Every spring and early summer garage sales burst forth in full bloom, loaded with the junk other people want to purge their homes and garages of. Why not have a completely unique garage sale of recycled and reused items that you have personally transformed from unwanted clutter in your house. By recreating these items into practical, distinctive and reusable possessions that people will benefit from owning and will pay you for the privilege of purchasing them, you have helped them acquire unusual objects, helped yourself get rid of scraps and saved the environment. To help you get ready for this years’ successful garage sale, here are a few new twists on items you may have lurking in your house and garage at this very moment.

How can you get people to purchase your used aquarium water at a profit to you and a benefit to them? Well, the next time you clean the fish tank, pour the used water into an attractive bottle and slap on an attractive label with these instructions: ‘Contains algae and other organic waste that your garden and houseplants will benefit from.’ That old belt you no longer wear; cut it to fit securely and comfortably around a dog’s neck [borrow the neighbors dog if you have to] and punch holes where needed. Sell it as a pet collar. Bag a couple of chopsticks you have been collecting in that junk drawer and label thus: ‘Sewing Purposes Only! For stitched collars or other garment areas that need to be turned, use chopstick to push out the corners.’

This one should be worth a dollar at least. In a baggie, place a folded card that reads ‘Suggestion Package for double photo prints.’ On the inside, write the following: suggestion one – use extra photo prints to assemble a photo collage for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and retirement gifts. Suggestion two – create gag photos by cutting pictures of famous people from magazines, then cutting faces from extra family snapshots and gluing them over the faces from the magazines. Use the new ‘portraits’ to make greeting cards or put them in old picture frames, wrap and give as presents for special occasions. Add different suggestions of your own.

What can be done with that used engine oil that will make an ardent garage sale seeker purchase it? How about mixing it with turpentine and making a preserving finish for fences and sheds. The mixture can also be painted on garden tools to help keep them clean and free of rust. What to do with that old fishing line to re-sell it for the benefit of someone else? Bag and tag with a few ribbons and with the following instructions: ‘Garden Use. Stretch across garden rows six inches above seedlings and tie with ribbons to keep birds away; raise accordingly as plants grow.’ I use colored cellophane and the birds really do stay away.

Here’s a major pet peeve for me, what to do with used frozen-juice can lids besides pitching them out! Actually, I had developed the odd habit of collecting them until I found several uses for them. Using only the lids that have finished edges, I cover them with pretty fabric or attractive paper [another of my 'saving' habits] to make reusable and unique Christmas ornaments reminiscent of Victorian times. Here’s another suggestion, since they are just the right size for kids to attach their school photos to or anything else they want to show the world, I punch a hole in the top and tie them with ribbon or string. You can make quite the children’s collage with these. Gluing a piece of colored felt to the underside and painting or decorating the tops, turns frozen-juice can lids into a nice set of coasters that I can sell at my garage sale for the handsome price of a buck, fifty! Any one of these ideas will work for your next garage sale. If you can reuse the lids so many ways, what uses can you put the cans themselves to? Once washed, they are ideal for saving extra cookie dough. Just fill the can with dough, put the lid back on and freeze! When you are ready to bake – open at both ends, push the dough through the can, slice and bake. Bag ‘em! Tag ‘em and Sell ‘em!

We all have them! Old, used flowerpots littering up our homes, garages and backyard. So, to what use can you put them to that will make you some change for your piggybank? Here’s a natural way to handle garden pests without resorting to the use of harmful chemicals. Chip a clay flowerpot and turn it upside down in your garden to create a cool umbrella for slugs so they have a doorway in out of the sun. When you have a ‘collection’ of them, transport them out of your garden. Surely someone will pay you fifty cents for this bit of humane wisdom using common clutter. Last one. If you are buying new glasses but your prescription has stayed the same, have your old glasses tinted and use them for sunglasses. This one is for personal use and what would this suggestion be worth to someone who is intending to throw out the old pair of glasses?

Look around your home and garage, see it you don’t find your own mishmash of the following items: zippers, wire hangers, tuna cans, tires and their hoary rims, old spice jars, soap slivers, shoelaces, safety pins and rubber bands, popsicle sticks, plastic milk jugs and their rings, plastic loops, ties and lids. How can you turn this chaos of rubbish into helpful, necessary assets that people will pay you for at your next garage sale this Spring. All it takes is a label on a bag with some rather inventive instructions and an original, offbeat use.

You can look forward to unloading your trash as innovative and indispensable new items, to the benefit of those brave souls who visit countless garage sales every year, in search of that one useful and special item that will make their visit to your particular garage sale worth their road trip? Make a label now.

Envirosax Planet Green 5 Piece Pouch Set

The Imaginext Green Lantern playset comes with a Green Lantern figure, a Kilowog figure, B’DG the squirrel figure, a projectile launcher, a projectile and a lantern that really lights up. Turn an activation disk to open the doors and explore the Planet OA. Boys will love recreating their favorite Green Lantern moments with this new playset.

Playset includes 3 figures, 1 light-up lantern, a projectile launcher, and more!

Turn figures on the playset disks to activate special features.

Inspiring Imaginative Play!
“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, BEWARE MY POWER … Green Lantern’s Light!” Green Lantern wears a ring that channels pure willpower in the form of green energy. He uses that energy in a number of ways—blasting an energy ray, creating a force field or even creating solid objects—to help him fight the forces of evil. Kilowog and his animal sidekick B’DG are two of those evil forces.

Turn on the Adventure!
With Imaginext Green Lantern Planet OA Playset, kids get to make the action happen! They turn the Green Lantern figure on a disk, and a door opens. They turn the Kilowog figure on another disk to aim the launcher, then press to fire! There’s a lantern that lights up at the press of a button, and a space tether that attaches to a figure—kids can just spin the thumbwheel to let that figure explore Planet OA!

Build Confidence and Develop Imagination
As characters in your child’s adventures, Imaginext figures like Green Lantern and Kilowog can help your child build self-confidence and eagerness to explore. The Green Lantern Planet OA play set provides a backdrop for your child to expand the boundaries of his imagination. And using his imagination is the best adventure of all!

What’s In The Box?
1 moon base, 3 figures, 1 light-up lantern, 1 projectile launcher with 1 projectile, 3 button cell batteries, and a DC Super Friends DVD.

Imagine…a world of action and excitement where you decide what happens next! This time, it’s a trip to Planet OA with super hero Green Lantern, Kilowog and B’DG. Whatever world you travel to, it’s a whole new adventure every time you play!