9 minute read
Turning it UP in Clermont County
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and encouraged the public to join him in “according our fellow citizens with such disabilities both encouragement and the opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.” A lot of things have great happened since then, including the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, transformations in employment opportunities, and the rise of self advocacy.
In Clermont County, our self advocacy group is called “Turn Up Clermont.” The group was established in 2017 and works in partnership with the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities to raise awareness of disability rights in the community. The name was created by one of the members who encourages everyone to “turn it up;” no matter how your day is going or what is ahead, you can always turn it up and make it better! Turn Up Clermont holds two meetings each month (one in the morning and one in the evening to accommodate work schedules) and has 15 members. Co-facilitators from Clermont DD attend meetings to discuss how members should advocate for themselves in an appropriate and meaningful ways. Members attend local networking opportunities and statewide conferences to develop leadership skills. In addition, they volunteer in the community when they can, both individually and as a group.
This month, Turn Up Clermont members attend the annual Advocacy and Awareness Day at the Ohio Statehouse which includes guest speakers in the morning and meetings with their senator and state representatives in the afternoon. Whether they are advocating for a common cause or just want to express their appreciation for support, Turn Up Clermont is making a difference in the lives of people who have disabilities— one conversation at a time.
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2020 Spring Consignment Sales Save lots of money and update your child’s warm-weather wardrobe.
It’s a fact: Kids grow quickly. And now that the weather is warming up, pants and pullovers will be replaced with shorts and skirts (and sweaters and snow boots with swimsuits and flip-flops). Your kiddos have probably outgrown some of last season’s clothing, but fortunately, there are lots of consignment sales happening this spring in and around Cincy.
These resale events are a great way for parents and caregivers to purchase quality children’s clothing — and baby gear and toys — for a fraction of the price. So, if you’re looking for a way to update your child’s closet and save major money, check out these spring consignment sales.
March 7 Changing Hands Sale 9 am-1 pm Madeira Elementary, 7840 Thomas Dr., Cincinnati changinghandssale.com
This bi-annual sale offers deeply discounted brand-name children's clothes, toys, games, books, accessories, play equipment and more all under one roof. Shoppers can save hundreds of dollars on must-have and novelty items for children aged newborn to teen. Only items in excellent condition will be sold, eliminating the need to spend extra time sorting through lesser quality merchandise.
March 11-15 Little Treasures Kids’ Sale Wed.-Sat. 9 am-9 pm, Sun. 1-5 pm Crestview Hills Town Center, 2787 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills, KY
Northern Kentucky’s largest twice-a-year consignment sale, with new and delicately used brandname clothing, shoes, toys, furniture, equipment, maternity, therapy toys and equipment for PT, OT and speech needs, and more.
March 14 Everything for Kids Sale 9-11:30 am Northern Kentucky University, Student Union Ballroom, 20 Kenton Dr., Highland Heights, KY nkmotc.webs.com/ springfallsale.htm
Shop for baby and children’s spring and summer clothing, shoes, baby furniture, high chairs, strollers, bouncers, swimwear, toys, games, books, bedding, maternity and much more — all in good shape at a great price.
March 14 Anything for Kids Spring Sale 8 am-12 pm Lakota East High School, 6840 Lakota Ln., Liberty Township wcmultiples.org/tag-sales-1 Bargain prices on gently used clothing, sizes preemies to teens, as well as toys and equipment. Anything you need to find for your child regardless if you have 1, 2, 3 or more may be found here!
March 14 Faith MOPS Baby and Kids Spring/Summer Sale 7:30-11 am Faith Church, 5910 Price Rd., Milford
The first 10 people in line get to shop 15 minutes early! More than 45 sellers will be offering gently used clothing (in sizes infant to teen), baby gear and furniture, maternity clothing, indoor and outdoor toys, books and games, rain gear, Easter dresses and outfits, and so much more!
March 28-April 3 Rhea Lana's of North Cincinnati Spring 2020 Children's Consignment Event See website for times Northgate Mall, 9459 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati northcincinnati.rhealana.com/ wixsaleinfo.asp
Shop hundreds of families at once and save 60-90% off retail prices. At this one-stop-shopping extravaganza, you’ll find clothing for sizes infant through teen, shoes, baby equipment and gear, furniture, toys and electronics, bedding, children’s décor and so much more!
April 4 Twig 45 Moms’ Mart Spring Sale 9 am-1 pm Butler High School, 600 S. Dixie Dr., Vandalia
Featuring a wide selection of gently used items, such as high-quality toys, books, games and clothing items in sizes infant to adult. Admission is $1 cash per adult.
April 18 Greater Cincinnati Twin Sale 8-11:30 am Loveland Middle/Intermediate School, 801 S. Lebanon Rd., Loveland
No need to have twins to shop this sale — all are welcome! Shop for gently used baby and children’s clothing, baby equipment and gear, toys and much more at great prices. There is a $1 cash entry fee for adults, and a $2 transaction fee if paying by credit card.
May 7-9 Florence Kids Sale See website for times Florence United Methodist Church, 8585 Old Toll Rd., Florence, KY florencekidssale.tripod.com
A marketplace to buy gently used children's clothing, teen and maternity items, toys, books, clothes, furniture and more. Find brand name items that are new or like new. No admission fee to enter, but there is a $2 fee for each credit card transaction.
Almost all of the organizations listed above host fall sales as well, so be sure to ask about future sale dates. If you want to get a few secondhand steals in between sales, check out the following Cincinnati consignment retailers. Once Upon A Child 10 locations in the Greater Cincinnati/ Dayton area onceuponachildcincydayton.com
This well-known resale chain is popular with Cincinnati parents, and for good reason. It’s a one-stop shop for all things kids: clothing, shoes, sports uniforms, Halloween costumes and even toys - all priced at a fraction of what you’d spend at the mall.
Plato’s Closet 8 locations in the Greater Cincinnati/ Dayton area platoscloset.com/locations#us
Plato’s Closet is the older sibling of Once Upon a Child and the place to find the top brands, trends and styles for hard-to-please tweens and teens.
Clothes Mentor 5 Greater Cincinnati locations clothesmentor.com
Moms be sure to head to Clothes Mentor for designer clothes, shoes and accessories, all at budgetfriendly prices. Too busy to shop for yourself? Be sure to sign up for a free personal shopper session and maximize your kid-free time.
Reruns for Wee Ones Two locations: 5353 Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, OH and 8142 PrincetonGlendale Rd, West Chester, OH rerunsforweeones.com
This family-owned operation is now known as the “Largest Children’s Resale Shop” in the city. Reruns buys and sells apparel, toys, maternity and more.
WORDS BY LAUREL PRICE
SPRING CLEANING HACKS Quick and dirty tips for getting your house in order.
You’re busy, life is overwhelming and toys are everywhere. The remnants of last night’s dinner are staring at you from the stovetop and you are tripping over your ‘floordrobe.’ (Yup — that wardrobe you’re storing on the floor of your bedroom.) Then you remember you have guests coming over tomorrow. Your anxiety kicks up as you face off with another marathon cleaning session, cursing yourself for letting it get this way.
We’ve all been there. Maintaining a clean and organized home, especially with kids, can feel like a gargantuan and often unattainable task. Spring cleaning and home organization has reached a fever pitch this year with the release of Marie Kondo’s popular Netflix series, Tidying Up. You’ve certainly heard comments about the joy brought by an inanimate object, and have seen too many Instagram pictures of folded clothing. But how can the average busy family manage it all?
Home cleaning and organization experts recommend a variety of methods, but a common theme among them all is to stay on top of it as you go. A few simple changes can make your space instantly more manageable.
Put it away, not down When you are finished with an item, immediately place it in its designated location. And yes, everything should have a proper place. Marie Kondo is known for saying that “clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out.”
Focus on one room at a time Whether you tackle cleaning throughout the week or set aside one day to get it all done, move systematically through the house from room to room. Many experts recommend setting a cleaning schedule and sticking to it. For example, clean the living room every Wednesday, or tackle bathrooms on Mondays. This doesn’t need to be a deep cleaning, but rather ensure clutter is cleared and surfaces are cleaned.
Do small things daily Make your bed, clean as you cook, sweep the kitchen, and clear off counters and sinks before bed. If you ever see a task that takes less than 60 seconds, do it right away. Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, affirms that tackling those small tasks immediately can make a big impact. She writes: “One nice thing about the ‘one-minute rule’ is that I don’t have to think about priorities. I do anything that presents itself, right away, as long as I can do it in a minute.”
Utilize the 20/10 rule Rachel Hoffman, author of Unf*uck Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess, recommends cleaning in short bursts. Concentrate solely on cleaning for 20 minutes, and then give yourself a 10-minute break to check your phone, go on a walk or have a coffee.
As parents, the greatest challenge is staying on top of the ever-growing pile of toys. Danielle Boerger of Simplify in Style, a home organization service in Cincinnati, suggests letting the interests of your family shape the look of the space.
Boerger designed a playroom for a family that loves board games, and created displays to hang the game boards on the wall as both art and storage. In her own home, she utilizes large storage bins and baskets for easy clean-up and a unified look. However, when placing toys on shelves, consider treating them as décor as well.
With some simple changes, those small, insignificant responsibilities accumulate into an hour of extra work accomplished. And before you know it, that extra anxiety you’re carrying around about getting your house in order is much more manageable for you and your family. And when all else fails — invest in a robot vacuum!
