Get Rid of Everything at Your Garage Sale

To make top dollar at your #garage, #yard or #tag sale, price everything, says How Stuff Works; you don’t want to have to make up prices on the spot. Garage-sale #bargain-shoppers will always try to #haggle, but a tagged or priced item — even if it’s in a $1 bin — will at least offer a starting point for negotiation and get closer to your desired price. Remember, you don’t want to reintegrate this #decluttered #stuff; price merchandise to move. Bulk prices and half-price Sundays are fair game. Schedule a #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org for the day after your sale, and you’ll never see that stuff again! #GarageSale

Ask Family Members to Help With Your Garage Sale

To stage a successful #garage, #yard or #tag sale, get your family involved, says Lady and the Blog. Ask them to “clean out every nook and cranny in the home,” leaving nothing unturned. Have kids go through their toys and sort out which they no longer play with and try on #clothes to find out which don’t fit. Since some of what’s to be sold is their stuff, you want to get them involved in the #decluttering, preparation and setup. It can create what’s known in large organizations as “buy-in” — an investment in the sale’s success. If they do a good job, consider sharing the profits! #GarageSale

Collaborate With Neighbors for Garage-Sale Success

Collaboration can make a successful #garage, #yard or #tag sale when one person or family doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of inventory on hand to sell. Band together with friends and neighbors to make it worthwhile for people to shop. Advertising is essential, so create alerts on Craigslist, Facebook and the local newspaper, says Budget Dumpster. Feature any big-ticket sale items in the ads, and clearly stae the locations, dates and times. Signs bring in serendipitous shoppers; make them simple and easy to read (with bold lettering and bright backgrounds), and place them at prominent intersections. Turn that #clutter into money! #GarageSale

Make a Fast Buck With a Garage Sale

Back-to-school time is also a great time to have a #garage, #yard or #tag sale. If you have kids, it may be obvious what they will no longer be wearing or using as the years go on; edit those things out, price them and put them out for sale on a weekend morning. Sell lot of things, and you can score enough #cash for a dinner out or a deposit in the rainy-day fund. Easier still, you can bag or box that #stuff and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup. You may not make more money, but you will be able to cut the #clutter conveniently and help fund programs that benefit the nation’s #veterans. #GarageSale

How to Cure the Summertime Blues

I’m gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler / About working all summer just to try to earn a dollar / Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do, but there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.

The Eddie Cochran classic — later covered by recording artists as diverse as the The Who, Alan Jackson and Rush — highlights a common sentiment: That the lazy days of summer often run out before one can make the most of them.

The feeling often sets in around this time of year, with a new school year rapidly approaching for students, and adults scrambling to take a few days off or juggle social event. But while there may be no cure for the summertime blues, there are a few strategies that can help head them off.

The summertime blues often result from a fear of missing out (FOMO). Find something you want to do and make a plan; whether it’s a walk in the park, dinner and a show, or a full-on vacation, get it on the calendar. It will give you something to look forward to as well as a sense of accomplishment.

Suggestions from the Jewish Family Service include spending time outdoors — a little sun and fresh air can do wonders. Get together with family and friends. Develop a hobby that doesn’t involve work or screens. Above all, eat healthy and get some exercise. You also might try to do some #decluttering; too much #stuff can weigh on the psyche.

If the summertime blues go beyond a wistful sense of lost time or missed opportunities and develop into seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and/or depression, seek professional help. Common signs of summertime SAD include “anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, irritability and decreased energy levels,” says the Henry J. Austin Health Center. Disrupted routines, social expectations, body image concerns and oppressively hot weather can contribute.

It’s not unusual to feel a little bit gloomy even when the sun is shining. Fortunately, summer is longer than you think; you still have more than two months to enjoy everything the season has to offer. Start today!