Western Spring Spring CleanUp Tent Sale

Each year in May, Western Springs hosts an annual Spring Cleanup Day, allowing residents to dispose of an unlimited amount of household items. This year that day is May 16th. But don’t wait until Saturday morning, the excitement starts early Friday afternoon.

If you enjoy a morning of Garage Sale shopping, this is your jackpot day. It’s as if 4000 families decided to hold an afternoon neighborhood Yard Sale.

Acceptable Items:
• Household items
• Bulk items (furniture, bicycles)
• Large appliances
• Carpet (must be cut down to four feet in length, securely bundled and no more than 60 pounds in weight)
• Clothing
• Draperies

People rent trucks just to go garbage picking. I know one couple that furnished an entire little cottage after a day of driving up and down the streets of Western Springs. I’ll put out something I no longer need that I know could go to good use by a family in need.

My problem is when the scrap metal folks grab it, break it and throw it in their truck before a young couple can pick it up and take it home.

Last year I guarded items of value on my side of the sidewalk while the true scrap metal (we’d done some re-piping) sat in the parkway. Granted, construction debris is a non-acceptable item for 6 am Saturday morning pick-up by the garbage contractor for the village. But the scrap metal guys will be circling like vultures starting at about 3:00 pm Friday afternoon.

I even posted more valuable items on Craigslist for $5 or $10 just so I knew someone really wanted them.

This year I’m taking it a step further. I’m going to hold a Princess and Pirate Parties Clearance Sale. I have brand new items that retail for $12.95 collecting dust in the basement (the airtight bins are collecting the dust, not the actual items). For just $1, a sweet little 5-year-old girl could buy a Fairy Princess costume or a licensed Disney Princesses purse. Wizard hats are available for the boys at only $1. Free eye patch, stick-on earrings, pirate tattoo and/or princess tattoo for every child. For more information, go to: http://4MyBday.com/gsale/

Today, my husband opened up our water and garbage bill and was actually excited to see the additional $5 charge for Spring Cleanup Day. “The best $5 I’ve ever spent.”