I just had to post here...I have several (more like tons!!!!!!) of old glass jars just like that and even an old white tub like that...WHAT are you going to do?!?!?! I have been a member since my DH and I bought our old house and grounds. I used to be really active on here and then life just got too busy. We're working on building a large (HUGE!) rock wall around our house and that will be a new flower bed for me to play in! I'm going to make tipsy pots this weekend because I ADORE the ones I've seen! But I would love to do something with the old jars, too....I'd love ideas!!!! Thanks to everyone for their creativity and ideas. For those of us that lurk, like me, it is fantastic that you take the time to share your pointers, finds, pics, and instructions. Copy-Kat, ~k

Been checking back in on this thread with interest and hope the original poster lets us know how it might all be resolved. I have a few random thoughts that I hope doesn't put me in the grinch category: 1. Even though the mother is housed comfortably elsewhere and not in need of funds, the possessions left behind are still, in effect, hers. If she wishes that someone benefit from the sale of the things left behind, that "someone" is the person who should be doing the lion's share of the work to dispose of them in a meaningful way. If the OP is the one expected to take care of things, she should have carte blanch to handle it how she sees fit - possibly not taking the niece or brother into account. 2. Again, read up on the possible IRS pitfalls of going over the $500 non-cash donation threshhold. 3. How much time does one wish to spend going through and pricing things right down to the last Flintstone jelly glass everyone seems to have in the far reaches of kitchen cabinets? How much is that beloved family dish really worth to someone not in your family? 4. What charity is going to send a truck to pick up everything that doesn't sell? How many trips do you want to make to the dump or how many months of storage fees at a U Rent It place would you agree to? How much time do you want to devote dragging things back and forth to flea markets? 5. You need a few people to help with garage sales - someone to watch the cash box, and one or two more to see that items don't simply walk away while you're distracted. I'm not heartless when it comes to the disposal of other's things; but I've never had to do it while the owner was still living so that sense of "violation" never came into play. But since the responsibility of having to do these things fell to me and my brother on a couple of occasions, doing what was easiest and most expedient for us was the most basic consideration.

I haven't been a sale-giver nor posted on Craigslist, but it would be interesting to compare effort and hassle of those methods. For garage sales, you'll get varying feedback--it's a personal choice and so much based on your own psyche and how you approach things. For a lot of people, any money made is money they would not have and so is worth the effort. If can't make "more" extra $$ by working more hours at regular job or doing some other extra thing, then sure, it is relatively low-paying but it is a payoff within your sphere of action. So that person will say, sure I spent several weeknights sorting and pricing and spent Saturday giving the sale but otherwise I would have just done who knows what, and now I have $___ to spend on something I want. It helps to have either a lot of stuff or some desirable stuff because things go for just pennies on the dollar of original price. Also it helps not to have an inflated opinion of your "stuff" because a garage sale will deflate that quickly! You can also find plenty of support for the idea that, if you'd like to just give it away, go ahead--don't ever feel you should get $$ back on it just because you spent $$ and feel guilty--only do it if the time/effort to $$ payoff works for you. That's why you'll hear feedback about how much work it is, because you can't really get "back" what you've invested. You can only get what you get. The find-a-good-home approach, maybe a particular family as above, has some benefits because it saves the time arranging for sale but lets you feel like you helped someone in particular. But I am happy with Goodwill which helps a charity but does the sorting and pricing for me. Also, since this is the Organizing forum, then, if your priority is to clear away the past era and get organized and into a new phase of your life, the most direct route to that is to haul it all off.

I wouldn't buy a new item at charity sale for only 10-15% off retail. Retail stores put items on sale, offer coupons, reward "bucks", etc. that can greatly bring down the original retail price. Plus, if the item doesn't work, or the buyer decides they don't want it after all, it could be returned. Check what same/similar items are going for on Ebay. That's what I would be willing to pay for something unused off-market. I would not pay more for an item because the money went to charity. Exception: it was an organization I belonged to/ volunteered for/ a cause I supported beyond the rummage sale.