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Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
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I am a big supporter of Freecycle. I use it both to get rid of things that may be of use and should be saved from the landfill. Its very true that "one man's trash is another man's treasure." Recently, I have had people pick up several half-full bottles of laundry detergent and some things that many would consider construction debris. Yesterday, I picked up some wonderful pooh-themed stuff I will be sending as a welcome home gift for my friend's new baby and a gazebo that needs a new coat of paint.
We recently moved from Fairfax county Virginia (just outside of Washington DC) to a more rural county north of Baltimore, MD for new jobs. I immediately joined the local freecycle again. Last night, as we were picking up the gazebo from a run down home, my husband and I got to talking about the differences in freecyclers in Fairfax and here. In Fairfax, I would often drive to neighborhoods with large single-family homes and manicured lawns. Here, I have never picked up in one of the newer neighborhoods. Its always the older homes that frankly, aren't all that well kept. Please understand its not a judgment, just an observation on who is using freecycle. And it got me thinking how systems like freecycle appeal to both the thrifty and the socially responsible. In Fairfax, I think it was more the socially responsible reasons for using freecycle. Around here, it seems more that the thrifty aspect appeals.
Personally, I freecycle for a mix of both reasons. Ive always been thrifty and loved thrift stores and yard sales (despite being in an income bracket that syas I don't need to - I want to stay in that bracket LOL). But I post stuff because it seems so much better that someone will use it rather than sending useful stuff to the landfill.
Do you freecycle? If so, what are your main motivations?
I have free-cycled quite successfully in NYC and thought it was a wonderful way to offer other people stuff I no longer wanted or needed.
I had quite a few pieces of furniture that went to some folks, but most of all, I was gratified to give a large donation of arts and crafts supplies to two schools (who saw my offer).
Freecycle has its assortment of things. Ive given things away there and have picked up too. Keep in mind, its FREE, so there may be people giving things away in there that they cant get rid of anywhere else, such as washers, dryers, cellphones, but they usually at least tell you it doesnt work. Then I've seen some pretty awesome things in there that some 'higher-end' people give away just to get it out of their garages, and these were very nice items.
here on Long Island its a mix of both. There are many upper class areas here where people will often post free furniture, exercise stuff or whatever else just because they got something new. Then we have the people that don't have many fancy things but they don't want to throw stuff out, so they try giving it away.
I've given tons of stuff away. There is a free section& a wanted section on craigslist too, I've used that as well.
My husband & I built our greenhouse, chicken coop, pond & waterfall & a bunch of other things from stuff we got on freecycle.
I LOVE IT!
Not yet. But I was glad to learn of it. In the next few years I will be moving across the country and it doesn't seem cost effective to move my so-so furniture as opposed to getting what I need in my new place. So getting rid of perfectly serviceable furniture to freecycle seems like a great solution. Charities seem to demand that it be brand new, so that isn't a good solution. I also want to clean out and get rid of stuff that I don't really use. If someone else can use it, then it is better to keep it out of the landfills.
I think it's annoying in my area. You have to sign up for a yahoo group and then the moderators send out nasty emauils every day telling people what to post and not to post, etc. Hardly worth it for an occasional freebie and apparently too many people take advantage of it.
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
1,501 posts, read 11,759,605 times
Reputation: 1135
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tesaje
Not yet. But I was glad to learn of it. In the next few years I will be moving across the country and it doesn't seem cost effective to move my so-so furniture as opposed to getting what I need in my new place. So getting rid of perfectly serviceable furniture to freecycle seems like a great solution. Charities seem to demand that it be brand new, so that isn't a good solution. I also want to clean out and get rid of stuff that I don't really use. If someone else can use it, then it is better to keep it out of the landfills.
Which charities are you going to? When we were in Fairfax, we took a lot of stuff to the Goodwill and Salvation Army, and we never had anything rejected. Maybe they only pick up if its like-new, but for drop-off, we never had a problem. There was one bedroom suite that was my husbands when he was a kid. It had been through over a dozen DIY moves, lived with him in his partying days, and by the time we dropped it off, a couple drawers were falling apart. We took it down (Woodbridge, on 123 closer to Rt 1, right near Taco Bell), asked if they wanted it, and they said they did. We also dropped a lot of stuff at the Franconia fire station drop point.
Which charities are you going to? When we were in Fairfax, we took a lot of stuff to the Goodwill and Salvation Army, and we never had anything rejected. Maybe they only pick up if its like-new, but for drop-off, we never had a problem. There was one bedroom suite that was my husbands when he was a kid. It had been through over a dozen DIY moves, lived with him in his partying days, and by the time we dropped it off, a couple drawers were falling apart. We took it down (Woodbridge, on 123 closer to Rt 1, right near Taco Bell), asked if they wanted it, and they said they did. We also dropped a lot of stuff at the Franconia fire station drop point.
It must vary because the ones here don't want it if it has a scratch. I tried Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
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We also dropped a lot of stuff at the Franconia fire station drop point.
I tried Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
