If you’ve been putting off the day when you clear the clutter from your kids’ room, it’s time to take action. Tackle your kids’ bedroom or playroom—the spaces that require daily work to keep clean—with a real plan of attack. We asked the experts to weigh in and offer tips on how to clear the clutter and keep things organized (for real). From prepping for the big day to what you need to toss out, here’s our guide on how to clean out your kids’ room.

How to Prep for the Day You Clear the Clutter

1. Make a plan.

you need a plan to clear the clutter
iStock

A good way to start is to identify what you want to accomplish while cleaning. Are there a lot of old toys that can be given away to a friend or sold at a garage sale? Does your kid need more space for books? Write down the tasks you want to tackle, and you’ll feel better about the job.

2. Start where you are.
It’s the secret motivational boost for what can feel like a daunting task. As contributor Jennifer Landis recommends, any spring-cleaning project should start with one room, and look—you’ve got your kid’s room already picked out. Whether you tackle an all-purpose bedroom or have a designated playroom, grab your “to keep,” “to donate,” and “to toss” bags, and get going!

3. Move out.
If it’s been a while since you’ve vacuumed under that epic fort in the corner, it’s time to move things around—or at least to the middle of the room. It’s not only the best way to clean out nooks and crannies, but you’ll be more mindful of what you bring back in.

Related: The Secrets Professional Organizers Use to Stay Sane & Clutter-Free

What to Toss While You’re Cleaning

1. Random tiny toys.

Nik via Unsplash

 

All those little plastic toys your kids get while cruising the petite party circuit? If it hasn’t found a place of honor in your kid’s play rotation yet, toss it.

2. The last of the baby gear.
Do you still have a nursing pillow in the closet? How about an activity gym or a Bumbo seat? If you’re done adding to your family, it may finally be time to pass these on to newer mamas or donate to those in need. And upcycle! Add flair to formula or diaper wipe containers for extra storage or paint those baby food containers for a color wheel crayon organizing system. Check out more clever ways to upcycle old baby gear.

3. Anything broken.
No matter what project you’ve undertaken, little feels better than being on a roll, so start with easy toss-ables, such as anything broken. That play purse that lost its handle. Those three missing parts that don’t add up to anything. Crayon stubs you know you’ll never melt into little DIY gifts. Clear all that clutter and enjoy the immediate breathing room.

4. Stuffies that aren’t lovies.
We’ll admit it, this one is going to be a battle, but if your little hoarder is old enough to rise to the task without suddenly growing inseparable from each stuffie you attempt to discard, then this presents a wonderful opportunity to donate those in good condition.

5. Too-tiny clothes and shoes.
Kids grow fast in the early years. Before we know it, the pants are too short and the shoes are tight. Take honest stock of what your kid wears (oftentimes it’s a few favorite outfits), and purge what’s outgrown, stained, or simply not your kid’s style. You can even go the capsule wardrobe route, check out our tips on how to make it happen here.

6. Odd socks. 
It’s a mystery as to where they all go, but we do know that socks love to disappear. Accept the fact that, for some reason, they’re gone, and toss the solo sock. You’ll have more space in your drawers and it’ll make laundry day much more pleasant.

7. The endless piles of paper.
Royal crowns from birthdays gone by? Notebooks long ago scribbled in? Coloring books of yesteryear? How about all those school Valentines or party favors? Take a quick flip through for anything indicative of early artistic genius, then recycle, recycle, recycle.

8. Outdated wall decor
Have you changed your preschooler’s wall art since you set up the nursery? Every few years, it’s nice to switch things up. If you’re still planning to add to your family, put the sweet baby giraffe print in storage with the Rock ‘n’ Play, and update the walls. Etsy has thousands of affordable printables, or you can clear wall space for an educational mural from Wallsauce. Here are other great ways to design a kids’ room that grows with them.

9. Ripped, broken books and board books (if your kids are beyond the baby stage).
Like little bodies outgrow clothes, big minds and imaginations outgrow books. If your bookworm’s shelves are bursting, it’s time to save a few sentimental titles and donate the rest.

How to Keep It Clean After You Clear the Clutter

1. Pick up regularly.

Now that most of the hard work is over, save time in the future by going through this clean-up process regularly, especially after birthdays and holidays, as NEAT Method recommends. Read on for other great pro tips and secrets to organizing success from moms.

2. Don’t micromanage the small stuff.
Toys and parts often migrate under the couch, appear underfoot, and end up right on your last nerve. While these Shopkins and snap-ins may be tiny, they need a big home. Rather than spend time every day re-assigning them to individual containers, consider one big bin or this fun Swoop Bag, which also works wonders for LEGO, train sets, and play food. The best part? Clean-up is a cinch, even for mini-mess makers.

3. Don’t go overboard on storage.
It’s a little counterintuitive, but hear us out. We are all for stylish, sensible ways to organize—and storage solutions are certainly keys to a clean room—but any additional containers are bound to fill up. Work with what you have to minimize excess—the answer isn’t always to store it.

4. Save the sentimental stuff.
Parents, we are one of the biggest reasons it’s so hard to clear out what our kids have outgrown—physically and developmentally. It’s emotional! We remember when he walked off to his first day of kindergarten in that sweatshirt or that toy dinosaur she carried everywhere for a year. Select choice pieces for cool and surprising ways to repurpose the sentimental stuff.

5. Upcycle “new” toys.
With everything streamlined, the last thing you or your budget want to do is rush to fill it up with new stuff. The next time the kids beg for the latest, get creative! Sand-filled juice boxes make for awesome stacking blocks and corks morph into stamps. There are loads of great reasons why you should be upcycling anyway.

6. Use the “out of sight, out of mind” method. Have a place to stash the toys they haven’t played with in a while and give yourself a time limit. If the time has passed and no one has asked for it, you can donate or toss it. Get more on how to make this work here.

7. Let (some) clutter go.
At the end of the day, it’s a kid’s room. It should look like a kid lives, plays, and imagines there, which means extra stuff is sometimes just part of the fun, messy wonder of it all. So relax, and remember that the next time clutter accumulates.

Whether you are just moving to the area or a brand-new mom, moms groups are a great way to meet people who share your same stage of life. These Akron, Ohio groups for moms offer moral support for these days at home and the promise of playdates at the park and moms nights out on the town once things return back to “normal.” Your crew is here for you!

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Akron Area Moms (and Dads)
This Facebook group has over 2,000 members in the Akron, OH area. They plan playdates, schedule adult-only meetups and share local events for kids. Join here.

Fairlawn Moms & Tots
This group is designed for moms with young children. While the group was founded in Fairlawn, they have grown to include moms and tots throughout the greater Akron area. They are a diverse group of moms and tots and welcome everyone who wishes to be part of the group. When able, they schedule a variety of play dates throughout the Akron area and have a monthly Mom's Night Out. Join here

West Akron Moms Club
This group is for parents living in West Akron who enjoy the support and social activity of other adults and their children. The network is here to offer support and understanding to each other through the joys and tasks of parenthood. The club offers a wonderful opportunity to create lifelong friendships for moms, dads and children alike. Prospective members are welcome to attend a club activity before committing the join. Join here

The Nest
This donation-based business spun off two busy Facebook groups—the Becoming "Mom" group and Tots & Up group. Find babysitter recommendations, local meet-ups, toy swaps and more on the Tots group and information about becoming a mom through infancy in the Becoming "Mom" group. 

MOMS Club® of Cuyahoga Falls, OH
This group is for moms within the 44221, 44222, or 44223 zip codes. They keep a full calendar of activities for moms and kids of all ages. From Couples' Nights Out to playdates at local parks, this group has it all. They support members with helping hands meals and provide community service opportunities throughout the community. Join here

MOMS Club® of Copley/Fairlawn
This MOMS Club serves stay-at-home and working mothers in Copley, Fairlawn, Bath and surrounding areas. Most club activities occur during weekdays and kids are always welcome. Activities include coffee meetups, craft days, playgroups, book clubs and more. They also host meal prep days where members get together to make meals for the week. Join here

MOMS Club® of Hudson, Streetsboro, Peninsula and Richfield
This chapter serves residents of Streetsboro, Hudson, Peninsula and Richfield, Ohio. Meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month and are currently happening via Zoom. You are welcome to attend a meeting before joining the group. Join here

There are additional MOMS Club groups in Medina and Stow. Find your local chapter here

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Northeast Ohio Mothers of Multiples
This group's mission is to offer support, information, education and social interaction for mothers (or guardians) of multiple births in Northeast Ohio. They typically meet on the second Tuesday of the month. The group participates in the Kids Stuff Sale each September as part of the Great Garage Sale at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Join here

Barberton/Norton/Akron Moms Helping Moms
This Facebook group helps local moms share tips, promote their businesses and receive support from other moms. Join here.

Eastside Cleveland Playgroup
If you're willing to travel a bit or live closer to Cleveland, this is a great group to check out. Activities range from play-dates at local parks to all kinds of field trips. Kids range from newborn to elementary school (0-10 years), and they enjoy trips to the zoo, museums, fairs, libraries and special local events. Most events occur on the east side, but they do venture south and west on occasion. They are currently offering Zoom Mom's chats, Zoom playdates and hikes. Join here

Want to have your group added to the list? Send an email to kate@tinybeans.go-vip.net.

—Kate Loweth

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One minute she’s wearing 3-6 months and the next, she’s already outgrown 9-12 months. Keeping up with your babies’ seemingly never-ending growth spurts in an organized way, figuring out what to do with all of babies’ outgrown clothes, can feel overwhelming. Here, we’ve compiled some ideas on how you can effectively and easily deal with all those clothes while positively impacting those around you.

Photo: Andres Rodriguez via Flickr

Hand Them Down

The first thing that comes to mind is giving your clothes to another sibling or family member. Recipients of hand-me-downs are usually super excited and grateful to be given such an amazing gift. It saves lots of money and it’s also fun to see favorite outfits on your other kids or nieces and nephews.

A couple tips for hand-me-downs:

1. Save only the clothes that are in great condition. Check out each piece and figure out if it’s worth saving. Is it stained beyond repair? Does it have holes in it? If so, then put them in a separate pile to recycle (which we’ll cover next).

2. Wash everything you decide to keep. You want to make sure any odor or stains don’t attract bugs or other creepy crawlies while they’re being stored.

3. Stay organized with your storage. Whether you choose plastic bins, or the oversize ziplock bags that you can suck the air out of, keep like items and same sizes together and then label them.

4. Keep your clothes smelling fresh. Before you pack the clothes away, stick a few dryer sheets in to keep all those sweet baby outfits smelling fresh and clean.

Photo: Wastebusters via Flickr

Recycle

It can be tempting to just throw clothes away that no longer have a usable life. But experts estimate that the average American throws away 65 pounds of clothing per year, most of which end up in landfills. So what can be done with all those clothes? Recycle them!

There are many for profit and non-profit clothes recycling companies in existence. One of the easiest options is to simply stop by your local H&M clothing store (usually found in malls) and drop off your used, any condition, any style or brand clothing to their “No Garment Goes to Waste Collection.”  Those items will find new life as cleaning cloths, insulation or textile fibers.

Photo: Mark Pilgrim via Flickr

Donate Them

It can be downright exhausting to manage all the clothing that our littles outgrow so quickly, and if you don’t have the time, or desire to sort, wash and store all of them, donating is another great option with several different avenues you can explore.

Freecycle: Similar to recycling, freecycling involves finding people who would really love what you have to give away. The website freecycle.org matches people in your area with free stuff. A great option when you have baby clothes that you’d like to pass on to others for free and don’t mind a little bit of work to connect to others who would directly benefit from your items.

Schoola: You can now donate your gently used items while raising money for your favorite school! It’s called Schoola. All you have to do is log on to their website, request a pre-paid bag, fill it up with your clothes, drop it in the mail and start raising cash for the school of your choice.

Local Thrift Store: If you’re into donating clothes, your local thrift stores are also a great option. Most of them have easy drop off locations where you can leave your items and even get a tax write-off in return, if you so desire.

Photo: Jonathan Rolande via Flickr

Sell Them

We all have our favorite outfits that are just plain hard to give away or donate. It’s nice to make money on all those clothes that we swooned over when we first had our baby. If this is your predicament, and you don’t mind a little extra work to make back your hard-earned money, then selling them is right down your alley and you have a few options.

Resale: Stores like Once Upon a Child are resale stores which means you bring in all your stuff (washed) and they pick out the items they’d like to buy from you. The nice part about resale is that they give you cash on the spot. The downside is that they can be quite picky about what they’ll accept. To find a resale shop near you, simply Google “children’s resale store.”

Consignment: This idea is similar to resale, except the store doesn’t pay you until they sell the item. There are children’s consignment stores all over the place in brick and mortar locations as well as online consignment stores like threadup.com. It pays to have your items in pristine condition as well as keep track of when they expire at the store so you can go and pick them up. It takes a bit of extra work, but it could pay off!

Tag sale. The good ole tag sale is the final way you can sell your baby’s outgrown clothes. Washing the items and organizing them is necessary and pricing them to sell (or being negotiable) will help you get rid of them all, while making some cash. It’s also a great time to throw in other baby items you no longer use. A helpful tip is to post your garage sale on craigslist.com with a picture of some of the items you will be selling. This is sure to whet the appetite of shoppers who are specifically looking for baby items.

Now that you have lots of ideas to get you started, what will you decide to do with your baby’s outgrown clothes? Please share your ideas below.

-Sarah Blight

Bargains and reusing are two things that most Portland parents can appreciate 24/7. It’s even better when they’re together at the same place and time. Enter, the giant, multi-family, multi-block phenonmenon, known as the neighborhood garage sale. Whether you want to shop from (or sell to) neighbors in your own hood, or get out of your quadrant, the following neighborhood garage sales make for the perfect treasure hunt while scoring some seriously stellar deals.

photo: wikimedia.org via creative commons

Forest Heights
When: June 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Like scenic hills with your stellar deals? Forest Heights’ neighborhood sale snakes throughout the West Hills of Portland, from Skyline down to Cornell, making it a gorgeous drive that winds through the hills. When you’re done shopping, hit up the Skyline Restaurant (1313 NW Skyline Blvd.) for gigantic burgers, crisp onion rings and rich milkshakes while you sit in classic, red booths – just be sure you bring some cash.

Online: fhhoa.com

Maywood Park
When: June 12-14, Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-2 p.m

Maywood Park’s city-within-a-city lies due east of Rocky Butte. Their annual garage sale happens all weekend, so come early for the best selection, and late for last minute deals. Maywood Park is part of the “40 mile trail” that isn’t quite 40 miles yet, but you can still enjoy this multi-use trail. Bring your bikes, and work off some of the calories from the elephant ears that will be available at the sale.

Online: cityofmaywoodpark.com

Happy Valley Dog Park: photo by Chris W. via Yelp

Happy Valley
When: June 12-14, Approx. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Happy Valley might seem like a bit of a trek for most Portlanders, but it’s only about 25 minutes from downtown Portland and just a hop, skip, and a jump from Clackamas Town Center. This sale has a really cool, updated website that tells bargain hunters what’s selling at each house, for shopping efficiency for those serious sales hounds. This neighborhood doesn’t have set hours, but most sellers open up from about 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring Fido and head to the dog park at Happy Valley Park (13770 SE Ridgecrest Rd.), and if it’s a hot day, bring your bathing suits, too. A rollicking splash pad at the same park has 16 sprayers to keep your family cool.

Online: happyvalleysale.org or facebook.com/HappyValleyGarageSale

Laurelhurst
When: June 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Laurelhurst neighborhood is a popular destination for families as it is, with Laurelhurst Park’s (SE Caesar Chavez Blvd. and Stark St.) rolling grassy hills, duck pond, basketball courts and playground. Laurelhurst’s sale will include a map of participating neighbors in a very established part of town with a higher price point – who knows what you’ll find? There aren’t many restaurants in Laurelhurst proper, but your family can grab some grub to go from the nearby food carts at SE 28th and Ankeny for kid-friendly meals or snacks to take to the park. Choose from Mexican, Italian, and more. Falafel from Wolf & Bear’s (113 SE 28th Ave.) makes for portable picnic to refuel after some serious bargain hunting.

Online: laurelhurstpdx.org or facebook.com/events

Eastmoreland
When: June 27 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and June 28 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

This sale is especially hopping on Saturday and, historically, has had more than 140 homes participating. Maps will be available bright and early Saturday morning. Bring a change of shoes and socks so you can head across Highway 99 to check out the new Westmoreland Nature Park (SE McLoughlin Blvd. & Bybee Blvd.). Your little naturalists can dig in sand and scoop water, climb around logs, and build structures out of natural materials. Or, head the other way, east up Woodstock, to Cloud City Ice Cream (4525 SE Woodstock Blvd.)  for innovative flavors that the whole family can get behind.

Online: eastmoreland.org

photo: John D. via Yelp 

Kenton
When: Sep. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Kenton goes a little more high-tech, with a map of garage sale sites available for download the night before the sale opens, so you can plan your attack. The morning of the sale, low-tech garage sale aficionados can grab a map at Posie’s Cafe (8208 N Denver Ave.), a cool coffee shop with a kids’ play room. Score! You’ll know you’re in Kenton when you see the big statue of Paul Bunyan (8433 N. Interstate Ave.) Don’t forget to pay your respects to old Paul, who’s been overlooking the neighborhood and providing photo ops since 1959.

Online: kentongaragesale.com or facebook.com/kentongaragesale

Did we miss your neighborhood garage sale? Let us know in the comments!

—Kelley Gardiner

Not sure how to spend your next weekend in San Diego? If you’re looking for some family fun that’s just off the beaten path, spend a day at the famous Kobey’s Swap Meet. Swap meets are a fun way to treasure hunt with your cuties, and a great chance to teach about recycling, reusing and handling money (if they are old enough), all while feeling the thrill of a scavenger hunt and the score of a deal.

Kobey’s Swap Meet
Kobey’s is the ultimate stop for swap meet swag. It has many pint-sized bargain-hunting treasures. Scour the tables and bins for LEGO, Polly Pocket dolls and accessories, Barbies and more. There are both swap meet and garage-sale style booths for your little ones to explore. Set an amount they can spend (let them learn to budget), then send the little pirates off to scour the terrain for their bountiful loot (with mom or dad’s supervision, of course).

Sweet Treats
If the little swashbucklers need a bite to eat, there are lots of places to take a bit. Traditional hamburgers and hot dogs are available (a little on the expensive and greasy side). But we recommend saving the money and appetites for the other treats. Popcorn is a hit with the pint-sized type and snow cones are big and fun to eat (especially on hot summer days). There’s also a mini-donut stand where kids can watch them make the sweet treats.

Savvy Swap Meet Tips

  • Sunblock is key. Even on overcast days, be prepared to spray and wear a hate. Brining a bottle of water is also recommended.
  • Vendors don’t take credit cards. So bring cash. Smaller bills will be appreciated.
  • Bring your own canvas bag to stash all your goodies.
  • While the swap meet is open all weekend, Sunday is the best day to score treasures.
  • Go online and print a coupon for $1 off adult admission.
  • You can rent a single stroller ($6) or a double cool cart ($7) to wheel your little munchkins around.
  • The bathrooms are located at the back of the meet near the food stand. While they are porta-potties, there is an attendant on duty and a place to wash hands.
  • Parking is free!

Hours: Fri. – Sun., 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Cost: Fri.: $1/Adults; Sat. & Sun., $2/Adults; Free/Kids under 11

3500 Sports Arena Blvd.
San Diego, Ca 92110
Online: Kobeys.com

— Monique Walsh (photos too)

Imagine getting paid to engage and entertain kids through music and dance. Sound too good to be true? Nope — so is the life (errr…shall we say enviable life) of Andy Zamenes, a children’s performer and singer-songwriter whose original songs, albums and videos will get even the most ornery kid up and dancing. Andy’s performances incorporate character voices and puppets, as well as genres that include folk, jazz, hip hop and blues.

Andy recently sat down with us to talk about his love of music, summer plans, and favorite neighborhood haunts.

What are the last five songs/albums you downloaded on your iPod/MP3 player?
1. The Beatles- Revolver (don’t know how I never got this album before. I’m a Beatles nut!)

2. John Lithgow- Singin’ In The Bathtub
It’s his kids’ music album and a masterfully done one at that. I featured his song “Big Kids” on my guest DJ set for the Internet Radio Show “Spare The Rock, Spoil The Child”, and wanted to have a good sounding version of the song and the whole album, so I got it.

3. Danny Kaye- Danny Kaye Sings “Hans Christian Andersen” and Other Favourites. I featured the song “Tongue Twisters” on the same show, and again decided to download the whole album.
I am a HUGE Danny Kaye fan in general, but I’ve been particularly influenced and inspired by his masterful use of rhyming and word play.

4. The Killers- Hot Fuss
One of my favorite new(er) bands. Waited until the songs got somewhat out of rotation to buy this one, and put my gift card to good use!

5. The Police- Ghost In The Machine
Another classic album that I somehow never bought. Gift card to the rescue again!

Describe a perfect Sunday with your family.
It’s all about getting outside ideally- maybe hitting our favorite farmer’s market, and a garage sale that catches our eye(s). Then hitting the coast, maybe staying there until sundown, eating dinner and heading back.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Playing for more families at repeat and brand new venues (I LOVE my job!), playing some tunes on the new Halloween album, going to Lake Tahoe, and maybe Virginia City, NV while we’re out that way (our sentimental favorite destination). Not too much vacation time nowadays as I’m booked just about every weekend (no complaints!), but we’ll get out when we can! Monterey, Carmel and Capitola are favorite “Indian” summer destinations as well.

What is the last big risk that you’ve taken and how did it turn out?
Taking out a big loan to fund my 5th album. It’s the first one however for older kids (8 to 12) although it will still be accessible to my young fans. This is new territory for me in the realm of kids music, so that’s a risk in itself. But I just work with what the muse brings to me. Also, I’m fortunate enough to be working with Grammy-moninated producer Tor Hyams, and national family music publicist Elizabeth Waldman Frazier this time around. When they agreed to take on this project with me, I HAD to take the risk! I’ll let you know how it turns out. I have a feeling it’s going to be REALLY good!

Tell us about your favorite date night spot.
When we do get a chance to get out, we like to go to the Symphony at Davies Hall in San Francisco. That’s quite a date night, and it doesn’t happen very often, but it feeds the soul for sure. Speaking of feed, we like to go to our favorite Greek Restaurant Kokkari when we’re in SF on a date night. It’s the ambience as much as it is the food.

Tell us about a hidden gem in your neighborhood — a place that the locals love.
Well it’s not such a “hidden” gem per say, but it might be for those outside of Redwood City and the mid-peninsula. We love “Courthouse Square” in front of the old County Courthouse, which is now the San Mateo County History Museum- not only because it’s pretty (which it is) but because there is a different event going on there more often than not. Whether it’s a concert, outdoor salsa dance-off and presentation, a family movie on the square (summer nights, kinda like a drive-in movie without the cars), or ice skating (the city puts up an ice skating rink in the square) there is much more to do downtown than when I was a kid. The hometown I’ve found myself living in again has come a LONG way!

Thanks, Andy for speaking to Red Tricycle! We can’t wait to catch your next show.

Your floor may be covered in preschool toys, but that doesn’t mean your walls can’t be covered in grown-up art. Seattle Magazine shows you how art collecting isn’t just for the filthy rich, or those with tons of time to scour swap meets and garage sales for Antique Roadshow-esque finds. Having unique, collectables can be a reality for the rest of us.

Nancy Guppy bought her first work of art at a coffee shop in 1989. “I was waiting to order and became mesmerized by a painting of this maternal, Madonna-like figure. I loved the colors, and it felt so safe and loving,” Guppy says. The former Almost Live actress paid $600 for the painting and promptly hung it on the wall of the new apartment she shared with her husband, Joe. The purchase, she says, helped her settle into the space. “It was important to create our own aesthetic.”

The Madonna painting was a seed that grew into a passion for art collecting. More than 20 years later, Guppy is the host of the Seattle Channel’s Art Zone program and lives with Joe in a compact two-bedroom condo on Queen Anne. Her home is like a private gallery, where paintings, sculptures, photos and illustrations enliven walls, tables and even the refrigerator.

There’s the oil landscape above the bed that she bought at an artist’s garage sale for $75. There’s a birch log sculpture by Seattle artist Julie Lindell. There’s a “crazy-great” Gregory Blackstock piece, for which the local autistic artist used Sharpies, crayons and colored pencils to draw “all the firecrackers in the world.” Guppy says surrounding herself with original art makes her feel happy and delighted.

And that, she says, is the whole point of art collecting. It is so personal that you can’t worry about what anyone else thinks about the work. “It’s an artist’s idea. It either speaks to you or challenges you or it doesn’t. It’s really a person-to-person communication,” she says.

Guppy and other local art aficionados insist that having your own collection doesn’t require a special education or gobs of money, just a willingness to go with your instincts. So if your own home is decorated with ho-hum posters or mass-market art—or left bare for fear of choosing the “wrong” thing—Seattle’s thriving art scene is an ideal arena in which to begin your own collection.

Continue reading Art Collecting 101  for more tips and tricks on how to make your home a beautiful gallery.

This is our weekly guest post from our friends at Seattle Magazine, which keeps readers on the pulse of restaurants, personalities, arts, entertainment and culture that reflect the tapestry of our dynamic landscape. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a weekly dose of fantastic Date Night ideas throughout greater Seattle.

Join The Marin Parent’s of Multiples at the largest Family Garage Sale in Marin! MPOMC’s annual Garage Sale features a variety of high-quality used items including maternity apparel, baby and children’s clothes (from infant to approximately age six), infant and toddler gear, toys, furniture and much more! Saturday June 11th, 8am 12pm, half price sale 1pm – 2pm.  Marin Catholic Gymnasium, 675 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield.  For more info, visit http://www.mpomc.org/garage_sale.