You would never know what an effort I have put into giving away unused and underutilized possessions in this home!

At least the exercise equipment is colorful. Some of it is merely aspirational at this point, and will find a new home in our basement. (The basement was waterproofed during the pandemic, but not finished, so it is not a comfortable place to spend time.)

We bought this home twenty years ago. It was built in 1955, and the race car curtains hanging in the boys’ bedroom were definitely from that era. They looked worn, but I couldn’t just toss them. Today they hang in a Volkswagen Microbus sporting 1950s decor.

Parting with my beloved Frye boots was possibly an overhasty move. But they no longer fit comfortably. Since I never have used curlers, I was surprised to find an unused set in the closet: They appeared dated, yet were also quickly claimed.

The best gift I received from Buy Nothing, the best possible gift, has been the gift of friendship with a young family. They will move back to their home country in a few months, and we will sorely miss them!

When people ask how we met, the answer is always “through Buy Nothing!” When they first arrived to an empty apartment, they realized that they did not have the IKEA tool necessary to assemble their toddler’s bed. Our house is decorated with a mix of antiques from grandparents and consignment shops, along with “Early IKEA,” purchased twenty plus years ago from the IKEA in Tustin, California.

From the IKEA tool, and a follow up thank you via the Messenger app, a tentative friendship began. I mentioned that I was studying Portuguese when my friend, Anita, said they were here from Brazil. We have no grandchildren, and they have no family in the US, so our intergenerational friendship has grown. We enjoy visits from Caio when his parents are busy. Our basement holds tubs of Duplos, Tinker Toys, Playmobil, and K’Nex, and our bookshelves are full of Dr. Seuss books.

Our friends have had a new family member since their arrival! I had so much fun baking a child’s birthday cake, and bringing out my Tupperware “Cake Taker” for the first time in years for George’s first birthday. He is a little boy now ❤️