Your junk is another’s treasure: Freecycle
These days, I spend a lot of time leaving items for people I’ve
never met. Sometimes I drop them off on a porch or in a backyard.
Other times I actually hand them to someone who I’m meeting for the
first time.
Give stuff away, get other items you need. Or, as the saying
goes, one person’s trash is another one’s treasure. That’s
Freecycle in a nutshell.
Your junk is another’s treasure: Freecycle
These days, I spend a lot of time leaving items for people I’ve never met. Sometimes I drop them off on a porch or in a backyard. Other times I actually hand them to someone who I’m meeting for the first time.
Give stuff away, get other items you need. Or, as the saying goes, one person’s trash is another one’s treasure. That’s Freecycle in a nutshell.
Freecycle is an online recyling group that can be found just about anywhere these days. The local group here is San Benito County Freecycle. It’s a wonderful system.
You join your local Freecycle group online by going to www.freecycle.org. Within the group, members post items that they want to give away, and if they’re seeking something, they post that as well.
The giving doesn’t have a direct connection to the receiving – it’s not a trading or bartering group.
For instance, if I were looking for queen-sized sheets, I would post: “WANTED: Queen-sized sheets.” Then if I’m lucky, another Freecycle member will reply to me, offering me sheets he or she no longer needs.
Or if I’m looking to get rid of something, I would post: “OFFER: 10-gallon aquarium.” And then someone who wanted an aquarium would send me an e-mail, asking if it’s still available.
Granted, you don’t always get what you want, but on the other hand, I have received some wonderful things through Freecycle. And best of all, it’s all free. No money can be charged for the items.
I love the idea that I can give away items to people who really want and need them. It’s also great when you have oddball items that can’t be taken to Goodwill.
Some of the things I’ve given away recently include large rolls of paper, firewood, old lumber, a portable CD player, jam jars, and size 10 women’s jeans.
Through Freecycle, I have received a microwave oven, books, aloe and oregano plants, a $12 coupon for an oil change and an exercise mat, among other items.
Sometimes, it feels a little odd dropping off items on people’s porches, or picking things up. I do tend to wonder what the neighbors must think. Luckily, no one has ever asked me what the heck I’m doing there.
One of the really great things about Freecycling is that you’re dealing with a group of like-minded people, and so far, everyone I’ve met has been wonderful. Even if I never meet them in person, we e-mail back and forth.
Some people have been so excited to get items of mine. It’s a great feeling to bring joy to others with what you thought was just junk. And, of course, there’s that whole helping-the-earth thing, too.
Let’s face it, most of us have too much stuff anyway. I have been able to clean out my garage and several closets thanks to Freecycle. And I got the satisfaction of making others happy with my old stuff.
Likewise, I’ve been able to get some lovely items at no charge.
Freecycle groups generally have one or several people moderating. There are rules that everyone in the group agrees to abide by. Sometimes there are restrictions on membership, such as requirements that you must live or work in that particular Freecycle region.
If you care about the environment, Freecycle is a great group to belong to. Or if you are frugal and don’t like waste. Or even if you just like getting stuff for free. I recommend it highly for one or all of these reasons.
So Happy New Year, and happy Freecycling!
