The time has come for me to do something with my print books. I have been using a Kindle ebook reader for the past 18 months. I have dozens of boxes of books packed away and more lining my bookshelves. I bought these books new, at thrift shops and at yard sales. I have read some of the books and others were purchased with the intent of reselling them on eBay.
My Problem
Last week I received an email from eBay congratulating me on 15 years of using their site. I listed my very first item on eBay in May, 1997. The problem is....I lost my enthusiasm for listing items on eBay but I did not lose my enthusiasm for hoarding books and other various treasures.
The time has come for me to do some serious decluttering and clearing out my living space. I am going to start with the books.
What Is My WHY?
Your WHY is the purpose behind your actions and the primary motivation for accomplishing your goals.
My WHY is that I am ready to let go of these books. They are cluttering my space and no longer serve a useful purpose in my life. I would like to use these books to earn a little money for myself and to support some worthy causes.
The Solution
I have decided that I want to pass along my books to people who need them and will appreciate them. I will do this by selling the books on eBay and in my Etsy shop. The books that do not sell will be donated to my local Friends of the Library group and thrift shops.
I have decided to donate 25% of the proceeds that I earn from selling books on eBay to the United States War Dogs Association, Inc. This is a nonprofit organization of Former and Current US Military Dog Handlers and supporting members committed to promoting the long history of the Military Service Dogs, establishing permanent War Dog Memorials, and educating the public about the invaluable service of these canines to our country.
I believe our canine veterans should be recognized and honored just like the other brave soldiers who serve our country.
My Goal
My goal is to have all my boxes and bins of books sold by August 31, 2012. Books that are not sold by this time will be donated to local charities.
I will only save books that fill a specific need in my life or that have emotional value to me.
My eBay seller ID is jandeantx and my Etsy shop is named Shepard Hill Farm.
I will post progress reports on this blog.
How do you feel about getting rid of your print books? Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
Is it possible to have too many toys? Are toys scattered all over the house and yard? If you answered "yes" to these questions, this book is for you.
Clutter Cut Inc., by Lester Lex, is a cute picture book that deals with the problem of "toy clutter". These are toys that are no longer played with but are taking up space in the house and yard.
This book introduces children to the process of sorting toys, deciding which ones to find new homes for and then sharing with others.
The Problem
Cloot had many, many toys - a lot he never used. Every space in his room was full of toys. They were in the drawers, under his bed and scattered all over his floor. Cloot had a storage shed in the yard that was also full of toys. Some were broken and some needed new batteries. It was a real mess.
The Solution
One day Cloot's dad suggested that Cloot should give some of the toys away. At first, Cloot did not want to give any of the toys away. How would he choose which ones to give away? He finally came up with a plan to help him decide.
Cloot gathered all his toys and spread them on the ground. His dad helped him choose toys to give to boys and girls at the hospital. They boxed them up and Cloot spent the afternoon giving them out.
Clutter Cut Inc.
Soon all the kids from the neighborhood were bringing their toys to share with the children in the hospital. Clutter Cut Inc. was a great success.
My Thoughts
Clutter Cut Inc. is a brand new ebook that has been published in digital format by Silverhouse Books. The book is available for the Kindle and the Nook at the price of $1.99.
I viewed this book on my Kindle for PC Application so that I could appreciate the beautiful color illustrations by Guillermo Piloto. He does a marvelous job conveying the mess that was created from all the clutter.
My favorite thing about this book is that it teaches young children how to decide what to keep and what to give away. This is a difficult skill to learn, even for big kids. This book goes through the process of sorting, choosing, boxing and giving things to others. If children learn this process at a young age, it will be so much easier to live a clutter-free life in adulthood.
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
