Month : March 2017
The season of garage sales is upon us. Here is a great read to help figure out when the best time for sale is.
When you want to buy or sell something used online, your first thought might be to use Craigslist. After all, it’s the site that brought the newspaper classifieds into the digital world.
Of course, using Craigslist does have some concerns. You might deal with a buyer or seller who tries to cheat you with bad payment or an item that’s different than what was listed. There are a lot of stories of people meeting a buyer or seller to finish transactions and getting robbed or worse. That’s why it’s essential to meet in a public place and let someone know where you’re going – or bring them along. Craigslist also isn’t always the easiest site to use. That’s why third-party selling apps like SellSimple exist to make it easier. Fortunately, Craigslist isn’t the only game in town. Here are places that are better than Craigslist for buying and selling.
OFFERUP
If safety is your concern, then OfferUp is where you should start. It created the TruYou system to verify the identity of buyers and sellers. The TruYou system works with the site’s app for Android and Apple gadgets. It lets you scan in your ID, so the website can verify your identity for other users on the site. Items sold by TruYou verified sellers will be highlighted in blue. There’s also a rating system, so buyers and sellers can let the rest of the community know what they thought about a transaction. Was your item described accurately? Was the other person friendly? This is the place to let everyone know what to expect. Buying is really easy with OfferUp. If you like something, just click on it to be taken to the item page. From there, you can make an offer. You’ll see the price the owner is asking for next to the item, but you might be able to talk them down. If the seller accepts your offer, you can set up a time and place to meet up and get your stuff. Selling is simple, too. Using the app, you can take a picture of the item you want to sell, add details like your asking price and upload it. The whole process is done in no time.
THREDUP
Used clothes aren’t something you’d normally want to buy online, especially from Craigslist. You never know where they’ve been or what condition they’re really in. ThredUp aims to change that. The site has a strict set of Quality Standards for all clothes it accepts. It employs a team of fashion experts to go through all the clothes and approve them for sale. Clothing’s not all you can save money on, though. You can also find all sorts of shoes, purses and handbags on the site. That’s where you can really save the big bucks. Imagine getting a like-new Coach bag for a huge discount. You can save money on clothes for your kids and grandkids, too. If you have nice clothes you want to get rid of before updating your wardrobe, you can sell them on the site, too. ThredUp depends on people like you to collect its inventory. It’s easy to send in your old stuff to make a little extra cash.
GSALR.COM
One of the best places to get used items is garage sales. Not only can you physically examine the item, you can do some haggling to get a better price. You just need to find a good garage sale, and that’s where GSALR.com comes in. Just enter your location in the search box to see garage sales going on in your area on a Google Map. Then click on the red location flags for more details like time and location of the sale, or scroll through the listings on the right side of the page. If you don’t care about travel distance, you can browse the listings or sift through photos by clicking “List” or “Photos” at the top of the page. Need to narrow your search and filter your results? Click on “Search Filters,” located at the top left of the page, and enter a new location, the day of a sale, or enter keywords to look for a certain item like furniture or antiques. Once you’ve found sales near you, you can add to a favorites list by clicking the favorite button. When you’re done adding favorites, click “View Route & Directions” to get directions. If you’re in the mood for selling, you can add your own garage sale to the site.
BONUS: FREECYCLE
What do you do if you have used items you can’t sell? Don’t just throw it in the trash; give them away on Freecycle. Freecycle is a non-profit organization that lets you post your unwanted items to give away. It’s kind of like Craigslist, but only with free stuff. To get started, create a free account and post the items you want to get rid of. Be sure to include a full description and photos help, too. On the flip side, if you’re in the market for something in particular, you can post a want ad and see if anyone responds. Or, just cruise the site and see what kind of free stuff you can get. I mean, who doesn’t love free stuff? When I looked in my area, there was a range of items, from old television sets and moving boxes to desktop computers, plants and fitness equipment.
Material and Care At a Glance
Bone China
- • Lightweight and lustrous
- • Incredibly durable and chip-resistant
- • Safe for the dishwasher, microwave and oven
Care: Bone China
All of our bone china is dishwasher–safe. We recommend the use of a rinse aid to minimize hard water spots. Bone china banded with metallic is not intended for use in the oven or microwave; however, our all-white bone china patterns are oven– and microwave-safe. To increase longevity of use, avoid sudden temperature changes. Over time, flatware may leave silver or grey deposit marks on bone china; repeated use of a mild abrasive cleaner (as needed) may help minimize their appearance.
Porcelain
- • Lightweight and fine to the touch
- • Similar to bone china in appearance, but more affordable
- • Most patterns safe for the dishwasher, microwave and oven
Care: Porcelain
Most of our porcelain patterns are dishwasher, microwave and oven–safe. To increase longevity of use, avoid sudden temperature changes. Over time, flatware may leave silver or grey deposit marks on porcelain; repeated use of a mild abrasive cleaner (as needed) may help minimize their appearance.
Stoneware
- • Incredibly durable
- • Reactive glazes create a smooth look
- • Most patterns safe for the dishwasher and microwave
- • Avoid sudden temperature changes
Care: Stoneware
Most of our stoneware is dishwasher- and microwave-safe; may warm at low oven temperatures. To increase longevity of use, avoid sudden temperature changes. Over time, flatware may leave silver or grey deposit “scratches” on stoneware; repeated use of a mild abrasive cleaner (as needed) may help minimize their appearance.
Earthenware
- • Has an artisanal look and feel
- • Crazing or “crackling” in finish enhances special character
- • Microwave-safe on medium and low settings
- • Avoid sudden temperature changes
Care: Earthenware
Because earthenware is more prone to crazing and chipping than other materials, we recommend handwashing promptly after use without soaking, or clean in the dishwasher on a gentle cycle with a mild non-abrasive, non-citrus detergent; turn off the heat dry cycle and let dishes dry naturally or wipe dry by hand. To minimize hard water spots, use a rinse aid.
Earthenware is microwave-safe on medium and low settings only, as it heats more quickly than other ceramics or glass. Avoid sudden temperature changes as this may also cause cracking or crazing. Over time, flatware may leave behind silver or grey deposit marks; repeated use of a mild abrasive cleaner (as needed) may help minimize their appearance.
Check out more: http://www.boredpanda.com/kitchen-gadgets/
Here is a link to our coupons and specials going on right now!
http://www.olympiarelocationinc.com/coupons-and-specials.html
Q: What’s the biggest packing mistakes people make?
Jorge: The number one mistake is putting things in bags. The bags can easily tear and they are not ideal for stacking in the truck. The second biggest mistake is not emptying dressers. This makes them unbelievably heavy and makes it real easy for things to fall out and get lost or damaged .
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There is more to March than St. Patty’s Day. Find out what else is happening by clicking below.