Sell home items on Craigslist

I already posted about the wonders of Freecycle.org in this post, and I continue to look on Freecycle often to see if there are items we need for our new home that we can get at no cost.  Another great resource is Craigslist, both to find and sell items.

My mom is selling her house and wants to get rid of a lot of great items, so I suggested she post them on Craigslist.  It's easy and you can make some good money, and the best part is that people will come to pick up the items, so you don't have to do the work of driving them anywhere or lifting anything heavy.

In my experience, to sell items on Craigslist, you should:

1. Include key words that people will search for
2. Post good pictures
3. Write short descriptions in bullet format so the post is easy to read

I really like this Craigslist selling guide from Seventh House on the Left.  Check it out.

Freecycle - a great resource

I recently learned about a great website: Freecycle.org.  I used it as a resource for our move, and it proved incredibly helpful!  I recommend you check it out.

Freecycle is a non-profit that began in 2003 in Arizona.  Their website allows users to post items that they are giving away for free and to post items that they want for free.  Their mission is "to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."  The website lists active Freecycle groups in every state, plus there are some locations overseas!

How it works:  you choose your local Freecycle group and sign up to become a member.  Then, you can read the posts online and when you find something you would like, just click "reply to post" to e-mail the person who wrote the post.  (You don't have access to their direct e-mail address until they respond to you.)  You then set up a time to pick up the item, and you get it for free.  :)

Fix It Items

My handyman hubby and I have made some mental lists of what we'd like to change in our first house, and it's time to right some of these Fix It items down.  That way, I can delight in crossing items off the list!  It's true, I love lists, and organizing things calms me.  In the jumble of boxes everywhere and so many things to do, making a list and crossing things off sounds like a great idea!  I decided to start with short-term projects.  Projects we'll tackle later will have to wait for another list.  This one is long enough.  Here goes....

Entryway

__Rip up the ugly floor tile and put down new floor (possibly ourselves)
__Paint the trim (currently an unappealing, buttercream color)

DIY or Hire a Professional?

How do you choose whether to Do It Yourself or hire a professional?  There are so many projects in a new home, that you're bound to DIY some and hire out for others.  For us, it comes down to:

1. Can we do the project safely ourselves?
2. How long will the project take?
3. How much will a professional charge and how much money will we save doing it ourselves?
4. How long would it take to get a professional to the house to do the job?
5. Are we excited to try to do the project ourselves?

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

We learned quite a few things about working with a realtor while buying our first house. Here are some thoughts:

(1) Choose the right realtor!  This is key.  Your choice of realtor will have a large impact on your house buying experience because of the large number of important steps the realtor has to help you with.  For instance, your realtor will:

(a) find houses that fit your criteria and price range,
(b) make appointments and take you to see houses you want to see in person,
(c) help you bid on the house and negotiate a price until you sign a contract to buy the house, and
(d) help you get a house inspection

BUYING A HOUSE

Storage bin found at Home Goods

Closing on our first house in TWO DAYS. While we have a growing to do list...

(1) find a plumber, electrician, and an asbestos abatement company
(2) choose paint colors
(3) figure out how to take down some seriously old and outdated wallpaper
(4) decide whether to hire somebody to refinish and stain the wood floor in the dining room and living room
(5) prioritize our to-do list!

...clearly it's more fun to shop for home decor. SO. Off to Home Goods I went to return a few things, and after a quick look through the store, I found a great PANTRY find. Two canvas bins from Home Goods! Cute and sturdy.  #avoidance  #timetodecorate