#42 CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS
© Copyright Andrea Reynolds 2024
Moving things out of my house has been slow work.
Reason #1: I live in a small community of only about 30,000 people and all are 50+.
Reason #2: So many people are getting rid of their parents' things as they move to assisted living or back north to be with family so there's that competition.
Reason #3: In my community we aren't allowed to hold yard or garage sales, or have signs in the yard... not for sales of any kind, not even real estate.
Reason #4. Fewer people are buying anything, and many are willing to give away for free many valuable items. That makes it tough for people like me to make sales or give away items.
There are online pages such as Facebook MarketPlace, NextDoor, and a few private Facebook sales pages started by neighbors. I'm the admin on a smaller Facebook estate sale page (only 600 members.) But it seems many people prefer to donate to Goodwill, to Habitat for Humanity's Restore, and a local thrift store run by volunteers who donate the income to charitable groups.
We do have a community "yard sale" once or twice a year, held in our clubhouse theatre. There is a $15 fee to have a table, and one must cart all of one's items to the clubhouse. For me that's complicated. There is not much I can carry in my golf cart so it would mean multiple trips; and I have no partner to help me load, unload, and answer questions and carry what's left back home. Plus, it's noisy and I have trouble hearing conversations in crowds.
Instead I have my own website: www.AndreasEstate.com a work in progress.
Below are photos of boxes of things I have for sale and for free. I keep finding more items, and often people give me more things. Sigh. You can imagine none of this makes me happy.
Below are items that must go to the county landfill (dump). Mattress topper in 2 pieces, a non-working shredder, a flashlight with dead batteries inside that I can't open, a dead laptop battery that kinda blew up, and a dead rechargeable battery for a leaf blower.
And below are boxes of papers I must sort through and designate for shredding (which happens once a year.) Some of it I'll keep as needed for future writing projects. I will certainly have to hire Shred-It.
Below are things on which I haven't yet made decisions: books, Kent State memorabilia (plus the newspapers and magazines from May 1970), computer devices, jewelry making supplies, electrical cords.
I meet a small group of women on Tuesdays (Taco Tuesday) and I will pass out these cards:
Even a small amount of monetary support helps me acquire credits toward Social Security benefits. With your help I may be eligible by age 80.
If you have an interest in following how I am accomplishing this enormous house-emptying task, I invite you to support this project with a monthly contribution of $5 or whatever amount you're comfortable with. I hope to write two blog posts weekly, more or less.
The benefit to my patrons is you get to ask me questions about my project, and your projects, too, which I may answer in this blog: crisiswriter@gmail.com
PayPal: www.PayPal.me/AndreaReynoldsIntl
Venmo: www.Venmo.com/Andrea-Reynolds-79
FacebookPay: https://www.Facebook.com/andrea.reynolds.90
It's possible Facebook may only allow you to send money by an app on your phone, not Facebook Messenger.
Zelle: Use my email: crisiswriter@gmail.com or text: 656-227-1130
Cash App: Use: $AndeBitanga
Cash: Best delivered in person to be safe.
Shipping is extra: Priority Mail… or for books, I ship by less expensive Media Mail.
I'm happy to receive checks in my mailbox to cover whatever time period makes sense to you. My mailing address: Andrea Reynolds, 1902 Andover Street, APT 194, Sun City Center, Florida 33573-5942