KINGS BEACH, Calif. – What started out as a master’s thesis project has grown into a Tahoe nonprofit that’s reshaping how furniture and home goods are finding their way into local homes.

Yardsale & Co., now in their second year, began as co-founder Kellee Kauftheil’s personal response to a career in corporate retail. After years of working for major clothing brands, she said the fast pace of production and its environmental toll left her searching for a more sustainable model.

“When I really sat with what values I wanted to support, I couldn’t do it in that space,” Kauftheil said. “We were producing billions of dollars’ worth of product, and it just didn’t feel good anymore.”

“I wanted to do retail sustainably. When I looked at the systems I was a part of – massive production, inequality, waste – it just didn’t feel right. This store is about reimagining that model.”

She rooted that reimagining in reuse, fairness and community and created a hub for donated furniture and home goods, often collected from real estate transactions where buyers or sellers are left with unwanted items. Through partnerships with realtors, contractors and Sierra Community House, the nonprofit ensures those goods are either resold at accessible prices or placed directly into households in need.

In some cases, Yardsale & Co. delivers full sets of beds, tables and dressers directly to families.

“Some mornings we’re picking up from multimillion-dollar homes on the lake, and by the evening we’re delivering those pieces to families who really need them,” Kauftheil said. “It’s about being the bridge.”

The impact of the business extends beyond its storefront. By diverting goods from landfills and finding creative uses for surplus building materials, the nonprofit is exploring ways to support local workforce housing efforts. Kauftheil has begun collaborating with the Tahoe Housing Hub and other groups to connect excess lumber, vanities and doors from remodels with affordable housing projects.

The long-term goal, she said, is to purchase property that could combine a nonprofit-run store on the ground floor with affordable housing units above.

“I know how incredible it is to own a home and have that security,” she said. “If we can subsidize housing through store sales and allow people to save instead of spending everything on rent, that’s a big win for this community.”

The business also has expansion on the horizon with a second store planned for Truckee. With a signed lease and permits in progress, Kauftheil said the location is key to doubling the nonprofit’s impact.

“We blew every deadline we set for opening,” she said with a laugh. “But I’ve taken the pressure off myself. We’ll open when it’s ready. And when we do, it will help us reach our housing goals faster.”

“This is extremely purposeful work. It’s grounded in values: giving back, building community, reducing waste, and inspiring others. Everything we do is about creating a cycle of giving. The more we receive, the more we can give.”

Donations of furniture and household goods can be coordinated online or via text. Smaller items are accepted in-store during business hours and donors receive a tax deduction form. Potential donors can refer to the website for items that are and are not accepted.

Yardsale & Co. is located at 8491 N Lake Blvd. (second floor) in Kings Beach, CA. For more information you can find them online at loveyardsale.wordpress.com or reach them by phone at 925-282-0711.