Freecycle has been great in the year or two I have been using it. It's been a life saver as far as decluttering goes. I rarely have something that I post that doesn't get picked up. Granted, you occasionally get "no shows" but the overall good experience outweighs the bad.
Some things I've received from Freecyclers:
a lilac bush
rice cooker
bread maker
kids' clothes
soccer cleats
an exercise bike
I've been able to pass on to others kids' clothes, an old (but still working) chest freezer, a desk, shoes, records, baskets, a chandelier, kids' toys...all stuff that I knew someone would still want. We even had a "free-for-all" after our yard sale. I posted on Freecycle that anything on our driveway was a freebie. Two hours later, it was pretty much all gone.
Today I picked up a huge bunch of iris bulbs from a kind freecycler. I'm not quite the master gardener, so I am always hesitant to spend money on plants that turn brown at my touch :)
The lady that gave me the bulbs (which I will be planting this afternoon) told me that if I get any dark golden irises next year, they are very old and came from her grandmother. How cool!
So Freecycle is a really good way to eliminate clutter without trashing stuff...people are out there that do want your old stuff! It's also a great way to find things you wouldn't want to go out and buy (like the breadmaker). I love it!
3 comments:
I love Freecycle. :)
When I switched to all-natural personal care products, I couldn't bring myself to throw the old stuff away, so I posted it on Freecycle. I had two large grocery bags full of stuff... everything from bubble bath to a half-empty box of tampons. I said I didn't condone the stuff, but if someone would use it, it was better than putting it in a landfill. I got many eager responses, and the lady who ended up taking it was so very grateful.
I used to lug everything to Goodwill, but Freecycle is so much easier for the "lazy" in me. Just like you said - leave it on the porch and it's soon gone!
This is one of the reasons why I loved moving to Portland - they have such a humongous freecycling community for a little state! I helped my boyfriend freecycle a few furniture items that he didn't want to take with him to Philly this past month, and I'm currently using a pair of white linens (flat sheets technically!) for a curtain-sewing project that's turning out much better than I ever expected!
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