This weekend I’ve had a massive declutter of my house, I had been putting it off for ages. However due to having new carpets fitted, I thought it would be the perfect time to clear the clutter, have a good old spring clean and attempt to make some extra cash.  I was astounded by the quantity of stuff I have which has not been used for a long time and is just taking up much needed space.  I have now relocated and organised the clutter in my garage  and am slowly placing my for sale ads with the aim of clearing my garage by Christmas  

Creating My Selling Page

I thought the best way for me to place my items for sale would be to create my own selling page on ads’ere.  This will enable me  to post my selling page on Facebook, twitter, Google+ and I can also e-Mail the link to my page to all my contacts letting everyone see all my sale ads in one place.

This is the process I went through to create my own selling page:

• Go to www.adsere.com
• Register for free by simply adding your e-Mail address
• Click on communities
• Select create a community
• Create a community title (e.g. Lisa’s Selling Page)
• Select a Category best suited to your items for sale (I chose regional)
• Choose an image for your page
• Give your selling page a description, you may wish to let everyone know a little bit about you and where your items are from.
• Decide if you want your selling page to be public so anyone can join or private so you are in control of your members.  If you do have people who want to join your selling page they will be kept up to date with your items for sale, as each time you place a new ad they will receive an e-Mail to inform them.

Horse Riding & Equipment

The following basic equipment is needed for riding lessons, riding hat, jodhpurs, riding boots, back protector and gloves.   I am very reluctant to buy all new gear for my daughter because she is growing so fast her clothes and shoes do not last five minutes, so I have bought her secondhand boots and jodhpurs and gratefully received hand-me -downs from friends.  However, I do know that riding hats and back protectors should never be bought secondhand unless you know the person selling them.  All items which impact on a riders safety should be purchased with care, please click here for more information Basic Riding Equipment (The British Horse Society)

Owning a Horse or Pony

Keeping a horse or pony is a continuous financial commitment as well as being extremely time consuming, it is a huge responsibility and should not be entered into without thorough consideration .  Horses require your care and attention on a daily basis even on those dark freezing cold winters nights, they are totally dependent on you.  I have seriously considered buying a pony, but have decided that at the moment with work commitments and the age of my daughter, now is not the right time, so we are continuing with riding lessons for the time being.

The cost of keeping your horse or pony can vary greatly depending on whether you have your own land are going to rent a field or place your horse/pony in livery.  Other costs which need to be considered are:

• Feed
• Rugs
• Bedding
• Farrier (New Shoes)
• Vets
• Insurance
• Transport
• Tack

Whether you’re an armchair competitor or you’ll be out there jumping up and down in the stadium, you can re-enact your favourite moments in the back garden with the help of our great Sports section.

Why don’t you take a look at some of these ads and plan your own mini Olym…(oops, nearly) event in your own home this summer?

Swimming?

OK so it’s not the size of a professional swimming pool, and is probably more suited to synchronised swimming than high level diving, but this 12ft x 4ft swimming pool would look great in any back garden and think of the fun the kids will have! We reckon it could do water hockey too at a push

Hockey?

Fancy making hockey even more fun by doing it on roller skates? And for free? Uni Roller Hockey in Royston are offering free lessons if you bring your own skates!

High Jump?

We don’t know about you, dear readers, but we not only can’t twist our bodies in the way the high jumpers do, but we can’t jump much higher than our own knees either. And let’s not even think about the pole vault…

But how much easier (and more fun!) would the highjump be if you had some of these great Kangaroo Jumpers? We want, we want, we want!

Fishing?

If all the excitement of your own Summer tournaments has tired you out, then this match carp fishing rod could be the thing for you.

The gentle lapping of water, the sun’s rays on your back, the pride in catching that prize winning carp – kind of beats watching the archery doesn’t it?

Of course, you can make your own fun in the garden with balls, frisbees and games that you already have – but do check out the rest of our sporting goods section and maybe you’ll be winning your own medal this summer!

Antiques never go out of fashion, and one man’s hate is another man’s prized possession.

If you have an attic full of stuff that you don’t know what to do with, it really could be worth a fortune.

Kiera Griffin thought her Grandmother’s old doorstop was pretty hideous (although we think it’s quite gorgeous actually) until she took it to Antiques Roadshow and it turned out to be worth £20,000!

John Richards bought a handbag in a charity shop for just £20 – it turns out it was a rare Philip Treacy bag and was in fact worth as much as £350,000!

And let’s not forget the very lucky mystery man who sold an old painting that had been covering a hole in a wall in his home to The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston for $1.2million!

Of course, you’d have to be very lucky to produce a story such as the three above, but you never know!

So, how do you find out what your old items are worth, and where can you sell them to make the most?

How much is my antique worth?

Of course before you go out to sell, you need to know how much the item you have is worth. This is pretty easy, but it’s still best to get more than one place, just to see if they tally.

5 places I can use to value my antique

Local antiques shop

Pop along to your local antiques dealer and let him or her value your item. Remember that they’re going to give you less than it is worth as they have to make money when they sell it, but it should give you a ballpark figure.

Check out online auction sites

Have a look on online auction sites such as ads’ere and see if someone is selling something similar. Keep an eye on the price it makes and have that in your mind when you’re selling your item.

Go to the library

Pick up a book on antiques and see if your item is in there – this is research you could do online too without too much effort.

Try and get on Antiques Roadshow

OK it’s a long shot, but you never know! Find out if they’re going to be nearby and pop along to see if that watch you’ve never polished could buy your next house.

Where can I sell my antique?

Depending on the amount of work you want to put in, there are a few places you could sell your item.

The local antiques shop

If you’re happy with the price you’re offered, then this is probably the easiest way to sell. As mentioned before, you may not get the exact value of the item, and it is of course possible that you could be reading about it being worth millions in the Daily Mail a few months later!

The local newspaper

Advertisements in local papers don’t tend to be expensive, and someone out there may recognise exactly what that grainy black and white picture is, and be willing to spend a fortune on it.

You could also end up fielding a load of phone calls and have people come to look at the item and not buy, so we’re not convinced on this route.

An auction room

If you have an auction room near you, this is a good way to go, as they’ll give you an idea of the value, and it’s in their interests to drive the price up as high as possible. Of course, there is their commission to consider, and even with a reserve price you could find yourself not getting the true value.

An online auction site

Not quite as easy as going along to your local antique dealer, as you’ll have to photograph it, write the description, set a reserve price and then hope it sell. But this is the best way, in our opinion.

A well written description and some great looking photos could see the bids coming in fast and furiously, and the spirit of competition means that some items go for more than their worth just because someone wants to own them!

We have a great antiques section here at ads’ere – why not list your items there, then all you have to do is arrange transport and collect the money. You could be on that beach in Hawaii in no time at all!

Check out some of our antiques for sale here.

A little while back a friend asked me if there was a fire (or, perhaps more fittingly for Yorkshire right now, a flood) what would you save?  I have a list of approximately 90 items … with at least a couple of hundred in close reserves!!  In other words too, too much.

My life has always been pretty hectic, but with 3 kids and health issues, and a constant time famine, it seems to get more and more so.  I envy those of my friends whose houses and lives are immaculate and for whom clutter is a four-letter-word!  This is merely something that I aspire to, but will most probably never happen in this lifetime.  Oh to run away from everything and start anew.  I can’t tell you what a tempting thought that is!

As of January 2012 I decided that I had procrastinated for long enough.  Besides, we’re brassic.  Having ploughed our life savings into a much-needed specialist extension/conversion for my disabled son, and something just had to give.  That is why this New Year’s resolution (of which I assure you there were many more) I have actually stuck to and, as the months sail by, I am increasingly proud of my resolve.  My hoarding gene is depleted.  I say depleted because for one who has always hoarded as if there were a war on, – I will never be able to totally eradicate my (sadly less slim and toned than I’d like it to be) body of this gene.  That is simply impossible.  BUT, as of this year, I have decluttered with gusto (albeit barely scratching the surface so far), sent umpteen bags of undesirables to charity (for which they have been incredibly grateful) and the rest of my abominable treasures I have taken to flogging on various ‘free-sites’ to the highest (take for that – anyone who’ll have it) bidder.

Now I’ll be honest I LOVE a good car-boot.  I don’t think there’s one friend that I haven’t dragged out of bed at the crack of dawn into a wet dark field to sell our oh so exciting wares!  It’s jolly good fun and can be a quick money making scheme too – particularly if you just want rid and are happy to release your sentimental clutches from your old faves for 50p!  British Summertime 2012 however, with a very special thanks to Mother Nature and her good friend Mr Rain, has put a complete car bosh on even the remotest idea of going booting!

So, to this end I’m decluttering and down-sizing my life in more ways than one and already have a fractionally clearer mind and far better conscience for it.  Now don’t go getting giddy – to date I can’t honestly say that any floor space is actually completely clear, nor are any cupboards empty … and don’t you dare enter my dining room (which currently resembles Steptoe’s backyard) … but it’s all very much a part of the plan and an ongoing project.  I am (almost) constantly searching and slim-lining…. drawers are suddenly sliding shut a little easier and cupboards and wardrobes are no longer hanging ajar … although some things are merely jiggled about a bit and put back in their place just neater!  I’ve not quite gotten fully to grips with the thrifty/frugal new me per se!

I have, however, *smiles very smugly to oneself* got the matter firmly in hand…. and a small number of select ‘classified’ sites that are crying out for old treasures/junk/much loved nuggets of youth … like mine, are getting it BIG TIME!

So, you ask, – am I EBaying like topsy … well actually no!  You see I’ve never been a real fan.  EBaying is incredibly time consuming (I can’t sit there watching all day or all evening for that matter) and, in all honesty, I can’t afford to waste money on goods that don’t sell or the constant trips to the Post Office for that matter!  Besides which I find it all a little sinister and impersonal.  I’m a sentimental fool at heart and unwanted or not – I like to think that my old treasures will be passed on to someone with a smile on their face and a twinkle of satisfaction in their eye..  I actually prefer more local ‘free-sites’ where I feel there’s a little human contact.  The onus is very much on me to ensure that I supply just what I offered, nothing more (well ok on occasion I’ve been known to give a little extra), nothing less – because 95% of the time I hand over the goods in person … often rather reluctantly.

Therefore the sites that I am championing are preloved, netmums and the newer and perhaps little known site adsere.  As a combo these three sites suit me down to the ground.  The amount of things and the scope of things I have blatantly posted on these sites in the past six months would make even the most fearsome of EBayers blush!  Everything from much loved children’s toys, to brand new and unworn designer underwear and nut holders!?* Each of these sites are providing me with something slightly different, but nonetheless useful.    The ads’ere Site Manager was so terribly impressed with the sheer volume of goods that I bunged on there, in such a timely manner, that she sent me the most stupendously delicious Easter egg, as a ‘nod’ to my foolhardiness … or is that foolishness – I do wonder!

Can’t quite believe the CR@P I’ve shifted… But then that’s what they say isn’t it ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ … and they’re right.  I love nothing more than rooting through charity shops and car boot sale stalls … though, for now at least, this is strictly forbidden territory – which I am finding incredibly and frustratingly hard to resist!  Y’see my other alter ego is a raging SHOPAHOLIC

So, on that note, I shall quickly check my site accounts before I retire to bed and rest assured in my newly sworn proviso that as soon as something is sold, I vow to place another item, or two, in its place.  You may think that it’s hard to find something … but I assure you that everyone has something, and some of us have FAR more than most!  In the wake of my depleting treasure a little mound of pennies raised by sales are hastily placed in a slowly swelling pot fondly known as the ‘Forty Fund’ for that is my ultimate goal. (I would have said paying off the mortgage – but for once I set my sights just a fraction too high!).  If this keeps up by next year I will be having one ALMIGHTY  birthday shindig!

As always … WATCH THIS SPACE

Thank you all for you entries.

The winners have been contacted or will be contacted in the near future. We hope you enjoyed taking part and that you took the opportunity to take a look around ads’ere online classifieds too.

Thank you again, and have a good day.

Online Classified Advertising

According to the Internet Advertising Bureau UK (IAB)  40.3 million people are on average going online each month in Britain making the internet a fantastic place to advertise products and services. Advertising online can allow businesses to reach their target audience easily and place ads for the world to see businesses have the opportunity to really sell themselves with the ability to enrich their ads using various types of media such as video, audio and photograph’s making ads interesting and enticing new customers.

Many local businesses have complained that the internet is destroying their trade, leaving too many empty premises in their high street. However, there is very little to stop local shops and businesses from advertising online and reaching people with their products and services in all corners of the country. Free classified advertising can offer these businesses the opportunity to place ads reaching their local community online completely free of charge.

So…. what are you waiting for? if you have products or services to sell, please come and place your ads’ere and let us help you find some new customers.

If you are unable to find the correct category for your business listing, please get in touch  and we will be happy to help.

I quite enjoy a thunder storm so opened the window and sat watching however, what came next was absolutely unbelievable and I closed my window very quickly.  I honestly thought it was the end of the world, hailstones the size of tennis balls started to fall, battering everything in their path and the noise was horrendous.  They completely smashed through our guttering, my car is full of dents, my neighbours greenhouse was smashed to smithereens, car windows were completely shattered, solar panels cracked, conservatory roofs smashed, birds were falling from the sky and our beloved Poppy the dog was terrified.  The trail of destruction the storm has left behind is unbelievable, my news plants are destroyed and the trees are  bare and I have a huge excess on my insurance to get my car fixed, although I am just thankful there were no fatalities in this area.  

I have found this video which may help you to understand just how bad it was  - Hailstorm in Burbage  If you experienced the storm we would love you to share you experience with us in the comments below.

Let me expand a little – we LOVE animals, but we HATE adverts that offer animals for sale.

We understand that animals have always been sold and will continue to be sold, but not here at ads’ere, no sirree.

Having grown up surrounded by cats, dogs, rabbits, ponies and more, we know the care attention and work that goes into owning a pet. We also know that the decision to own that pet should be made after a long thought process, not just as a result of seeing a cute picture on the internet.

Much as the internet has made our lives easier in so many ways, it’s sad to see how easy it has made it to pick up the latest fad pet, whether it be a miniature pig or a cute little tortoise. You click a few links, give your credit card details and voila, you have a new addition to your family! Great!

What’s not so great is that a cute little picture and an easy buying process doesn’t convey the amount of commitment a pet brings. It doesn’t tell you how to look after the animal you’ve bought. And it doesn’t tell you whether the pet you’ve chosen is the right one for you, your family or your lifestyle.

We love animals too much to see them placed in unsuitable homes.

On the other side of the coin, the internet has also made it easy for people to sell animals. They say “You can be anything you like on the internet” and in a lot of cases that’s not a good thing.

That gorgeous dog that’s for sale? The one the owner says is great with kids, housetrained and loves cats? How do you know for sure? Until you bring him home to your family and other pets, and the unmentionable happens. It’s not easy to get rid of a dog that’s not child friendly, and unfortunately some unscrupulous owners will make a few pounds while passing their pets onto homes that are blatantly wrong. Issues aren’t disclosed, and these poor animals end up being passed from home to home, making their behaviour worse, until they end up being palmed off on somewhere like the RSPCA or Battersea Dogs’ Home, running the risk of never finding a suitable home.

It’s not just dogs; the internet makes it so easy for unlicensed breeders to sell all manner of animals without correct certificates, advice or health assurances.

A site that allows animal ads is a great thing for puppy farms, banned breeders, fake pedigrees and more; we won’t be a part of that.

So please, take it from us, in this instance, we don’t like animals at ads’ere.com.

Indoor boot sale

However you can now carboot in comfort, ads’ere is an excellent resource for all you carbooters out there.  You could create your own ads’ere car boot community it would be a great place for all those attending the car boot to place ads for their unwanted stuff and then meet with your buyers to exchange monies at the next car boot or you could always simply sell your items online.

Buy and sell online

ads’ere is so simple to use and  completely free, you can sell your stuff from the convenience of your own home, without having to stand out in the cold or get up at the crack of dawn at the weekends in order to secure the best pitch and best of all you get to walk away with all the cash with no fees involved.  Also instead of trekking around the carboot sale trying to find a secondhand bargain you are able to browse items by category at your own leisure 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Carboot community

If you wish to learn more about ads’ere please read our Top Ten Reasons to use adsere and if you would like to create your own car boot community, please click here it’s easy to do and 100% free to list as many items for sale as you like for as long as you like.  You can share your community easily on Facebook, twitter and also via e-mail by using the share buttons underneath each ad and community page, helping you to gain new members  whilst advertising your items for sale.

If you have any funny stories about carbooting in the rain we would love you to tell us about them in the comments below.