How to Get Rid of your Stuff - Recycle just about everything, Donate, and Consignment

Next time you want to get rid of something don't throw it in the trash! There are numerous outlets for FREE recycling for almost everything. Since moving to Charlottesville 9 years ago, we have not had home trash pick up. We recycle or find a home for nearly every item we no longer want. I'll share a few ways to unload clothes that no longer fit, gifts that are just not your thing, and even old cell phones, batteries, and light bulbs.

Body wash that found a new home on Freecycle.

Unbelievably you can a new home for even used toiletries! Why dump down the drain 1/2 used shampoo or body wash. Almost every community has a local Freecycle program where you can post an item you will never use. You can search for the program in your area on yahoogroups or on Facebook under Buy Nothing. I've learned to place items at the end of my driveway and the person picking up my item doesn't even see me or my house. Items I've successfully "gifted"; Board games, 1/2 bottle body wash, old shampoo, tea, rubber bands (never thought that would go), foam pads, baking pans, knives, coffee machine, and even a kids treated wood jungle gym. I also have scored some great items; reel cover for our pool (easily a $300. item), packing materials, plants, cat litter box, shades, milk boxes, filing cabinet, sawdust, and more.

We love him but he creates a lot of waste!

Probably the most difficult items to recycle are electronics and other related items. I recently discovered that at Lowes, near the return counter, they have added a recycle container for compact florescent bulbs, recycled batteries, and plastic bags. If you don't have a cat, you might not realize that many homes with cats use the disposable plastic shopping bags to hold scooped cat litter (I stopped accepting these bags 5 years ago so am always in need of them). While researching the Levy Lions a few years ago, I discovered a cell phone recycle bin at the UVA Alderman library. I've recycled my phones and even friends phones.

Sold this lovely on Craigslist for $75.00 & FREE haul away.

Trying to unload something bigger like a computer or TV? Best Buy accepts many electronics and even cell phones. There are some limitations as to quantity and sometimes there is a fee. I even found a local individual on Freecycle that will take any and all electronics. I can accumulate a load and away it goes.

Of course nearly every community has a local recycle center where you can take paper, metal, plastic, cardboard. Every center is different as to what they accept and how they accept it. Our center even takes food scraps and has a book exchange where you can pick up or take books! Speaking of books, you can drop off unwanted books locally at the main library or any branch that will be sold at the MEGA BOOK SALE that is held twice a year at the Gordon Library.

Animals get incarcerated because of no fault of their own.

My favorite places to donate items locally are the SPCA Thrift Store and Habitat Restore, of course depending upon what you have to donate.

If you have an item that you would like to try and sell, there are numerous ways to do this. Several sites have sprung up on Facebook groups recently; Craigslist and Online Yard Sales. Yahoogroups also hosts the email driven Craigslist. Consider online consignment if you can find someone in your area that sells vintage on Etsy or items on Ebay. I don't have a favorable impression of most retail consignment shops because they discount your item if it does not sell and often you end up getting very little for it.

Just because you can recycle something, doesn't mean you should consume MORE. Think about all the energy and resources used to create a product in the first place. To truly conserve and be more planet friendly, cutting your consumption is the key but why load up our landfills with junk if someone is willing to use your unwanted items!

If you have exhausted all avenues for an item, I would love to know what it is and am happy to try to find an outlet for you. I've set a new goal to get rid of something every work day either by selling it or giving it away. Off to see if I can unload those lamp shades!

~Rebecca

Sights to see in Charlottesville Virginia, do not miss Monticello and the Rotunda

Garden Pavillion overlook at Monticello

It seems often one doesn't take in popular area attractions. A nice perk to get locals to climb the mountain up to Monticello is free entry for residents. You must have an accompanying out of town guest and purchase a ticket, but that makes it 1/2 off. This weekend we finally took advantage of this offer when friends were visiting from California. One of my oldest friends that I grew up with was on the East coast for business and I had never met his wife. It was truly a thrill for me to see Danny again and had an immediate connection with his wife. Danny and I had not spoken in many years but he's a friend that I'll always be close to. It makes me think of my mother and her relationship with one of her dearest and oldest friends Sue. You may not speak with them often but you pick right up where you left off when you do.

Monticello overlooking Thomas Jefferson's vegetable garden

We could not have asked for a better day weather-wise. Humidity was low as was the typically horribly hot July temperature. No rain, plenty of fluffy cloud cover and temps in the 80s! Unheard of for this time of year in Virginia.

I don't often take the house tour at Monticello as I typically go during the Fall Heritage Harvest Festival and am totally focused on the tons of outside activities. Danny and I went on an Elementary school tour of Monticello way back before the Visitor and Education Center complex existed. This was only my second house tour since moving to Cville 10 years ago and I always learn a little more about the man that designed Monticello.

Cardoon bloom with Montalto ridge in background

All humans have faults and Thomas Jefferson was certainly not a perfect human being but he was a master of his time in so many fields. I just finished a book, The Founding Gardeners, about the gardening pursuits of our founding fathers and didn't realize how entrenched they were into agriculture and plants. Their private lives were totally immersed in planting, collecting, researching, and creating gardens (Washington, Madison, Monroe, Adams, and Jefferson). Especially craving the need to plant after retiring from the laborious political arena in which they all served.

In Jefferson Gardens: Sunflower and brilliant Castor Bean

Recently I've come across several quotes by Jefferson that are relevant to the current political climate in the United States. One being, "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as a cause for withdrawing from a friend." Often a truism in his behavior but at one point the political difference between one of his dearest friends, John Adams, was so broad that it took many years of aging before they forgave each other. Also interestingly, there was a bust of one of Jefferson's biggest political adversaries, Alexander Hamilton, at Monticello. It was placed here years after Jefferson retired from politics so he must of meant what he said. Jefferson apparently had a respect for smart minds no matter what their political view. Jefferson was all about educating his guests so one could imagine he also wanted to share the historic details with visitors.

N Plaza flight of stairs up to UVA Rotunda

Another wonderful place to take visitors is to the restored Rotunda. Previously closed for touring due to extensive restoration, it's back open again. Don't miss the 2 large  photos on display in the upper story showing the Rotunda when it housed the campus library during different periods. Be sure to poke around the book shelves as there might be a special exhibit on loan from the UVA Special Collections Library (another nearby campus treasure that one should explore). Also do not miss the many secret gardens behind the original campus, called the Academical Village.

Gazing over the Lawn from the lower level UVA Rotunda

A glorious day in Charlottesville, Virginia with friends!

~Rebecca

Supreme Court ruling to Collect States Sales Tax trickle down effect of Rising Costs of Shopping Online

Vintage mirror for sale in my online store, ForsythiaHill

Online sellers have been dreading this day. Shopping online just got a little more expensive today due to the Supreme Court 5 - 4 ruling allowing states to collect sales tax from ALL buyers.

As with many things these days, it's complicated. I think many of us pay sales tax for any retail store purchase without thought. It's a little fee added to each receipt that we have no option of reducing or avoiding. It's just THERE. But we might notice this fee when buying products online. Sometimes it appears, other times it's missing (which is an extra bonus). The reason you often do not see a sales tax fee on your online purchase is because you live in a different state from where your item is located (technically, it's where the sellers business is registered that you are buying from). 

One of a kind vintage dress in my shop, ForsythiaHill

The real complication comes in when states - and even jurisdictions within states - are allowed to set their own sales tax rates and rules. To any small online seller, the tracking, collecting, and submitting sales tax fees is akin to getting a root canal. It's a total downer, brain buster, and all around pain in the A**. I can only imagine that Apps are being developed (or probably have been developed) to manage this headache / toothache.

In order for states to begin collecting sales tax on EVERY single sale regardless if you buy a product in a retail store or online, each state will have to pass a law to do so. The problem is that when states begin make individual laws to begin collecting tax for online sales (and they will in droves) they can craft any rule they please. Congress needs to act ASAP to restrict the crazydom that can develop from this ruling!

I'm need one of these after writing this blog!

There are two states that have already begun collecting sales tax from anyone and everyone no matter if you reside in that state (Washington State and Pennsylvania). Fortunately for small sellers these states only require those that sell $10,000 in sales a year to their states have to collect and remit. So at least some guidelines exist as to how to draft these laws. Given that over 40 states and DC have their very own rates, one can imagine the laws will also vary. 

So in a nutshell, if you buy online you will see sales tax added more and more as states adopt the permission to collect sales tax from not only buyers living in the state of product origin, but from just about any US buyer. I'm going to really have to think if an International sale can have a state sales tax added. Hum? 

Small sellers need your business to stay in business!

Currently the purchaser of the product (BUYER) pays the tax and the seller has to submit that collected tax to the proper state. I sell mainly on Etsy and so far they are collecting this tax - so far - for WA and PA (from the buyer) and submitting it to the states for the millions of sellers - THANKFULLY. If they did not, I would feel many sellers would leave their platform, so it is in their best interest to do this. The problem comes about if you have your own website and YOU have to collect this fee and distribute it to over 40 states. To a small seller the thought of calculating this is astronomically time consuming. I will note that South Dakota has proposed to limit the burden of collection to higher sellers -- more than $100,000 in sales annually.

Higher prices are not liked by online sellers or buyers!

I do see the foreshadowing of higher fees charged to sellers by Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, and other online webstores. For them managing sales tax collection will be fairly route and simple but you can bet they will use this as an excuse to charge sellers higher fees. Amazon has the highest sellers fees and has been paying state taxes to over 40 states for years because they have warehouse locations in nearly every state. Etsy just raised their seller fee and is now also charging this fee on the shipping cost as well. 

There doesn't appear to be any break for the small online seller at the moment or for the consumer. Buying online just got a little more expensive. As the cost of running an online store increases, sellers throw in the towel. Consumer choice suffers as the variety of items that can be purchased declines. 

When will buying online be looked at as too costly and consumers dream about the good old days when you could just go to that thing once called a mall. The evolution of the shopping experience has yet to be mapped out. 

~Rebecca