter to hoarder.

There is a fine line...beware! *smile*

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read Yard Saling 101:

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A Prayer for Our Sons

 As a mother of two boys, these specific "Prayers for Your Son" spoke to me!

They can most definitely be prayed over daughters as well.

A Prayer for Our Sons

Five Scriptural Prayers for Your Son
by Brooke McGlothlin
(Proverbs 31 Ministries)

The best way we can enter the battle for our sons is on our knees, so let's start fighting for them right now. Here are five powerful prayers you can use today to fight for the heart of your son:

1. Create in my son a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within him (Psalm 51:10).

2. May my son walk after You, God, and fear You and keep Your commandments and obey Your voice. May he serve You and hold fast to You (Deuteronomy 13:4).

3. May my son be strong and courageous and not fear or be in dread, for it is You, Lord, our God, who goes with him. You will never leave him or forsake him (Deuteronomy 31:6).

4. May my son walk before You, God, as King David walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that You have commanded him, and keeping Your statutes and rules (1 Kings 9:4).

5. Like Timothy, may my son be an example to believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

God, write your Word on the hearts of my little ones. 
May they long to know You and love others~

As a busy mom, it can be difficult to make time for God's Word, 

but here are some tips that might help you in your journey!

How to Host a Clothing Swap

Each Thursday, I attend a local Bible study - hosted by a church here in our area.
From time to time, they will announce upcoming events and invite all of us to attend.
They recently hosted a women's clothes-swapping event called "My Sister's Closet".

Featured Items: Gap, Old Navy, Target

For days leading up to the event, donations of clothing, shoes, jewelry, other accessories, etc. were accepted. For those interested in attending the event, a sign-up sheet was made available. Attendees chose an hour-long time slot in which to shop, and arrived at their chosen time ready to go!

Each woman in attendance was allowed to choose a certain number of items for free! 

What a fun Girl's Night Out!

When I arrived, I was told that I could choose 15 clothing items, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 pieces of jewelry, 1 purse, and 1 other accessory. What a ministry to those in attendance who may have been in need. What a ministry to gals who just wanted to come and have fun! 

What is more fun than shopping for free?!

I have been working hard to clean out closets, simplify, scale down, etc. So, I did not take full advantage of what I was allowed to snag, but I did find a few things that I was really excited about taking home.

I especially loved the jewelry items that I found:

I love the casual earrings - I have already worn them 100 times.
And the bracelet? Well, it speaks to the prissy, girly side of me.

I have seen some great ideas for doing this on a smaller scale...in your home...with some friends, and I have also read about gal pals getting together and doing a similar concept with a book exchange!

If you are looking for a fun and fresh way to encourage the women around you, consider hosting an event like this! It really is a lot of fun~

Creative Uses for Silicone Molds

I am in love with silicone molds - all colors, shapes, and sizes!

The options are endless - you can use these little guys to make chocolate candies, Jello jigglers, Playdoh shapes, creative ice cubes, crayons 

(Yes, crayons - Check out this pin and this this pin), and more!

I love these number/letter molds I found in this year's spring section at Hobby Lobby.

Check out what we did with this mold that I found in Target's dollar spot...

 ...an easy science experiment to do with little ones.

Water + tiny drops of food coloring = beautiful ice cubes!

 

The water was clear until my little guy dropped his ice cubes down in the glasses.

Using this mold, we made [red] heart ice cubes (*Cue food coloring again.*) and red Jello jigglers.

This was a fun addition to our family Valentine's Day party.
I found this mold (in a brand new set of three) while browsing a garage sale.

As a former elementary classroom teacher, I am big-time against children ingesting dyes. Sooooo....these were used as [touch] sensory activities for my little guy.

Around our house, we use molds for sorting/classifying

as well as for laying a foundation for addition/subtraction, etc.

I will also sometimes use molds for serving snacks.

On Valentine's Day, my oldest ate his morning snack from one of my heart molds - one raisin in each heart-shaped section.
Sorting them, removing them, sorting them again, and then finally eating them kept him occupied for quit awhile. Needless to say, I served his afternoon snack [Cheerios] to him the same way.

Moral of the Story: Watch for molds wherever you go! They are an inexpensive way to get creative.

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Screen-Free Times in Our House

I have a very close relationship with my smart phone~ There are numerous reasons why it is so incredibly helpful to me! It is not just my phone. It is my cookbook...It is my camera...It is my #1 tool for shopping/selling...It is my personal assistant. It houses my to-do list, my calendar, my grocery list, my reading/listening material, etc. However, there are certain times of day - in our house - that are completely screen-free, and today I want to share a little bit about what that looks like for our family.

Meal Times

Whether at home or out to eat, our eating table is screen-free. There are occasions when I will snap a picture of an especially delicious-looking meal, but other than that, our phones are silenced and put away, and we focus on talking...out loud...to each other.

When Hosting Guests

When we host guests - whether it is simply for a meal or for a weekend - our phones are silenced and placed out of reach. During this time, our oldest does not have access to his tablet. We want him to learn to interact with visitors, so we use this time for training him in this area. A couple of his grandparents recently visited with us - for the entire week, he did not play with his tablet...he did not watch cartoons...he spent time with his grandparents. He does not get to see them often, so I want him to spend time with them!

When Hubby Arrives Home

When hubby arrives home from work, I try to greet him without a phone in my hand. I can not promise him that I will not be crying the kids will not be crying, but I typically try to have dinner either in the oven or the crockpot...music playing rather than the television blaring...a candle burning rather than dinner burning...you get the idea.

During Our Kids' Bathtime/Bedtime Routine

Bathtime/bedtime is one of our favorite times of day! This is 110% family time - It can be wild and crazy, but it is usually a lot of fun. We play - We laugh - We read - We sing - We say prayers - We give loads of hugs and kisses.

On the Weekends

Our oldest has never grown accustomed to watching television. Other than watching bits and pieces of a few different shows here and there, tv is not a regular part of his routine. He does, however, enjoy [educational] screen time on his tablet, but on the weekends, we put his screen away and focus on being together.

Short Car Trips

When taking a long road trip, we pack Caleb's tablet. We usually plan to travel during times when he will sleep, but the tablet can be a nice backup plan for when that backfires. However, when traveling around town, his techie toys do not come along for the ride. Yes, there was a time when I judged the mom in IKEA who was letting her child watch a movie on his tablet - while she shopped. If I saw that mom again, I would hug her and tell her, "You're doing a great job! What other tips do you have for surviving the nightmare of taking children to IKEA?" Desperate times call for desperate measures. I get it, but typically, if we are not far from home, we are screen-free.

During Family Activities

Especially on the weekends, we love to take family walks, play outside, go to the park, try new restaurants, etc. and - except for using my phone to snap photos - these times together are screen-free. You've seen the families out to eat...you know the ones I'm talking about...where everyone in the family is playing on their phone. It makes me very, very sad to see that.

90% of the time, the volume on my phone is turned completely off - This oftentimes means I do not see calls, texts, e-mails, etc. as soon as they come through to my phone; but this allows me to check them and respond at times when I am able to reply. I do not want the constant noise. I do not want my family-time interrupted. In our house, we are protective of our time together. We make no apologies for this. We are intentional about making weekends [especially] about investing in each other.

As our children grow older, I realize that our approach to this issue will require some adjustment. I understand that their interests will develop and change, and that will require reevaluation and flexibility on our part; but I always want their priorities to involve faith, family, friends, activity...not screens. I want them to feel the freedom that comes with being "unplugged". I want them to live lives that involve doing not watching. I want them to know that joy that comes with spending their time investing not wasting.

While I realize that each home...each family dynamic...each child's personality is different, I want to challenge you (if you haven't already) to establish some screen-free times/screen-free zones in your house. While everyone in your house may attempt to revolt and possibly suffer from withdraws [literally!], I promise you will be glad you established boundaries in this area - what a difference it can make.

If you appreciated this post, you may also like to read

To the Parents Who Let Their Children Play on Their iPad During Church

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Keeping Your Family Healthy: A Few Things We Do to Avoid Germs & Sickness

Sure, throughout the course of a kid's life, they are going to experience 198,674 rounds with the yuckies; In fact, it is good for them to be exposed to germs - Their immune systems benefit from being able to fight off crud every once in awhile, but here are a few things we do around here to keep our family as healthy as possible.

We wash hands! We always have wipes, hand sanitizer, etc. nearby, but we believe hand-washing is best.

Our kids eat REAL food - loads of raw fruits, veggies, and protein - no junk. We stay away from processed sugars, dyes, and processed nastiness. Treats are a rare exception...not the rule.

We make sure everyone is getting their daily dose of Vitamin D - whether it be in quality milk or in the natural drops I use with my babies (during their first year when they are nursing).

When it is clear that one [or both] of our kiddos have a compromised immune system, we stay home. We rest. We increase fluids. We ingest extra C-foods (Vitamin C). Yes, this requires flexibility in my schedule - Sometimes I am unable to attend our weekly events - but that's okay. I think that rest/adequate sleep is really important all of the time - I am good at making this a priority for my children, but I need to do better for myself in this area!

Have you heard of Sambucol? We have started keeping some of this amazingness on hand. It's great for kids & adults.

During flu season, we typically avoid children's museums, public parks, indoor playgrounds, etc.

and after we return from doctor's offices, church, preschool activities, play dates, etc. we do baths/take showers.

As soon as hubby walks in the door from work, he heads upstairs to the shower. When I was a classroom teacher, I did the exact same thing.

I change out/wash hand towels daily, and I [unashamedly] use disposable paper towels.

If possible, I use a stroller instead of a shopping cart [when my kids are with me]. However, if I need a shopping cart - I always wipe down the front area with a Clorox wipe. Thankfully, lots of stores offer these at the door!

We try not to forget to wipe down the nastiest items of all - keys, phones, computers/tablets, remote controls, light switches, appliance handles, steering wheels, reusable shopping bags, purses, diaper bags, totes, etc.

My friends and I have an understanding that before play dates, get-togethers, etc. we communicate openly as to whether or not everyone is well. We are completely honest and transparent...right down to texting the details of nasal discharge...not kidding ~ If one of the involved kiddos is sick, plans are cancelled. No problem. No hard feelings. It is been this way since everyone started having their babies, and it's totally okay. We are a thick-skinned group.

Before we travel to visit relatives or friends, we always make sure everyone at our destination is well. We do not want to walk in to a situation where we are exposed to illness. If we find out someone is sick, we change our plans. You may think this sounds weird or harsh. However, remember that YOU are the one who will have to be up all night with sick kids. Yes, be kind in explaining why you can't make it; but if someone is not understanding, that's okay.. You are responsible (to an extent) for the well-being of your family; and we are all exposed to enough germs without knowingly walking in to additional ickiness.

*If you arrive to a location and realize that someone has not been honest about the fact that the yuckies are flowing through their house (We have dealt with this more than once.), dump a bottle of bleach over their head and run like the wind. Just kidding...not really. ;-)

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 Read: How to Keep Your Kids' Toys Clean

How I [try my best to] Keep my Kiddos' Toys Clean

If your family is like ours, your kids live - I mean really live - in your home. Their fingerprints (literally and figuratively) can be found all over the house. While this is exactly how it's supposed to be, it is also important to at least attempt to keep germs from completely taking over your house (especially if you oftentimes host play dates - which we love to do!).

Here is a glimpse into how I [try my best to] keep my kiddos' toys clean.

When attacking this project...

...First, I go through our main living areas and grab up any toys that can safely be cleaned in the dishwasher, and I literally run a load of toys through my favorite appliance. (If only I could find a way to successfully do laundry using the dishwasher. Just kidding...kind of.) In addition to - or instead of - I may also fill a bathtub full of soap and water or vinegar and water, and wash a round of toys that way - laying them out on a towel to dry.

...Second, I go through and wipe down any toys - large or small - that can not be submerged in water. When doing this, I have used a variety of different methods: Lysol wipes, hot soapy or hot vinegar rags, water/bleach spray solution, etc.

While going through these steps, I will typically find broken items/worn out toys that need thrown away or donated. I will also usually spot some toys that need to be put away/rotated out simply because my little ones have grown tired of them. See the following post for how we handle that: Keeping Toys Organized & Rotated. This is also when I change batteries in toys that need new ones. (I will stop right here and declare for all to hear: I DETEST battery-operated toys. Thank you for listening.)

If the thought of periodically cleaning your kids' toys causes you to break out in hives, here are a couple of things to consider: Your kids - no matter the age - can most definitely help you with this task! My 2.5 year old helps me - He has his own rag, and he is expected to help me from start to finish. Yes, he may need consistent instructions and redirection, but I have to remember that my children are in training. They will not learn to do these types of things if they are not given the opportunity. Kids are fully capable of reaching any realistic expectation you set for them. So with that being said, put your kids to work. These toys belong to them. Help foster a healthy respect for things by teaching them - at an early, early age - to take care of their stuff. One other thing to consider is that "Less is More!" For more inspiration on this topic, check out Ashley's thoughts at The Vanilla Tulip. She has four kids and is full of great tips for "living small" in all areas of life - especially when it comes to kid stuff!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like to read Keeping Toys Organized and Rotated:

Why I Blog: A Letter to My Readers

A Letter to My Readers: A Little Bit About Why I Blog

Dear Reader,

It was a few years ago - as a first-time mom - when I started reading/following blogs. Middle-of-the-night feedings were torture for me unless I had something to DO while my little one nursed. So, I started Googling various issues that I thought I [or my new baby] had. This kind of "research" only lead me to feel even more frustration and worry than I was already facing in my new role as mommy. I very quickly realized that I needed to replace my reading material with something more encouraging, and that is when I discovered this incredible on-line community. In the middle of night - when it felt like everyone in the world was asleep except for me - It was then that I was encouraged, inspired, challenged, and empowered by so many different writers who had taken the time to share [openly and honestly] about their life.

Shannon Avason Photography

When my oldest was about four months old, I created this space as a way to communicate [in addition to Face.book] with our out-of-town friends and family. Since that time, this particular spot on the world wide web has grown into something even more. It has become a place where I communicate [and hopefully encourage] those who come into my path. I would love to think that - somewhere - there is a new mommy up with her newborn for the 15th time - feeling encouraged by something she is reading on this blog. I would like to think that there is a discouraged friend being refueled with hope as a result of visiting this page. I would be honored to know that there is tired and frustrated sister in Christ who spotted an idea on "All Kinds of Things" that may help make her days feel just a tad smoother. These are the reasons I write, dear friends. This is my way of saying "thank you" to the countless others in the world of blogging who have encouraged me on the days when I needed it most.

When I think about my favorites blogs, they are not the ones that solely focus on fashion or cooking or decorating...they are the ones that pull from all different areas of life...faith, marriage, motherhood, friendship, homemaking, frugality, everything under the sun. From this idea is how "All Kinds of Things" was born.

From recipes and DIY projects to organizational tips and thoughts on faith and parenting, my prayer is that "All Kinds of Things" will encourage you to live well in your day-to-day journey. Can blogging be a ministry? I wholeheartedly believe it can be, and my prayer is that each time you visit me in this forum, you will walk away blessed.

With Much Love,
Elizabeth

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. - William James

If you enjoyed reading this, you might also like to read 

To My Fellow Mommy Bloggers:

My Collection of Blogging Tips:

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