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"Whose party is this really for?" Our baby’s 1st birthday party

Don't you just want to give him a big kiss??

As I had mentioned last week, I was getting ready to survive our son’s 1^st birthday party.  I’m happy to say that it was a complete success…the children laughed, I cried and my son ate an adult size worth of chocolate cake in record time. There were tons of people here to celebrate along with at least a dozen walking, talking toddlers who turned our house into what looked like the aftermath of a tornado within minutes of arriving.  I tried my best to follow the survival tips that I mapped out last week and in hindsight, even came up with a few more regarding some ways to plan your child’s birthday party with minimal stress and minimal funds (as I have official started my second year on maternity leave without any pay!…really I can’t complain though, can I?)

The morning of the party did not start off stress-free at all and this was my own fault as I assumed that Grayson would go down for his nap at the usual time, sleep like an angel for two hours and then wake up refreshed and ready to party.  But of course, instead he decided to fuss for over an hour and a half before actually falling asleep for only about an hour.

Tired but still ready to party in his best outfit!

We had accounted his nap time for our prep time so suddenly we had less than an hour to decorate the entire house and prep the food.  Luckily, I was able to call my parents over to assist and we amazingly got everything done before the guests arrived (I even had to send out my dad to the grocery store to pick up a box of teddy graham cookies as I suddenly remembered I needed two more bags for the goody bags…whew…disaster averted!)

This taught me that it would be wise to start decorating your house a few days in advance so you don’t run out of time due to unforeseeable issues.  And really you don’t need to go crazy with the decorations as your child will have no clue what he is looking at anyways.

Which brings me to my next light bulb…you don’t need to go all-out crazy for the 1^st birthday party unless it’s something you would normally do for yourself because let’s face it, this party is really for the parents and not so much for the child.

All I can say is "Wow!" Looks like the party faery threw up here!

Yes, of course you are celebrating your child’s first milestone and you want them to have as much fun as possible but when it comes to the food, goodie bags and decor, only go nuts if you love doing this kind of thing. Your little one will have fun just as long as you are there to laugh and smile with him.

If you are not a party planner by nature, don’t beat yourself up if you decide to have a small affair with simple appies, a few drinks and minimal decorations. Being a parent means you always want the best for your child but if planning an extravagant party turns you into a big ball of stress, you won’t be at your best and be able to simply enjoy the wonderful experience.

Fortunately I am one of those crazy people who love to throw parties but I am also someone who loves to throw a great party on a dime.  So my advice to anyone planning their child’s first or fifth birthday party is to visit your local dollar store.  You will be amazed at what they sell there these days and I guarantee you’ll be able to find most of the items you will need.  We put together our teddy bear picnic basket goodie bags with almost everything coming for the dollar store and they looked awesome! Check’em out!

And depending on what you are doing as a theme for the party, you can also find great decorations at either thrift shops or on used sites.  Since our theme was Teddy Bear’s Picnic, I scoured the local thrift shops and UsedVic and ended up getting a ton of teddy bears for practically nothing!  This could work for you where your theme is monkeys, princesses, or trucks…the possibilities are endless.

Here are some of the "friends" I found!

As for food, I would highly suggest pulling out that slow cooker in the cupboard and putting it to good use.  We made pulled pork sandwiches for our party and everyone raved about them (because basically anything you put in a slow cooker and cook for 8 hours will turn out delicious!) plus it saved so much time on food prep and was easy on the wallet.  If you don’t own a slow cooker, a simple do-it-yourself sandwich platter filled with deli meat, cheeses, and veggies also works great and won’t break the bank.  Some people mentioned we could do a bbq but I wouldn’t recommend this as most likely your hubbie will be in charge of this and end up being stuck cooking the entire party rather than enjoying himself with everyone.

Easy but yummy food...my mom made those adorable bear cheese sandwiches!

I still really can’t believe my little guy is already one and I’m the first to admit a few tears were shed (okay a lot were shed!)once the party was over and I realized that my little baby is becoming a little boy. I’m so thankful for him and can’t wait to celebrate his next birthday…I’m thinking Pirate Party complete with pirate ship!…would love to hear some of your ideas on how to pull this one off!  Happy Birthday Grayson!!! Mommy loves you! Xoxo

Coupon Tip of the Week:  I was curious what the best things were to buy in June as I always try to get things when they are the cheapest of the year and here are a few items you should stock up on next month if you are in need: Men’s suits and tools( because stores put them on sale for Father’s Day), gym memberships (because people are planning to work out more outdoors in the summer months), paint (because no one wants to paint in the scorching heat) and champagne (because of wedding season….yippee!!) Happy shopping.

The Gift of Life: It's In You to Give

There is a tiny red heart in the bottom right corner of my drivers’ license: it has been there for years.

It communicates – in the event that I am unable to communicate for myself – that I wish to be an organ donor.

“Wish” may be the wrong word. Like most things related to the possibility of my untimely demise, it isn’t something I wish for at all, nor something I especially want to think about.

Still. I make sure the red heart is on each consecutive license issued to me, and I make sure my family know that it is there. Because should the circumstances arise that there are no more wishes to be made on behalf of my mortal self, then the last wish I’d have for this body that gets me through my days is that it be, if at all possible, some help to others, some means to offering them more days.

But did you know you can be an organ donor without any unhappy endings for anyone in the process?

I didn’t know much about living donors until this week, when the issue – and the urgency – of organ donation hit home within the UsedEverywhere family.

Harrison Aikman is six seven* years old. Brodie, social media producer for UsedRegina, is his dad. His aunt Jennifer is with the UsedEverywhere national office. Harry’s been on the UsedBlog before, out for a walk with his big brother.

But Harrison isn’t out for a walk these days. He’s in acute liver failure.

Jennifer flew to Edmonton this week to see if she could donate part of her liver to give Harrison a fighting chance at recovery and health. Turned out, she wasn’t a match. But Harrison’s mom is.

It’s major surgery, and there are risks for both parties. It’s got to be a week of huge emotions all round in the Aikman family.

But like Jenn said in an email, “He’s six seven* years old. He deserves a shot.”

Anyone interested in giving the Aikman family a helping hand through this time can click here to access the fundrazr page above.

We’re all pulling for Harrison here at UsedEverywhere. We’re relieved and hopeful that it looks like his mom will be able to offer this incredible gift; crossing our fingers – and all our organs – that both of them will recover swiftly and safely.

We’ll keep you updated on their story through our various community Twitter feeds throughout the country as things unfold.

And…because organ donation can be a bit of a roller coaster ride, no matter how good a match looks: if anyone in the Edmonton area has blood type O+ and is interested in being tested as a potential back-up match for this beautiful little boy, please email toni.chow@albertahealthservices.ca. And thank you.

I’ve learned this week that there are more than 4000 Canadians waiting for transplants of all kinds: live donation of kidneys and of partial livers and lungs is now, amazingly, possible.

So that little red heart or red dot on your license? It matters. But it’s not the only way to give the gift of life to somebody like Harrison.

Please join us in getting the word out, for Harrison and the Aikmans, and for all the other people and their families out there in need of the biggest gift there is: a shot at life, at heading out for another walk.

*edited*: apparently Harrison is seven. Or has just turned seven. Hey, my aunts are always off by a year with MY age, too.

Thoughts about moving to smaller spaces

My family recently moved from a three-bedroom house to a two-bedroom apartment.Our home is being renovated and we needed to relocate temporarily. We finally got the Wifi set up I am writing this surrounded by boxes that still need to be unpacked.

We left this behind yesterday:

… and entered the world of this:

The girls were pretty excited to unwrap everything.

“It’s just like Christmas!” they shrieked. I tried very hard to see it through their eyes, I really did, but it was hard to stay positive amid the dust and the packing paper. I learned a very valuable lesson yesterday: I packed too much stuff.  For weeks we’ve been sorting and purging our goods and getting rid of our old stuff, but it’s looking like I didn’t pare things down enough at all. More than half of our belongings went into storage. Our wedding china, camping gear, and some other valuables went to my in-laws basement, but I didn’t manage to edit it all down to “apartment size.”

The storage drawer underneath our apartment oven can’t hold all of our cookie sheets. The fruit drawer in the fridge only holds a half-dozen apples. I still don’t know where I’m going to put all of my office supplies. This is going to take some adjustment.

I had an epiphany as I unpacked a second pie plate. I don’t even bake that much, why on earth did I bring two? (I actually have four.) I also have three colanders.  Two sets of measuring cups. As I unravel the paper around each item I think to myself: how many of these things do we need, really need? Can we make do with only four glasses? Four bowls? Four plates?

What do you think? Are you the kind of person who has one colander? Or three?

Apartment Living: Balcony What?

Okay, own up! Who’s had enough of the balcony crafts? Who made the Bosmama voodoo doll and put a wrench in the works?!

Just three days after I finally got on my hands and knees to scrub the balcony with my vinegar cleaner, I saw this sign on my apartment door:

The Power Washer was coming and everything had to be removed from the balcony. Yep everything that I have so diligently crafted over the last few weeks had to be disassembled and removed. And not only that, the balcony floor that I had JUST manually power washed was getting a totally unnecessary power wash.

Crafting, babay, crafting

Well let me tell ya, voodooblogreader, this is only going to make me more determined.  Right now I am sat lovingly fondling the 26 yogurt pots I am going to turn into a glow in the dark star and moon mobile. Yes, bring it on, these balcony crafts are about to blow up.

So in the face of diversity, here are my latest balcony discoveries, I am still trying to manifest a seating area:

Love the seat attached to the balcony.

Balcony Kitchen. From designboom.com

Simply because I love the UK telephone booth door. This is the Etsy Headquarters. via apartmenttherapy.com

Survival tips for planning your baby's 1st birthday party

This past long weekend we were fortunate enough to celebrate not one but two 1^st birthday parties for our friend’s children. The 1^st birthday of your child’s life is a big event and both my friends threw fabulous parties that were super fun. Of course the main event is always standing around the birthday baby waiting for him or her to dive into the giant piece of cake put before them for the first time.  And neither baby disappointed this weekend.  Both children were covered head to toe and were beaming from ear to ear!

Our beautiful  little boy’s 1^st birthday is this weekend and so I paid extra attention at the parties for ideas I could use for our party that would make things go as seamless as possible and make it lots of fun as well.  Here are a few tidbits I picked up that maybe you can use:

Serve booze- Trust me, this is necessary to allow you and your adult guests to survive the dozens of screaming, sugar-rushed children running around your house and destroying everything in their path (even though best bet is that one or two of them are theirs!) I’m not suggesting getting drunk but a nice glass of wine or beer should help everyone relax for a couple of hours, including you.

Keep the children entertained:  make sure to have some sort of activity for the older children who can walk and talk so that they aren’t left to their own devices. Again, trust me the old saying “idle hands are the devil’s playthings” is definitely true in this scenario. Bored children at a party equal property damage in your home. My one friends’ activity was finger painting which I thought was a smashing idea…for the most part (one small child did decide she’d rather paint her entire arm bright blue then the paper).

Moms, don’t wear white:  You will coo over how cute your little one looks all covered in chocolaty cake goodness and this will temporarily distract you from the fact you will eventually have to pick them up out of that high chair to hose down.  When you do this, all the cake that is covering your precious baby will suddenly transfer to you and whatever fabulous outfit you picked out weeks ago to showcase as this momentous occasion.  My suggestion is that if you are serving chocolate cake, a dress in an espresso or mocha color would work best.

Ask for Paparazzi: As the parents, you really don’t want to miss any moment as your little one tastes his/her first sugary treat so ask your friends to take the photos to capture every hilarious moment.  That way you won’t be distracted if your own camera starts acting up or maybe the flash stops working (we seem to be cursed with this happening every time we’re about to take a great photo!) Leave those stresses to your friends and just sit back and take it all in…Remember there is only one 1^st birthday!

We’re doing “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” as a theme for Grayson party this weekend so I’ll make sure to update you next week on how it went and what were the highlights of the day.  And to our guests, don’t worry; we will be passing out glasses of wine at the door!  LOL

Coupon Tip of the Week:  Our BBQ is almost on its last legs so my husband started to look in the flyers to buy a new one, showing me all these supposed great deals. I did a little research and found out that May is the worst month to buy bbqs as you will pay way more money than any other month for one. If you can wait, buy a BBQ in July and you will save a lot of money!

Rediscovering the Wonder of the Library!

I love books. In fact; my husband Mark and I have a bit of a book-buying problem. Christmases with our families have just turned into book exchanges.

So, as we prepare to move, for the 20th time (literally), I’m 7.5 month pregnant, packing up our books and sorting the ones that won’t make the cut. And, there are hundreds of dollars in books that we’ve bought and read but won’t wind up taking with us because they aren’t “library material”. I mean, I would love to just keep all of our books forever, but once you’ve moved boxes of books from Edmonton-to-Halifax-to-Vancouver-to-Halifax again, you start to purge. Books are heavy and take up a lot of precious living space. Chances are I’m never going to read that novel again because there are so many other wonderful novels out there! I mean is it really, necessary to hoard the Nora Roberts wedding series?

In the past, I’ve taken our books to used bookstores to sell or put them online in hopes of getting a few bucks but more often than not, we just wound up giving them away. Which is great (I love sharing) but it’s a bit of an expensive habit.

So… when we were in Chapters again last week, I had two books in hand (a novel and a baby book) and I had a revelation that I should maybe go to the library and borrow these books. I reluctantly left the books behind (my need for instant gratification is quite powerful, so it was a hard, hard decision. If I’m honest, I pouted the whole ride home).

I’m 31 years old and I can honestly say, I haven’t set foot in a library in 10 years. I completely forgot about this whole universe of free books. I spent a lot of time during my childhood at the library or more commonly at the “bookmobile” – a dandy little bus full of books that came out to our country neighborhood once a week, back in the 80s. I loved the bookmobile and the library but mostly, the smell of the library (I wish there was a  scratch and sniff option here). I have no idea why this didn’t come to me sooner in my adult life but I went home that night and signed up for a library card online and put a hold on the book I was going to buy (in Nova Scotia, library cards are free, so I just saved myself $25).

The bookmobile (oh, the nostalgia!)

Today I drove over to the library, a mere five-minute drive from home and picked up my first books. I’m officially a library member!! Now, I’ll admit I had planned to go and read at the library for the afternoon.  But unlike memories from my childhood this library had a very different smell and I spent 20 minutes standing in line behind a wild-eyed, crazy-haired lady who was arguing over her late fees and had about 50 DVDs in her basket (who can watch 50 DVDs within the one week limit anyway? No wonder she has late fees…)

My first library bounty!

While sharing my excitement about rediscovering the library, my friend suggested creating a book exchange program with other parents. For example, you’d meet up once a month and exchange the books you own with each other (you could do this with kids books, but also with adult books). You’d create your own little community library!

There’s always the option to trade books among friends and look for books on our Used.com family of sites, or at your local used bookstore but if you’re like me and you haven’t been to the library in awhile, I highly recommend it!

Happy reading!

How to keep kids busy over a long weekend

The long weekend is calling you…can you hear it?

It begs you to make plans out of doors; the fact that many spend the May long weekend shivering in tents or sticking brave toes into chilly lakes often going overlooked. Who cares about cool weather when three days off beckon you?

Our May long weekend often sneaks up on us.  Somehow a cool spring and busy calendar can thrust June upon us before we are ready – and then we regret not getting outside more often in May.  I’m the one saying I love to sip my coffee outside when it’s cool – so why haven’t my mornings been spent on the deck?  It’s hard to say, but routines die hard and our kids definitely keep our pace on the marathon spectrum.  It was so much easier to just pop outside and back in when I wanted before kids!

An embarrassingly large assortment of bubble blowers

Now if I try, I must announce to two children that I plan to go outside, then await the onslaught of chatter – they want to come, they want to blow bubbles, they want to get the toys out, is there sand in the sandbox, what shoes should they wear, they want their other hat – you get the idea. A peek at the weather says we are due for some rain, but that clearer days should arrive by Sunday and Monday.  So what to do with these children of mine?

They want time on their bikes, and both are set up with new ones that will fit for the year already.  Be sure to ask around or check your local used site for used bikes if you are in need – there are good deals to be had as kids do a lot of growing over the winter.  Do some research online first to get an idea of sizing suggestions for kids’ bikes, and how to choose a bike that will work for your child.

A new bike just waiting to ride

Their love of dirt and fascination with nature make them natural gardening companions, so perhaps they will tag along as we buy flowers and herbs to plant this weekend.  A cool, rainy start to the weekend is perfect for planting, then we could set up the rest of their toys and other backyard items as the weather improves.  Kids getting fresh air, the garden getting some tender loving care, and being set up for a summer’s worth of fun under the sun would definitely be a worthwhile way to spend a weekend.

Supplies ready to get kids gardening

We’ve also recently purchased annual memberships to a few local attractions.  If you have kids, I strongly encourage you to look into doing the same.  It’s a good feeling to not only support a local feature that makes your city a great place to live, but to have unlimited access all year ‘round to come and go as you please.  Let’s face it, some outings with kids go off without a hitch, others seem bound for disaster from the first preparations.  An unlimited pass allows you take advantage of nice weather and cooperative kids but also makes it bearable to head home early on the days that just don’t seem to be working out.  Oh, and if you do the math, most annual passes pay for themselves by the time you have visited a site two or three times, and some are even transferable to other locations or attractions, so pay attention to the details.

Simple plans sometimes work best for families with young kids, but I’ll share a secret – I look forward to them being older and able to manage busier days.  When they can cart their own stuff, make it through days without naps or getting overtired, and sleep wherever is convenient, our options will explode.  My mind sees weekends spent out of town or camping.  There are a ton of used campers and RVs available for sale in the spring – could one of them be ours in the future?  Could we be that family? Remember, long weekends are busy at popular campgrounds and tourist attractions.  If you can think of something unique to do, or find something off the beaten path that might still interest your family, you have a better chance not sharing your weekend with half the population of your hometown.

I’d love to hear your long weekend plans – do you wait for hot weather to hit before planning weekend trips, or do you head out in May and cross your fingers?  Do you entertain your family at home, or start packing the car two or three days in advance to just get out of town, in any direction?

Arrange Your Household With Some Uplifting Tunes

Moving is such a pain. Because then you have to pack. There’s no way around it. Whether you’re moving across the country or a mere few blocks; even if you’re a minimalist; organizing, packing and moving your belongings from point A to B is just a nuisance.

Same goes for spring cleaning. Because then you have to clean. Although you can almost sniff that fresh new lemon scent that comes with the accomplishment of a freshly scrubbed pad, the action of cleaning or even the thought of getting started can lead to procrastination.

I’ve lived in six different places in the past four years and if there’s one thing I know, a soundtrack that coordinates with all the emotions that may emerge can totally revamp your whole packing and cleaning experience.

Here are some suggested tracks to get you started with making your own playlist:

1. M83 – Midnight City


Everybody takes on tasks differently. Some like to ease into it, and others prefer to jump right in. Regardless of your “starting style”, the uplifting sound of “Midnight City” by M83 (named after a spiral galaxy called Messier 83) is the perfect self-starter. Turn your speakers up, and you’ll suddenly find yourself toe-tapping and head-nodding to the vibrant beat by this French band. Don’t stop. At this point, any movement is good.

2. Bob Marley – Could You Be Loved


Keep the positive songs coming along. Who else knows positivity best, but Mr. Marley himself? Universally, Bob serves as the best soundtrack to… well, anything! Think about it. Actually don’t, just pump this up and sing along. Shimmy those shoulders as you pack those boxes. “Vogue“, while you scrub the inside of your refrigerator. Pretend you’re shooting lasers while side-stepping with your Swiffer WetJet. Bob makes you feel like anything is possible. And it is. You CAN pack your whole house in two days. You WILL clean your house in just one day. Sometimes a shift in attitude is all we need!

3. Track unknown

My hips automatically twist to the melodic beat moderated with random head thrusts. Unfortunately, I don’t know the artist or song title. If anybody knows, please let me know. The mindless lyrics and repetitive beat act as a great background as you continue to dance with your Swiffer or as you play air drum with your scissors and packing tape. Sometimes non-thinking music and instrumentals can help with focus and zoning into specific tasks.

4. Beach House – Silver Soul


You may happen to get sidetracked. You may run into old photographes (i.e. tarnished memories) or you may discover some gunk behind the fridge. Before you know it, you’re crying into your wine glass thinking this process may never end. Listen to this track. The faster you get those tears outta your system, the faster you’ll be done packing and cleaning.

5. Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)


Naturally, you need a pick-me-up kinda song after driving down memory lane. Any track by Ms. Hill can definitely offer words of wisdom and injections of positivity. Sure she went a little crazy after her (only) album, but it doesn’t mean you have to! This track brings great memories for me: from moving awkwardly with fellow junior high students, to dancing solo in front of the mirror, to singing with my girlfriends on top of our lungs at my goodbye party in Edmonton. It definitely has been on repeat during my packing and moving cycles. The empowering lyrics and uptempo beat will remind you of the (wo)man you are and the reasons why you are cleaning/moving in the first place.

Packing and cleaning always seems daunting at first. But if you really can shift your attitude with beautiful and uplifting melodic beats.  Sometimes that’s all you need – a reminder of why you are doing what you’re doing, a stranger crooning lyrics that happen to coincide with what you are going through – a small change in how you perceive things can make the hugest difference. Besides, why not try to make a crappy experience better if you can? Best wishes and luck with your packing and cleaning! I hope it’s more enjoyable than it has been in the past.

“Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” -Jimi Hendrix

Apartment Living, Balcony Crafts 3: The Upcycle

Last week I mentioned I was lurking behind your garbage. Well this week I am being a little more brazen. Yes this great weather means people are leaving their unwanted goods all over the sidewalk and I am just strolling around and picking them up. In the UK, we call dumping your junk, ‘fly tipping’, and it’s illegal, but here on the West Coast of Canada, it’s called ‘a really good deal’.

It’s amazing what you can create with a little imagination. Yesterday, I found this hat on the sidewalk. Well at least I think it’s a hat, it’s hard to say when your head is as big as Jupiter.

It could be a hat, on a person with a normal sized head

Bringing it home, I trimmed it down, lined the deep brim with plastic and then filled it with soil. It’s going to be another herb garden. I just have fennel in at the moment, bought from someone’s home garden for $1. Once I have my other plants in, I am going to thread yarn or fishing wire through the edge of the brim and turn it into a hanging basket.

Hat Planter

This good weather also means lots of yard sales. On Sunday our family set out on a mission to track down a great yard sale and that we did. With it being Mother’s Day, there wasn’t much going on but then we struck upon a mother/daughter sale where just about everything they owned, we were meant to buy.

My favourite purchases were these beautiful candle holders, made by the young daughter herself. These holders are the perfect example of an upcycle. They are tree branches, sliced evenly top and bottom with a simple tea light holder groove carved in the top.

Tree branch candle holders

That yard sale, the voodoo sale as we now know it since we found so much stuff we had previously been looking for, also turned up a great little wire shelf unit for the balcony, now hosting our compost buckets, gardening tools and watering can.

Speaking of watering cans and upcycling, yesterday I turned an old milk jug into a little watering gadget for my son.

Milk Jug Watering Can. Image from: mommieswithcents.com

So my balcony refurb is well underway. I still have to create my kids’ corner and find some sort of furniture we can sit on. I have my eyes all over my local Used site  and the sidewalks and am manifesting a bargain from this weekend’s garage sale tour. We will see what turns up.

In the meantime, I have been seeking inspiration. Check out these amazing upcycles of old chairs into swing seats for your patio or balcony!

Swing Chair Upcycle: From Indulgy.com

Single swing chair upcycle from indulgy.com

Tips for Buying Used Pet Items

My beautiful dog Indie

Owning a pet is such a rewarding experience but it can also be an expensive one. After buying food, treats, beds, leashes, cages, kennels, toys and those dreaded vet visits, you’re lucky if you have enough money left over for groceries for yourself!  And of course, your pets are part of the family and so you want to spoil them but not go bankrupt in the process. I know this first hand as we have a 100 pound Rotti X AND a 22 pound orange tabby cat (he’s not fat…he’s just big boned!).  Looking at their food bills each month, you’d think we have a teenage son living in the house (although you would probably wonder why someone would be feeding their 15 year old son kibble but you know what they say…teenage boys will eat anything!)

Obviously you have to buy food for your pets but for the other necessary and not-so-necessary but fun items why not try buying them used?  You’ll pay a fraction of the cost on items that are usually very expensive! Now I know what some of you are thinking…”How do I buy something that was previously used by another animal? Won’t my pet avoid it or possibly “mark their territory” on it?” This is a valid question. Yes there are some pet items that I wouldn’t recommend buying or selling used but most items, if cleaned properly, can easily be reused by another pet.

I work for UsedVictoria and my task this month was to find some fabulous prizes to give away at the Vancouver Island Pet Expo on May 26th. I quickly came to the conclusion that there are a lot of great pet items you can buy and sell used that will help you save money AND still spoil your beloved pets. I also concluded that buying used pet items is an entirely different “breed” of second-hand shopping (LOL…sorry, I had to do it!)  So here are some helpful tips for buying used pet items, what you should avoid buying or selling used and how to sell your items quickly so you have money to buy more pet food!!!

1.  Throw out the pet mattress! Unfortunately, if you have a dog or cat, you know firsthand that their mattresses are usually the first thing they pee on in order to mark their territory (and possibly yours if you let them on the bed!)  Not to mention, because they sleep on them most of the time, they usually wear quite quickly and end up covered in pet hair, dirt and other unmentionables.  I wouldn’t recommend selling used fabric dog or cat beds as it’s very difficult to completely eliminate the pet odors and dander, making it a prime target for the next Fluffy or Spot to pee on.  But the plastic dog beds or cat beds that you put the mattresses in are great items to buy and sell used as they are super easy to clean. This actually goes for most other pet items, so just make sure to give them a good wipe down with some soap and water before selling.

2. Bundle it: When I was buying prizes for the Pet Expo, I had a great experience that struck me as a perfect way to sell used pet items.  I went over to this woman’s house to purchase a brand new cat scratcher.  I told her that I worked for UsedVic and was putting together some prize packages for the Pet Expo and she gleefully replied that she had a bunch of other cat items that she hadn’t had time to post on the site yet.  I ended up leaving with the cat scratcher, a cat carrier, a mouse laser and some cat toys!  So if you have several pet items you want to sell, you should consider selling them as a bundle. I’m sure someone who has recently brought home a new dog or cat would be elated to purchase their pet items all at once at a fraction of the cost!

3. Fido the Fashionista  I can’t believe what you can actually buy these days for your pets, specifically dogs.  It used to be that all you needed was a dog bowl, a leash and a collar and you were set.  Now you can buy all types of clothing for your dog like hockey jerseys and designer t-shirts.  They have collars with Swarovski crystals on them and high-end designer purses to cart the small dogs around in. I found tons of these items on UsedVic and while I’m not one to buy designer clothes for my dog, you can at least justify having a little fun and buy  some cute outfits for Fido with all the money you’re saving by buying used.

I hope these tips will help you navigate through the world of buying used pet items. I promise you will love saving all that money! And some of the items I mentioned will be in our prize packs and door prizes at the Vancouver Island Pet Expo so make sure to look for me in the UsedVic coveted purple tee and angel wings (you’ll have to ask when you see me) and be sure to enter our prize giveaway draws!  Can’t wait to see you all there and till then, happy shopping!