I even sold some items on Craigslist. Then there were some other items that weren’t really sellable in my opinion. A few odds and ends. I decided to list them on freecycle. Freecycle is a site in which you offer items that you don’t want to others for free. Its based on the premise of recycling and keeping things out of the landfill.
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This freecycling thing is my latest fixation. Not a week goes by that my husband doesn’t come home to hear what thing went that day! My local community is a bustling one, and my offers generally go in the first 48 hours. My basement is growing, suddenly unburdened by excess.
Technically, it is a “loss” of money, unless one is receiving the items. Literal frugality would demand that I should be Ebaying these suckers and getting some profit for myself, no matter how minor. But I won’t do that. For me, having the free space in my household and knowing that someone else is going to enjoy the items is worth far more than waiting and waiting to make a few bucks.
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The Corner Shop” at Swansea’s Llansamlet recycling centre.
Take your rubbish to the tip, and whatever is remotely usable drop in at the shop. Whilst you’re there, see if there is anything you fancy for £1. Proceeds go to charity. I just hope that they check for hidden gems before they put items on the shelves.
It saves half decent stuff going to landfill, or maybe saves the person who brings stuff a separate journey to donate elsewhere.
Maybe more of these will start up once the news gets around.
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freecycle is by no means anything new. but some folks are not familiar with it. basically it works like this: are you looking for something very specific? post an ad. do you have something in your garage/basement/closet that needs a new home? post an ad. it’s that simple. what’s even better is you can put what you have to offer out on your porch with the new owners name on it for them to pick up. you don’t have to wait around. you don’t have to answer your door. same goes for when you want something. just ask for porch pickup and it’s yours.
and it’s all free.
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I first discovered freecycle several years ago while living in Northern California. After having relocated from Sedona Arizona and given away much of our furniture, I wondered if we could be on the receiving end of so much abundance. While married, I moved every 2-12 months — usually around the 6 month mark — so I have given away a lot of furniture in my day! I figured I could balance the scales a bit by appearing when someone else needed to relieve themselves of stuff. I forget how I found freecycle, but I love the idea that one person’s junk can become another’s treasure. After receiving an armoire and recliner chair, I decided to list some of our items that hadn’t found a place in our new California home. I loved this zero money exchange that blessed both parties by clearing energy out the old and invigorating the new. I also loved that freecycle kept many perfectly usable (but less likely to sell) items out of the landfill.
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A final option is Freecycle. The Freecycle Network has over 5000 groups around the world that match people getting rid of old items with those who want it. You won’t make any money with this one, but it may keep things that you think are junk from going into the landfill.
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Where to buy
Freecycle and Craigslist are two great places to get started. Freecycle is a network of thousands of members-only mailing lists, localized by geographical region. Members give stuff away for free to others who can use that stuff. The goal: Keep things out of landfills by encouraging reuse. I’ve used the service before to snag stuff like vintage Macs and a Commodore Amiga, complete with a big crate of classic Amiga games. The online classified service Craigslist is also a great place to find stuff for free or at a very low cost from people looking to make space in their family room.
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The ReClaimer is certainly not alone in this mindset. Today’s ReClaimer Blog will put a spotlight on The Freecycle Network(TM).
A concept that was launched in one city in the United States (US) has since grown to international and global scope. In May of 2003, Freecycle founder Deron Beal organized an online email group of contacts representing a group of non-profit organizations in Tucson, Arizona. The online contact network was necessary to streamline and make highly efficient a previously time-consuming process of offering unwanted or donated items to multiple organizations in the Tucson area. Originally fostered by the organization RISE, which at the time provided recycling services to downtown Tucson businesses, The Freecycling Network (TM) grew into a online network that now spans the globe and has incorporated the efforts of individuals and groups in 85 countries.
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As usual at G, any unwanted items that still worked were gifted to friends, or given away on Freecycle. Then, I used Planet Ark’s helpful and easy to use Recycling Near You website, where you can search by product or postcode for recycling facilities near you. Here’s our list of our random items, and how we recycled them:
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5. Find Free Toys. Check out the website Freecycle for free toys. Craigslist also has a free section where you’re bound to find freebies for your kids. In either case, you will have to pick up the toy from the person donating it, so it’s best to not search too far out of your area.
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