12 Foods You Can Re Grow from Scraps

Going Green in the Garden: Helpful Tips to Get Started

Not only is going green in the garden better for your wallet, it is a great idea if you are worried about pesticides, GMO foods or if you are trying to help the planet by eating locally. Plus, it is a fun and educational experience for kids and adults alike! Not to put too much of a hippy-dippy spin on things, but my daughter and I love the feel of dirt in our hands, feeling like we are "one with nature" and bonding in the process. It is something special we share.  

Composting doesn't have to be a big commitment. Even a small bucket of well-tended compost can make a big impact in a garden, and cut down on kitchen waste. (Photo credit: Kitty meets Goat)

1. Compost
Kitchen scraps, coffee grinds, grass clippings… composting will reduce your garbage and produce an excellent fertilizer to mix in with your garden soil.

2. Use a Rain Barrel
Capture rain water in a rain barrel, a great clean source you can use to water all of your potted plants and gardens, even a small lawn.

3. Attract Helpful Critters
Build a bird and bug paradise to attract these critters to your garden.  Local birds and many critters (like spiders and bees) are helpful in controlling the pest population naturally, as well as helping to pollinate your fruit trees and flowers.

4. Grow Native Plants
Native plants are naturally more pest and disease resistant.  They grow well with less maintenance and are very often instrumental in attracting beneficial creatures of all sorts.  Find out what plants are native to your area and scatter your favorites throughout the garden. They also tend to use less water!

5. Mulch With Natural Mulches
Mulch is an easy way to retain moisture in the soil, which will help you to conserve water usage.  It’s also a handy way to combat weeds and when you use natural mulch, it will breakdown into the soil and fertilize the area over time. It is also known to discourage several types of garden pests. 

6. Use a Push Mower
Cut down your power or gas usage and get some exercise with a push lawn mower.  Sometimes called a reel mower, these do an excellent job on your lawn and are powered by none other than you. It is also a handy way to get your teen to get some exercise!

7. Try Companion Planting
Companion plants are those that pair well together, forming a natural barrier against pests and weeds. It is also helpful to know what types of plants should not be grown together. 

8. Use All Natural Bug Spray
Find a good organic insecticidal soap or mix up something yourself using natural liquid soap, horticultural oils and water.  Add to a spritzer and spray onto infected foliage.

9. Use Natural Pot Materials
Using things like paper, stone or clay for your pots is a great way to make a green container garden. 

 10. Try Square Foot Gardening
 When paired with companion gardening, this is touted by many avid gardeners as the most efficient way to grow your own.

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

10 Minute Office Chair Recover Project

 I upcycled an older style office chair for my daughter, and it only took me 10 minutes! You can see the finished product above, with her retro desk (we plan to paint it a fun color for her "big girl room".) When I inspected the chair, screwdriver in hand, I realized there was no way to take it apart. I would have to tuck the fabric between the hard plastic shells and the upholstered seat/backing!  I chose a pastel purple fabric, grabbed some scissors and got to work...and it was easier that you would think!

Copyright Little Mom on the Prairie & J.Rae 2013

Sell More with Signs ~ 10 Tips for Garage Sale Signs

Having a successful Garage or Yard Sale is an art form... and so is knowing how to do your signage right. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you make your signs, and when you place them!

1.  Bigger is better...to a point. You want to make sure your signs are big enough to see from the road (i.e. in a moving car) but not so large that they cause a distraction.  I once saw a minor traffic jam cause by a sign made from a full sheet of neon poster board, with tiny lettering. Which brings me to my next point...

2.  Be effective. Use sturdy cardboard and make sure the sign is clearly written, perhaps with big block letters...fill in the big block letters, too. Or use block letter stickers. 

3.  Less is more - Don't clutter your signs with a list of what you have to sell. Just say Garage Sale, day(s) it will be held, times (open to close) and maybe an arrow pointing the way towards your sale. 

4. Location, Location, Location! Hit all of the major intersections nearby, and make sure you have arrows pointing in the right direction (sometimes it helps to add the arrows after you hang the signs). 

5. Some areas have laws regarding the placement of signage (like yard sale signs). Most places have laws that say something like: "It is illegal to post, without a city or county permit, private signs on a Public Right of Way. "Public Right of Way" is commonly defined as both sidewalks on either side of a street and everything in between (including the grassy medians between the sidewalks and gutters, medians, traffic signs and light pole, trees and foliage, fences, etc.". 

6. Do a drive-by test of your signs. After your signs are up, drive past them and see if you can read them easily, because if you can’t, nobody else can either.

7. Place your signs early. When I first started having sales, I would scramble around the morning of, placing signs around town...and get back to the house to a line of early birds, waiting to shop. I suggest that, as long as you are not expecting rain, place your signs out the day before (make sure the day of the sale is on the sign). 

8. More is better. The biggest mistake I have made in the past is to not have enough signs. 

9. If you are planning on having a lot of garage sales, you might want to invest in some nicer, more re-usable signage. I got some for FREE from Vistaprint (you do pay S/H). You can get 1 each, a free banner and a free yard sign. 

Free Banner from Vistaprint

Free Yard Sign from Vistaprint
You can order more flyers, banners and more yard signs by clicking here. 

10. TAKE YOUR SIGNS DOWN WHEN YOU ARE DONE! If you don't, you could be fined for littering, depending on local ordinances. Plus, leaving up signs is a sure-fire way to make sure you get rained out on your next sale day! Don't tempt fate, remove your signage! 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Find Garage Sales Online

Here is a quick list of links you can use to find garage, estate, yard or rummage sales online, free! Bargains are out there, waiting to be discovered...so take a look and see what is in your area! 

Check out Garage Sales on Gsalr.com
View and search for sales by map. Save your gas money and plan your garage sale routes in advance using the directions tool!

Find estate sales and estate sale companies at EstateSales.org

You can also search for sales through yardsalesearch.com

Free-cycle often has listings where people list their garage sale leftovers. You can hit up the sale, too...just don't get all grabby-hands before their cut off time. Be respectful! 

Check out your local Craigslist.com for garage sales. I quite often advertise my own sales here. It's free to put up an ad, and they change daily, so check often!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

10 Tips for a Successful Garage Sale

When I asked my neighbor if she wanted to join me in having a garage sale, she grimaced and said "Oh, no...that sounds like a lot of work for not nearly enough money".  I was surprised at first, then I realized, that having a successful garage or yard sale is something of an art form. 

10 Things You Should Do for A Successful Garage/Yard Sale:

1. Check local ordinances a few days ahead of time. Some areas may require a permit and have a limit on how many garage sales a household is allowed to have per year. Nothing puts a damper on a sale like having the cops stop by and write you a ticket! 

2. Advertise online for free! I run ads on my local Craigslist, on Free-cycle (you must be offering something free to do so  - see #4) or on several free online websites. For a full list, check out : Advertise Your Yard Sale / Garage Sale Online Free. 

3. Ask neighbors to get in on the fun! A multi-family garage sale will always attract more traffic than a single family sale. Sometimes you can get the whole block involved! 

4. Advertise in the local papers. Split the cost with the other families - another reason to have a multi-family sale. 

5. Place your signs. This is important! Be aware that there are laws regarding the placement of signs (like yard sale signs). Most places have laws on the books that read something sort of like: It is illegal to post, without a city or county permit, private signs on a Public Right of Way. "Public Right of Way" is commonly defined as both sidewalks on either side of a street and everything in between (including the grassy medians between the sidewalks and gutters, medians, traffic signs and light pole, trees and foliage, fences, etc.").

6. Put up advertisements on bulletin boards in your community. Try places like your local grocery stores, community center, laundry-mat, etc. Spread the news of your sale via word of mouth too to co-workers, friends and family.

7. Have a cash box and change. I use an old cash box I got at someone else's garage sale, and I keep around $20 in change. I have a $5, 10 singles, and the rest I get in rolls of change. 

8. Don't pick a holiday weekend (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day) to have your sale. You'll generally have a better turnout if its a non-holiday weekend. 

9. No pets! You may have the friendliest dog in the world, it's best to keep them away from your yard sale. Some people are afraid of dogs or are allergic. The last thing you need when trying to make a little extra money, is to get sued over a dog bite. 

10. Pricing can make or break the deal. No one wants to ask you every few seconds "how much is this?" and I have even lost a customer once because I did not price things! She picked up an item and asked how much, and I said "Make me an offer!" with a smile on my face. She scowled, said "oh, no, I don't like that" and just walked away! 
To figure out how to price things, check out "How to Price Items for A Garage or Yard Sale". 


This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Cut Pet Care Costs by 80%!

The ASPCA puts the average cost of caring for a cat at $56 per month! That is $672 per year! You can add between $5-15 per week if you have a dog depending on the size. Between food, litter, toys and treats...the money adds up fast! But there is a way you can cut down on pet food costs. I  have successfully brought my cat care costs down to less than $10 per month, or a total of around $120 per year! 

Copyright Little Mom on the Prairie 2013

I have a rescue kitty (named Josie) that I care for, even though I am not supposed to have animals and even though my budget is super tight...but I couldn't turn my back on her tiny fuzzy face! Now she is a lot more healthy-looking, Thanks to my FREE Pet Food Stockpile! 

Let me show you how I did it - Click Here to see Original Post on Little Mom Saves!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

How to Price Items for A Garage or Yard Sale

Pricing for a garage (or yard/rummage) sale can be tricky. Too high and you scare off customers. Too low, and you might not get what you want from a "barter-shopper". I can help you navigate the ins and outs of pricing! 
Here are a few tips to help you out:

1. If an item is in "like new" or "gently used" condition, price items about a quarter or third of what they would cost new. 

2. If an item is new and in original packaging, you can price it at half of what it would cost new, but be willing to negotiate. 

3. Clothes are generally very poor sellers, although there are exceptions. New or like new kid and baby clothes can be sold for around a third of what they cost new in the store. Adult clothes generally will sell if you price them at $1 or lower - people are not very likely to take a risk on something they cannot try on before buying. 

4. Try to look at your items objectively. When pricing items, keep in mind that "a third of what it costs new" is only a guideline. No one cares that you paid $75 for your advanced computer sciences book 5 years ago. You'll be lucky to sell it at all. 

5. Be precise if they ask about a price. When I've asked the seller how much they want for a particular item, many times they respond, "I don’t know, how about .50 or .25?" No buyer in their right mind will say, "yeah, I want to pay the higher price." The better way would be for the seller to answer, "How about .50?" Then if the customer puts the item back, or hesitates then you could say "or how about .25? I'm open to negotiation!"

6. The bigger the item, the bigger the price tag should be. Make it obvious. If you're selling a dresser, you can't expect the buyer to be looking all over for a tiny dot sticker. Take a full sheet of paper and put the price and list any good selling points or flaws: "Dresser - $40 Firm - only 2 years old - comes with a coordinating mirror". 

7. The price should be on top of an item, not on the bottom. I know it’s a lot of work, but worth it because you won’t have people asking every thirty seconds, "how much do you want for this?"

8.  Back up your price. If you are trying to sell something that is a high dollar item, find it online or in a catalog and print/cut it out, and tape it to your item. It shows the buyer that spending $10 for an item that normally sells for $40 new is a good deal. Be selective if you do this, people may get turned off if you do it for every item you're trying to sell. I also, personally, only do this for new or like new items, unless it was expensive (over $500) or large (furniture)...though I have seen this done with gently used kids toys. 

9. you can always go down on a price, but you can never go back up. If you don’t have time to price everything individually, signs are helpful, such as "all books .25 each" or "any piece of clothes $1.00", or "anything on this table .50".

10. Keep your money close. I like to use a half-apron with several deep pockets. One side is for the change I start out with, and the other side is for incoming cash. 


This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.