Tag Archives: spring cleaning

Spring Cleaning Could Earn You a Pretty Penny

Spring cleaning time is upon us again. It’s when we open the windows to air the house out, shake out the winter dust, and get rid of all that clutter. Spring cleaning typically means throwing away junk or putting some not-so-often used items into boxes to be brought to a charitable organization.

You might want to look into the value of some of these items before you simply discard them. Vintage is in, and people are willing to pay a pretty penny a piece of the past. Here is just a sampling of items you may have in your home right now that you don’t even know are worth anything.

Glasses

Themed Glasses. Peanuts, Flintstones, and other cartoon favorites were printed on glasses mainly as giveaways for many years. If you have some of these fun drinking glasses shoved in the back of a cabinet taking up space, you may want to put them up for sale. Here’s an example of what a lucky seller scored for their McDonald’s glasses.

Records

Vinyl Records. Believe it or not, people are going back to spinning records to listen to music.  The sound is warm and reminiscent of simpler times. Vinyl records have become a huge commodity, and depending on the condition of not only the record but also the sleeve, you can probably make some money on them. If you are lucky enough to own an early pressing or limited edition album, it could be worth thousands.

Costume Jewelry

Costume Jewelry. Do you have some of your mother’s or grandmother’s old costume jewelry lying around? Don’t just throw it away. Some of these pieces are very collectible and have even become a fashion trend again. Check out these recent costume jewelry sales.

Tupperware Containers

Vintage Tupperware. In the age of grab-and-go containers and throwaways, Tupperware is not as popular as it used to be. It’s pricey and takes up a lot of room. Nowadays however, vintage Tupperware is all the rage. People have come to realize that the quality these products offer cannot be found in today’s disposable plasticware.

Beauty Products

Discontinued Beauty Products. It happens all the time. You find a product you love and the company discontinues it. Have a bottle of shampoo you bought a while back that didn’t work with your hair type? There might be somebody out there looking for it. Recently a bar of face soap that was discontinued years ago was sold for big bucks.

Phones

Cell Phones. If they work, there are plenty of people willing to pay for them. If you have an old “brick phone” like you’d see in movies from the 80’s and 90’s, or the very first iPhone, they can be worth a bundle in the right market.

Costumes

Halloween Costumes. If you purchase new costumes for Halloween every year and then stick them away somewhere to gather dust, consider selling them. We all know that many times dressing up for that one day out of the year isn’t cheap. Why not recoup some of your money and giving someone else a deal at the same time?

Fine China

Fine China. Nowadays most people don’t break out the china for dinner parties or special family dinners. It’s likely taking up space in a box in the attic or basement. Depending on the manufacturer, certain sets of china can be worth some money. If you have a collection, take it to an appraiser who specializes in antiques.

cookbooks on shelf

Old Cookbooks. In today’s digital society we get our recipes off the internet and save them on a Pinterest board or something similar. If you have old cookbooks lying around,d check a couple ‘for sale’ sites and see what they bring. As an example, if you have a copy of Julia Child’s original cookbook published by Knopf in 1961 Mastering the Art of FrenchCooking, it’s worth hundreds of dollars.

VHS Tapes

VHS Tapes. Before Blu-rays and streaming, VHS tape is how we watched movies at home. Did you know that some of them are worth a lot of money? Take a look at your collection and do some research before just throwing them in a landfill.

What are you waiting for? Start digging through those boxes and bins that you stuffed away years ago. Extra money is fun and can buy you lots of new pajamas!  Good luck with your treasure hunt and happy selling

7 ways to get ready for spring

It’s almost time to put another winter behind us. Every day we’re seeing a little bit more daylight, the temperatures are starting to rise, and signs of spring are starting to pop up everywhere.  There’s something about the fresh start spring brings that just makes us feel so great!

When that first perfect day hits, you’re going to want to spend time outdoors enjoying the nice weather. With a little prep, you can ensure that you’ll need less time for work and more time for fun!banner daphne

Rotate clothing– We won’t need heavy sweaters or winter wear for much longer so start washing and storing the really wintry stuff now. At the same time, start pulling out your spring clothes so you don’t have to sift through your wardrobe to find the right outfit on that first 70-degree day. Don’t forget about your spring pajamas… lighter fabrics with floral prints are perfect for setting that spring mood.

January Seeds

Start thinking about your garden. Do you grow vegetables? Do you love having a yard full of flowers? With more people spending time at home, gardening has become a hot new hobby. This caused many greenhouses and nurseries to run out of stock early last spring and many people were unable to purchase plants. To make sure, that you have everything you want to grow this year, why not start seeds indoors? Empty cardboard eggshell cartons are a great way to keep your seeds separate and nurture them until you can plant them outside.

Skincare products

Springtime skin and hair care. Cold dry air in the winter requires a different skincare routine. We typically use heavier moisturizers, and a lot of people don’t use as much sunscreen during the winter months. As the humidity and UV levels rise, you’ll want something lighter with sunscreen. The same thing applies to your hair care routine. In the warmer months, you may not need a super-moisturizing shampoo or thick conditioner. Pick up what you’re going to need now so you’re not in the checkout line when you should be enjoying yourself.

Cleaning Blinds

Start thinking spring cleaning. De-cluttering and refreshing your home feels great! There’s nothing like opening your windows on a beautiful spring day and kicking the winter dust and stale air to the curb. Even if we’re not quite there yet, you can start the cleaning part now.  Go through closets & cupboards and start throwing things away. Pull out that furniture in low traffic rooms to vacuum and dust.  Then when that perfect window opening day comes, you can tackle the main parts of your home.

Furry Friend

Don’t forget about your Furry Friends. If you have pets, chances are they’ve got a full, thick winter coat right now. As the weather warms, they will start to lose that hair. You can be proactive now and make sure to brush and comb them regularly to start thinning that hair out, or you can wait and clean it up daily from your furniture, clothes, and floors. We recommend option A.

Pedi

Get a pedicure. It’s almost flip-flop season! Need we say more? Make sure those little piggies are ready to come out of hibernation by getting a pedicure now!

Exercise

Start exercising now. If your new year’s resolution to start exercising fell by the wayside in week 2, now’s the time for a resolution reboot. Short and tank top weather is knocking on the door and you want to look your best. Start exercising to shed that quarantine AND winter weight.

You’ll find this to be a great start. Happy spring! Bring on birds, blossoms, and tree buds.

Spring Cleaning Pro Tips

Spring Cleaning is a Breeze with These Pro Tips

Treetops that were dusted with the reddish hue of leaf buds are now bursting with vibrant spring colors. We welcome the fresh spring air by throwing open our windows and… hey, what is that all over our windows? Can dust be simultaneously dusty and greasy? Where the heck did all this dirt come from?! Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a headache, so go ahead and throw open your windows and the cabinet under your sink. With these helpful tips, you’ll be able to tackle spring cleaning in your pajamas, without breaking a sweat.

Spring cleaning is a breeze with these pro tips!

7 Best Spring Cleaning Shortcuts

1. Rugs and Carpets. Take a minute to clean your vacuum. Yes, you read that correctly. Cleaning out the filter and brushes — which are often tangled with a mess of hair — will make it as powerful as the day you bought it. This is especially true of robotic vacuums, like the Roomba. With your machine in tip-top shape, you’ll spend less time going over the same area again and again. For an extra boost, generously sprinkle your rugs and carpets with baking soda and leave overnight. The baking soda “traps” moisture and smells. Thoroughly vacuum the baking soda the next morning.

2. Windows. For the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time, focus on the outside of the windows and don’t sweat the details. Pick up a preferred window or exterior cleaner that is approved for the outdoors. Brands like Scotts and Windex have created cleaner that will attach to your garden hose, so you can skip renting the pressure washer. Just spray and done!

3. Walls and Doors. Some people wash their walls and doors annually. We’re not those people. Spot clean high-traffic, high-touch areas with a product like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. The areas around door handles and door jams gather a layer of grime. The “Magic Eraser” lives up to its name. With little effort, you can erase this tricky layer of dirt. It also removes scuff marks from doors!

Spring Cleaning Hack for Bathrooms

Use shaving cream to shine your bathroom fixtures.

4. Oven. If your oven has a “self clean” option, use it. Plan to be out for the day while it works its magic and be sure to crack a window so the house doesn’t smell like gas. After it’s done self-cleaning simply wipe it down. “Self-cleaning” means that the oven reaches its peak temperature for a long period of time, rendering everything inside to ash. If the oven doesn’t have a self-clean option and your scared of the chemicals in harsh spray-on oven cleaner, a thick layer of baking soda and vinegar can remove most of the grime. Leave the solution on for 30 minutes and wipe the paste away with a sponge and water. Easy peasy.

5. Refrigerator. The worst part of cleaning the fridge is taking everything out and putting it back in… and the cleaning. With a little planning, you can cut a lot of time off this process. Simply clean the fridge when you know you will be low on groceries. If you’re concerned about cleaning with chemicals in an area where you store food, use baking soda and vinegar as you would to clean your oven. It will quickly remove any stains and food gunk!

6. Bathroom. Everyone’s least favorite room to clean! Instead of scheduling time to clean the room, spot clean with these handy bathroom cleaning hacks. If you’re using baking soda and vinegar to clean other rooms in the house, sprinkle both in your toilet and let it sit for 15 minutes — flush and done! While you’re shaving, you can rub shaving cream on your fixtures, rinse, and they’ll sparkle. If you’re a tea drinker, you can take the tea bag from your morning cup and wipe down your mirror for a streak-free shine.

7. Tile. The grout between tiles is one of the hardest parts of your home to clean — and the most tedious. Scrubbing apart sponges or spending hours scouring with an old toothbrush are not appealing approaches. If you have a lot of tile in your home and a drill, consider purchasing a drill brush. This is a scrub brush attachment for a drill, originally designed for auto detailing, that allows you to power through your grout cleaning! After you’re finished, use a candle made of wax that is similar to your grout color. Gently rub the candle over the grout. The light wax coating will keep your grout clean for longer!

We hope these spring cleaning tips help you spend less time cleaning and more time in your pajamas this weekend! For more tips for easy living, visit The Pajama Company at our blog, thepajamacompany.com/blog.