Curriculum Clean Out starts next Sunday!

If you would like to participate in the Curriculum Clean-Out! here are a few guidelines to go by. I'll try to explain everything as best as I can, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask! No questions? Then start going through your stuff!!

What exactly IS the Curriculum Clean-Out?

Essentially, it's a blog carnival. Homeschool Creations will be the host site for all the permalinks to the various curriculum giveaways. I have quite a few extra books and homeschool things on my shelves that we won't be using, and it's a shame to have them sit and collect dust. I'm cleaning off my shelves in order to pass along some great products to other families. Other families will be cleaning off their shelves and holding giveaways on their blogs and linking back here.

What can I use as a giveaway?

Any curriculum or item for homeschooling that is in usable shape {i.e. not a workbook that only has one page empty or textbooks that are highlighted 'til the pages are see-through}. While these are freebies, we don't want to give away something that really should be thrown away.

Is there anything that is not okay to giveaway?

This isn't for coupons and entrants should not be expected to pay anything for the giveaway prize.

Do I have to giveaway something in order to enter other's giveaways?

No. Feel free to browse the links and enter as many giveaways as you would like! Anyone can play along.

Do I need to have a blog in order to enter the giveaways?

No. If you do not have a blog, please be sure to leave a way to contact you. Example: janedoe at hotmail dot com would be extremely helpful to help find you and you do not need to enter your full email address.

Who is responsible for shipping?

The person hosting the giveaway will cover the shipping costs. If you are hosting a giveaway, be sure to specify where you are willing to ship your 'prize'. Continental US only? Canada?

How will readers enter?

After linking up your blog post to the MckLinky here, your readers will enter the contest by leaving a comment ON YOUR BLOG POST.

Can I link my giveaway at any time?

Absolutely. You don't have to have your giveaway post ready the first day. Since the Curriculum Clean-Out Carnival will be going on for almost 2 weeks, you can join at any time.

Should I post pictures of my giveaway item?

If you can ~ great! If you can't, you can also link to a similar item on Amazon. If it helps your readers visualize it, that will help you out even more!

What if I want to giveaway more than one item? Do I need to have two posts?

Woohoo! If you want to create two posts, feel free to link them both up. It's up to you how you would like to run your giveaway.

When will the Curriculum Clean-Out go 'live'?

I will have the post up and live on Sunday, April 11th at 5:00am EST. The linkies will stay active until Saturday, August 24th at 5pm EST.

 Who will pick the winners?

You are responsible for choosing your winners {random.org is a great help for picking numbers} and you are responsible for notifying the winner of your giveaway. Please don't ask the entrants to check back to see if they have won. And entrants, please be sure to leave adequate contact information!

 How in the world do I use MckLinky?

If you need to know how to find and use a permalink, click here. Please use your permalink and NOT the main page of your blog as your URL. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask {I'd be happy to help you out!}. I will be going through the links periodically to check and will let you know if your link needs to be changed.

What is the best way to link my giveaway?

There are several different ways you can enter your link. It would be helpful for readers to know what you are giving away to. For example:

Jolanthe {A Beka K Phonics Guide} or

A Beka K Phonics Guide {US shipping}

Is it okay for me to create my own MckLinky on my blog for the Curriculum Clean-Out?

Please link your posts to the Curriculum Clean-Out! here at Homeschool Creations. That way we have a central spot for everyone to check for the giveaways.

Are there any other requirements?

Yes. Please be sure to use the button {html link is below} or link back to the giveaway post here at Homeschool Creations. If you are not sure how to do it, here are some directions on how to create a permalink. Linking back to my site will also help other readers find other giveaways to enter. Here is the html for a 150 x 150 button {pictured above}:

<center><a href="http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/search/label/Curriculum%20Clean-Out" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/vv146/homeschoolcreations/CurriculumCleanOutApril.jpg"/></a></center>

If you have any other questions, feel free to comment and ask! Be sure to let your friends know about the upcoming giveaways!