What can I do with…
There comes a time in the life of any possession when it’s no longer usable as is. And that’s the time to Continue reading
HowToConsign’s clean-out tool
Is it time to get rid of it?
Click to find your Professional Resaler
Sometimes it seems like our possessions possess us, instead of the other way around. If you are like us, there’s a lot of stuff that you’ve accumulated that you really don’t need, want, or enjoy.
But sometimes it’s hard to part with belongings. You think you might still want it or need it or love it.
Here’s our simple way to see Continue reading
Those old Greeks, they had it right.
Why is it that all the wise stuff, even those about style and thrift, were said by the Greeks? Here’s Epictetus talking to us 21st-century smart shoppers:
How to give a glass of water to 900 people.
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard has written a book, The Responsible Company, about how we should create and sell goods that are high-quality, recyclable and repairable.
We couldn’t agree more! And Patagonia does make useful stuff that people tend to keep on using, which is responsible. We should all buy and keep high-quality goods… the Earth would be better for it.
But still, according to Chouinard in a Fortune magazine article, making a single Patagonia organic cotton polo shirt
uses up drinking water to supply 900 people for a full day
produces 30 times its weight in carbon dioxide
and creates 3 times its weight in trash?
Wouldn’t it be better, say consignment. resale, and thrift shopkeepers, if when someone does tire of their clothes or lamps or chairs, they recycle them, and raise a glass of cool, refreshing, life-sustaining water to the planet?
So next time you need a polo shirt or a side table or a tricycle, shop secondhand first! (And the next time you tire of that perfectly-good Patagonia polo shirt, call me!)
Patagonia: a responsible company. Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/
What’s HOT for Fall?
As you pull out your fall clothes and home decor, chances are there are some things you really would like to have someone else enjoy. The purple desk lamp your daughter had to have? That cashmere sweater your husband claims is too warm? Or even (sigh) those sky-high heels that simply don’t work for the mother of a toddler?
Would it sell?
Why not call your favorite consignment, resale, or thrift shop and ask them whether what you have can be passed on? If it’s a consignment or buy-outright business, you can make some money (and you’ll probably find something to buy while you’re there!), or if it’s a favored-charity thrift store, you can help them fund their mission with your donation!
How to Consign 