The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,215 groups with 4,313,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.
I've already given away some things I didn't want and picked up my first freebie on Saturday.
Thursday I saw a post from someone remodeling his bathroom and was looking for sheet rock. I had five full sheets that were left over from the remodeling of my bathrooms and from when my son and his friends finished my garage. They were in my way blocking a shelf in my garage and I wanted to get rid of them. So I replied to the post asking for the sheet rock. The guy came on Friday and took them off my hands.
Friday morning I saw another post from someone looking for old suitcases and other miscellaneous supplies for a church that is sponsoring a mission to Nicaragua. They need the suit cases to carry stuff for the trip and store things in when they get there. I had six old ones just taking up space in my basement, so I replied to the post and offered them. Someone came two hours later and picked them up. I also gave him a box of school supplies that Barbara had, but never used. Some of the school supplies they will take to Nicaragua and the rest the kids in the church will use for crafts.
Early Saturday afternoon I saw a post offering a chrome paper towel holder that goes on the counter. I didn't have a holder, so offered to take it. Not 15 minutes later a woman replied to me that I could have it. She gave me her address and said that she put it on an old milk crate outside her front door and to come and get it. She was only five minutes away, so I replied I would be over later. About an hour later I picked it up.
Here it is. The thing looks brand new and goes great in my kitchen.
I've seen all kinds of things being offered or being asked for. I saw a microwave oven, two dish washers, even left over unopened bags of chips, plastic cups and paper plates someone bought too much of. The list is endless.
The stuff really is free and they say they have groups all over the world. Lori's brother lives in Connecticut and signed up for his area. I highly recommend joining if you want to get rid of your useless crap or get someone else's useless crap. But let me warn you that you will receive A LOT of emails from them, A LOT! I get up you 150 a day. Since late last night I received about 60. So do yourself a favor and open a new email address that will be used just for Freecycle. That way it will keep your regular Inbox free of their emails. I use a Yahoo.com email address for it.
Good luck and let me know how you make out.
http://www.freecycle.org/
10 comments:
That is so cool! I love that idea but I'm too lazy to read through all those emails.
I love the new paper towel holder. Looks great!
That's not as bad as it sounds. The full description has to be in the subject of the email, so it is easy to glance at them and see if there is anything you may want. If not, just delete them all.
It sure sounds like a good idea. I would have to think if I had anything worth taking. I know I have 14 decking boards that are 12 foot long, 6 inches wide 2 inches thick I do not need since I decided to redo my deck with composite material. It has possabilies. I love the concept.
Hmmm I will check it our but i'm betting here in podunk I won't get half the action you get LOL Thanks for the tip!
Bryan - It's a perfect way to get rid of them. Better than trying to get rid of them on your own. Maybe even by having to pay someone to take them. Or worse, having to do manual labor cutting them up for the garbage.
Patty - I'm sure even Podunk has junk to give away.
It's small but I did join Freecycle Flotown LOL Thanks again!
See, even podunk as stuff. Flotown? LOL
Lori picked up some stuff yesterday too.
wow, that's a great idea! mr. lime is the king of picking up discarded crap from along side the road. maybe i can get rid of some of it this way. lol.
this is really a great idea! i'm sure i'll be using it SOON!! (but not to give away my cat!, or to get another one!)
Awesome idea. I tend to throw all kinds of good stuff away constantly... cause you know you can't get money for it and you don't know how to get it to someone who might need it. C. has always been amazed at just how much we Americans throw away, all good stuff, but realizes consumer goods are so cheap over here, it's all the easier to replace things. He's slowly teaching me to be less wasteful. :)
Thanks for telling us about the site!
xoxo
Tara
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