I wrote that I used the last of the bread yesterday. I have been toasting it and the handle fell off a week ago. It was hard but not impossible to use, so I threw away the toaster. I have decided to throw away many things in my place that I don't use any more. This apartment complex has a man who comes by the dumpsters every week day morning to look at useable things in case they could be still used by others. Residents are to place such things next to the dumpster and he will go through them and give away the usable things to such places as Goodwill and Value Village. I have never lived anywhere with this type of service was available. I have put chairs out there along with other things such as an entire dish collection when I decided to replace with just one set of dishes and to get rid of the odds and ends I had in my cupboards. I put them in a box and the man took them to give away to charities. I was ending up with junk in my closets and cupboards that looked good but I never used anymore.
This giving away of usable things is new for me. I have never done it before. I usually keep things for years and never use them. I was raised in such circumstances that few new things came my way. Now, I live in an area that have excellent second hand stores, which everyone uses, because many of the things in those stores are new. The prices are very good and there is senior citizen discounts. In Value Village, every Wednesday there is a 40 percent discount on everything for seniors. I used that store to get many of the things in my apartment. I don't need anything else now.
I also shop off the Amazon. I tried other sources off the Internet without success. The prices are good and I joined a "prime" club on the Amazon when I got my kindle from them. This gives me free shipping and handling along with two day delivery on anything that I order if it is under the prime heading. I have bought kindles for my grandchildren for school. I often just sit back at home and shop for things there and carefully read the reviews on each product that I consider. I have been saved from a bad purchase many times. I got my juicer on sale there after putting it on my wish list. I am very happy with it.
When I got out of college with my bachelor degree, I could not find work right away. I was supporting my kids and the money from a scholarship had ceased. I did housework to make ends meet. I was surprised at the large amount of things the people I worked for gave away. One time a woman whose family home had a swimming pool, was throwing away about 20 swimming trunks for boys. I asked if I could have them and they kept my sons in swimming trunks for several years. For me, giving away useful things was something another group of people did, not me. I thought that woman was silly because her sons wanted new swimming trunks and she gave in to them. I still do, but I can see now how good it is to get rid of extra stuff in one's home.
I did not get rid of my coffee things, but I will keep them in the hall closet until I figure out what I want to do. As for the Keurig, I cleaned it last night and will be making tea with it this morning. I am glad I kept it. I did not regret giving away my dishes. They were useful when I first moved here to Portland, but I bought a wonderful set of dishes from Goodwill on sale that were new. It is nice to have more room in my cupboards. It is nice to have more room in my life.
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