Reselling Your Kitchen

 Can a kitchen be taken apart and sold?The answer is both yes and no. Some things can easily be given over while others are better off junked. what works in a garage sale and what doesn't?

Appliances can be resold.If you love in New Jersey you can "sell" your fridge to the utilities company and receive one hundred dollars for it. There are companies that will also buy your stove too if you're getting a new one. Keep in mind the newer or "younger it is the better the resale. No one is going to buy an appliance that's reaching it;s third decade. Think anywhere from five to ten years in age. Also there are some brand slike Frigidaire and Whirlpool along with GE that are going to be more preferrable. Think about selling your college graduate's mini fridge too. There are many college freshman who would jump on the chance to get a lower priced  one .What about the smaller appliances like air fryers and microwaves? Again the newer model ones have a better chance of being resold.These are coveted items at garage sales where just starting out home chefs will snap them up. make sure you hve any kind of warranty to pass on for any appliance. This will be vital if there are repairs.

Smaller kitchen items are always a guaranteed sale. Thrifty home bakers will snap up holiday themed cookie cutters and cake pans. Try to keep all themed bakery items together.  although you could offer an all year round cookie cutter or cake set that includes Christmas trees, pumpkins, flowers and Easter egg shapes.A cookie or dough shooter is also a coveted garage and yard sale item. Make sure the barrel is thoroughly cleaned before you sell it . Also make sure the discs that cut the dough are also clean and shiny.The same applies to an icing gun and the nozzles. Sometimes it is hard to get the frosting out of the last. rewash just to make sure. Also check to make sure you have all the discs and nozzles before you sell the guns.KNife sets, espcuially Cutco and Faberware are also much desired resales. Keep in mind that they should be sharpened and checked for any rust or scratches.Cookbooks are also big re sellers. These are the opposite of the other kitchen resale items. Vintage ones from decades and centuries pasts are much in demand. each tells a story especially through ancient stains and notes written ;

Yes you can sell off your kitchen. Just make sure they're all in working order , whether its'a fridge or a cookie cutter. It'sa fun way to make extra cash and get rid fo what you don;t need

An Oasis Of Cool

Hot weather and heat waves are good for bringing families and neighborhoods together. Like blizzards the extreme weather proves to be too much, especially for the elderly. It's time to reach out and help in big and small ways.

The recent heat wave had everyone reaching for bottles of ice cold water. During our next heat wave - and we will probably have more  - reach  out to neighbors and even those with young children. Make sure that they have water and offer to take them shopping or share a 24 or 12 pack with them. Check in on older relatives and friends to make sure they're cool and hydrated. If they have just fans and limited air conditioning, then invite them over to chill and relax. You can easily make  homemade lemon or limeade or iced tea.  Flavored water is also a nice treat. If the air conditioning is a bit much then sit out in the shade or in the garage. This is a good time to buy a fridge for the car port. Store water in there for when you and the family need it. Also , if you're feeding feral cat colonies or just a few strays, have bowls of iced water for them too. Animals can have heat stroke as well. Also put their food in cool, shady areas.

Hot summer nights can be unbearable too. Again invite elderly neighbors over for a cooling drink and maybe a bite to eat. It is easy to make any fruit ade. It starts with a simple syrup - one cup of sugar boiled in one cup of water. From there mix three cups of fresh  lemon juice with four cups of water. Serve with a lot of ice.Change it up with lime ade. Another cooling idea is buying ice cream or Popsicles for everyone. Everyone - no matter what his or her age  - will enjoy a frosty sweet on a 96 degree F night. It's a communal way to keep chill and along the way  a chance to hear interesting back stories. Another way to keep neighbors , family  and friends cool is inviting them over for a no cook dinner. Introduce them to hummus, salad Nicoise or gazpacho. All three  dishes require no cooking , only mixing and blending. You could even have a minimal cooking meal such as pasta crudo which is a great way to use the veggies of the season.

Make your house and yard an oasis of cool. Invite friends , family and neighbors over to enjoy frosty treats and company. Us these hellish days for heavenly connections.

Your Green Kitchen

Today is Earth Day, a day when we wonder how to reduce our carbon footprints and heal our planet. One way is "greening our kitchen'  making this energy sapping room into an environmentally sterling area.If you think it's hard, think again.It's simple to go green.

One of the easiest way is recycling kitchen waste. This is a good time to start a compost heap since planting season is only a week or two away. You can buy compost bins or buy them at any big box home improvement store and even Walmart. Keep the compost far away from the house  because t does give off  a funky kind of stink. To create what's known as a green compost, start with veggies and fruit. Use any leaves such as what you find on the top of strawberries along with banana peels and grape stems. These break down quickly and won't attract rats and raccoons the way baked goods and meats do (I wouldn't even put in cleaned bones because that still would attract critters. Egg shells can be added. They add much needed calcium and mineral to the blend. You can also us the shells in the soil around peppers and tomatoes. too.Coffee grinds also should go into your heap. They are loaded with nitrogen which helps the dirt. Also toss in the filters if they're biodegradable and made from natural fibers.

Another way to make your kitchen greener is by buying Energy Star appliances. Consider an Energy Star fridge if you're shopping for a new one. Make sure you get a traditional freezer top one. Fridges with freezers on the top won't suck up that much energy. Also size matters. One that is energy efficient should be between sixteen and twenty cubic feet. What about the old fridge? You could get rid of it or use it for storage in the basement or the garage. Your choice of stove also can affect the environment.Gas stoves consume less energy than electric ones.There are three types of gas burners: conventional burners with standing pilots,conventional ones with electric ignition which is the most common, and sealed burners where the burner is fused to the stove top.Another aspect to consider is the self cleaning oven. This sort is saves energy more the non-cleaning ones.What about microwaves and toaster ovens. Both  are vital to  a home chef.A microwave , surprisingly , is more energy efficient. However it doesn't toast or crisp up such leftovers as pizza and french fries. The best bet is buy both and use them sparingly.

It's easy to green your kitchen. Recycle the scraps and leftovers. Buy energy efficient appliances. You may think it's not so big a dent in healing the earth but it is. Keep on doing it for a somewhat better tomorrow.