We to –  – As the weather warms up or will warm up in the Northern states soon, our minds turn to clearing out the clutter that seems to build up no matter how hard we try to stay simplified.

As an alternative to a traditional yard sale or carting everything to a local charity, we’d like to suggest a Giving Tables event.

We hosted our first one in an effort to rehome all the small decorative items that we acquired to use in Christmas light photos.

The process is simple. We pulled every table we owned – including the backyard picnic tables – into the front yard. The we covered every horizontal surface with things we didn’t need or love. 

Instead of spending a week pricing everything with $1 and $.50 stick on dots, we made everything free. 

Then we posted the event on our neighborhood Facebook page and encouraged neighbors to bring their unneeded items. The term Sharing Tables was born. It was a huge success and we were only left with a small trunk full of items left over. What a great feeling to know that clothing and unused games would be worn and played with. 

We spread the word. Bring something. Take something. “How are you going to make any money”, people asked. “Nothing!”, was our response. Waiting to have the time to price everything, bothering with change, and all the other garage-sale-activities had kept us from clearing things out for far too long.

We started something that has become a tradition. Four sharing tables events later, we have a lot less things in exchange for a lot more friends in the neighborhood.