I spent a few hours while Ada was at school yesterday organizing her room and adding to our yearly stoop sale pile.  It always feels so good to clean out the closets and get rid of unused stuff.  I try to rotate the girls’ toys so they get to play with some they have forgotten, but things they have outgrown can be moved on to another home.  I love living in Brooklyn because we often put magazines and other little things out on our front fence and neighbors take them home within a few hours.  We have gathered lots of our own free books from stoops of our neighbors.  This easy way of recycling and sharing unwanted items always makes me feel good.  (There is nothing better than something that is both free and useful!)  We also organize a larger stoop sale with friends once a year.  (I usually have to send the kids to Nan and Pappy’s so they don’t bring home more than we sell).  Aside from clearing out things that we no longer need and meeting the neighbors, it makes us happy to match items with people who are excited to bring a bargain home.