By Melissa Wagoner
Karen Garst is starting a movement; one she’s hoping will catch on city-wide – Give Away Saturday.
“Decluttering is always a good idea,” Garst said of the impetus for the idea, which was to purge her own excess items during the pandemic.
“We were doing one drawer at a time,” she said of the method she and her husband Ron used to keep from getting overwhelmed.
“I thought, if I’m not going to use it, why am I keeping it?”
It was a process that worked, but once completed, left them with a pile of stuff they needed to either sell or haul away. At least that’s what they thought.
“I didn’t want to haul it away and I didn’t want to give it where someone has to buy it… and I haven’t had a garage sale in 20 years,” Garst said.
That’s when she hit on the idea of giving it all away for free and thought – better yet, why not involve others as well?
“Decluttering is always a good idea,” she explained. “I think we accumulate too much stuff – especially with clothes. And it’s hard to make choices because we have too much.”
With these thoughts in mind, she is urging households across Silverton to join her in really thinking about what needs to be kept and what could be given away.
Then July 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., hold on all-out, city-wide, free-for-all.
“Put it down on your calendar,” she suggested to those who are interested in participating.
And to those who would like to get in on what will surely be the best bargains of the year, “You better be there by nine!”
You can pick up a free Give Away Saturday sign weekdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Our Town office, 401 Oak St., Silverton. Or make your own so passersby understand you are participating and items are free.
Give Away Saturday
Purge unwanted items by putting them out for a city-wide free-for-all. It’s like a gaint yard-sale but it’s free!
Saturday, July 24
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Display no longer used items in your yard or driveway – somewhere with easy public access. Put a sign out so people know the items are free. Then let others give them a new home.
