"Free" Yard Sale

This weekend, we have had another "everything is free" yard sale. These yard sales, for a lack of a better term, are one way that we can find homes for the things we don't need. We have tried giving much of it away through Freecycle, but we have found the greatest success in finding homes for the items by simply putting it all out by the driveway and letting people stop by and take what they want.

At first, people are uncertain about just taking the things. The idea of setting things up like a yard sale, then not accepting any form of payment is rather new to most who stop by. Once they get over the initial surprise though, it is fun to want as they look through things and take what they need.

One day, Joe came in after a customer left to tell me about what happened. It seems that the gentleman had several kids in the minivan he was driving. He came across the large bag of stuffed animals that we had set out. He took the bag to the minivan, opened the door and dumped the contents of the bag onto the van floor. The kids went nuts! They were so excited to see all the new toys that had been dropped at their feet. I loved hearing stories like that one. It is such a joy to know that the things we have no more use of can bring such enjoyment to others.

This weekend's offerings include a large amount of old weathered pallets that Joe was given. While we can always use pallets for building enclosures and other projects around the homestead, he gets so many given to him, that Joe can't keep them all without our yard looking like a pallet business. Many of these pallets can be taken apart and the wood recycled for other projects. I know that many people will use the pallets as they are, simply connecting one to another, to make the fences for animal enclosures such as a small pen or for fencing in their garden area from wildlife that would tear the garden up.

Our house has a back room that is unfinished. It is in the oldest part of the home and someone had started to remodel it, but never finished after tearing the walls down to the bare studs and outer wall. In past years, that room has been used as a storage unit. By giving away the things in that room, as well as the outbuildings, we are making it possible for us to use that back room for other purposes. We can turn it into a large pantry or maybe later on it can be turned into a home school room for the kids to do their studies in. There are a lot of options for that space.

I am so glad that we have the opportunity to gift others with the things that they need. We have been so blessed. The Lord has been providing for us. If there is a way that we can help others also, then we are glad to have the chance.