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The Men I Tried to Hide From, and Other Tales of September
Published 2 months agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
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Hello, and happy September!
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I hope you had a nice, relaxing Labor Day weekend.
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As you may know, we moved to a new house last month. Unlike other moves, we did this one in two parts.
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Prior to listing our former house, we removed and stored about half of our stuff in two U-Haul U-Pack containers.
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(By the way, we had a GREAT experience using U-Haul's "pods." The cost was very reasonable, and every step of the delivery and pickup went flawlessly. This isn't a sponsored review -- just our real-life experience.)
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For 10 weeks, we lived in a staged, half-empty house.
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Even though I couldn't find our measuring cups (which explains the questionable pancakes), I grew to really love the spare furnishings and uncluttered spaces.
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Later, when we first relocated to our new place, the movers only brought our simple, "staged" things.
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The Joy of Uncluttered Spaces
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I loved how airy and open our new house was with just the basics!
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Bowling, anyone?
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Can I be honest? The thought of those two U-Haul containers packed with stuff arriving the next week made me a little depressed.
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If I could have "forgotten" everything in storage, I think I might have.
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But time waits for no woman, and on a hot August Wednesday the pods arrived.
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I briefly considered hiding when the moving crew rang the doorbell.
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That afternoon, the once-pristine garage looked like this:
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Although we'd gotten rid of a lot of things prior to moving, I clearly had more work to do.
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But instead of finding places for everything inside, I decided to continue whittling down the collection.
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How to Get Rid of Stuff Quickly and Easily
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In order of preference, these are resources I've used to cast off unused stuff.
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Buy Nothing - Facebook's Buy Nothing Groups are my favorite way to give away unused things. List your item, connect with a taker, and they'll come pick it up from you. Find a group near you by searching "Buy Nothing" + your city name within Facebook.
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Habitat for Humanity ReStore - This nonprofit is a great way to give away home-related items like light fixtures and tools.
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ARC or Goodwill - Most locations have convenient drop-offs and will give you a tax receipt for your donation.
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eBay - A good place to sell small collectibles, or easily packable items. (I sold an old lighter that belonged to my dad for $90.) You'll have to pack and ship your items and pay a small fee.
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NextDoor - Can be a viable place to sell or give away items. The downside is you'll have to spend time on a platform that is oddly toxic.
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Facebook Marketplace - Can be a viable place to sell or give away items. The downside is that you'll have to deal with scammers, flaky people, and numerous inquiries asking "Is this still available?"
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How About You?
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Do you ever struggle with Stuff Management? What are your favorite solutions for getting rid of things you no longer need?
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Drop me a note at elizagcross@gmail.com. I'd love to hear and share your stories.
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A peaceful view from the back deck.
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I hope you enjoy these beautiful late summer/early autumn days of September,
π My family and I loved The Office, so we're eagerly awaiting the new comedy The Paper debuting this week on Peacock.
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π What I'm reading: Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillen Smith is full of photos and good ideas about creating a comfy home while keeping the open, uncluttered spaces I've grown to love.
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π° Money Tip: If you have a library card, check whether your library offers Hoopla or Libby. These apps allow you to check out free ebooks and magazines, and Hoopla offers music, movies and TV shows, too.
ββ βπ€ Brownie lovers, this recipe is for you! Mississippi Mud Brownies from my friend Kathleen at Grits and Gouda are layered with marshallows and chocolate frosting!
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How to Enjoy Stuff Without Buying It
The first time I visited Jackson, Wyoming, I fell so in love with the town I picked up a real estate magazine.
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"There must be a way I can buy a little cabin here!" I naively thought, until I read some of prices.
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"Fixer upper" cabin in Jackson, WY. Price: $2.5 million.
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Whether it's contemplating a second home in an expensive real estate market or dreaming of owning a set of food storage containers with no missing lids, I'm sometimes prone to getting the "gimmes."
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Fortunately, I've discovered alternatives to buying everything in sight, while still enjoying the finer things in life.
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Read "5 Ways to Enjoy Things Without Owning Them:"
Every year, the holidays seem to sneak up on me. I'm always grateful for the tasks I've done in advance.
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Here are 7 things you can do now to get ready for the 2025 holiday season. Doing a few tasks early means there will be more time during December for sipping cocoa, staying in our holiday pajamas all day, and watching Christmas Vacation.
Million Dollar Bacon is slightly sweet, savory, salty, and incredibly tasty! This is one of the most popular recipes from our sister site, BENSA Bacon Lover's Society.
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The strips are oven baked with a maple glaze that truly takes bacon to the next level. Make a batch for your next brunch or buffet, and watch everyone go hog wild for it!
Welcome! Happy Simple Living's Easy Times newsletter helps busy people simplify with easy recipes and tips for creating a comfy home, organic gardening, saving money, living a simpler life, enjoying holidays, and having more fun!
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