This site is so fantastic. You can post WANTED or OFFER and get rid of or receive things, just like that. It works so fast it can make your head spin. Go to www.freecycle.org, join the yahoo group in your area, and boom, you are giving and receiving free things. I posted a wanted for a basketball hoop... got it within an hour. My daughter and I have been playing at least a half hour a day, making many baskets at regulation height I might add. Someone posted a WANTED for her sister who had been out with a back surgery and needed clothes to go back to work. I had clothes! I freecycle'd at least six bags of clothes. It's wonderful because it helped me to clean up and helped someone else at the same time. My desktop monitor went crazy on me, I posted a WANTED and received a free monitor within minutes. Did I need to buy a monitor before Christmas? No!
I subscribed to freecycle in another state because my good friend there was slow to start and I wanted to find things for her. I love to annoy her with "OFFER: Bunny, leash and potty trained, free to good home." She doesn't want or need a bunny... I did find someone in this state who needed clothing for her children to have Christmas presents and tomorrow I am mailing 3 outfits each, with winter hats and gloves. It's such a powerful thing.
Check it out, www.freecycle.org, and see if you can give and receive rather than continue on the purchasing pattern we are all on.
Chris You are such a caring person. I will check it out because I have something that I was just thinking today that I need to recycle.
Chris -
Incredibly creative idea - will have to check this out!
What if you wanted to OFFER that crazy co-broker? Will that work? (Just kidding - I already put him on E-Bay . . . but nobody bit!)
Have a great evening!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
Chris - so neat to see you writing about this. I wrote an article sometime ago here in Carlsbad when chatting about recycling. And I tell everyone about it.
Jeff
This sounds like craigslist for freebies, Chris. Great idea. Hope we have it here in Jacksonville!
Hi Chris,
Thanks for posting this cause I didn't know about the site!
Gotta go check it out...I'm a bartering fool...!
Chris- I love this post! That is So Cool! I flagged it for a feature because everyone should know about this site and I am reblogging it. Thanks for sharing.
Freecycle is a great thing. It is a real help for lots of people. I put some things out on my curb for pick up for a local charity. It turns out that they did not want some of it so they left it. I had a frantic day that day and did not have time to put it back in the garage--stuck a "free" sign on it and when I got home it was gone (bar stools, computer desk and metal file cabinet).
Freecycle has an amazing range of things that people want or are giving away and provides a great servive for both sides.
Chris,
Thanks for the heads-up. Its a great "green" thing to do.
I invite you and your readers to join the group "the Green Zone" here in ActiveRain. Its about green ideas, like this one! Plus a whole lot more.
this is great and I'm going to the link now! Thanks!!
Hi Chris, I just went to freecysle before commenting. I was surprised to see that there are groups on my town and those of both my daughters. None of us lives in big cities. I will join right away. I do have stuff that I post for free on Craigs List now and then. And I give some things to a resource for teachers to use in their classrooms, but this is another good resource for giving AND getting!
I've heard such great things about freecycle, I'm a bit addicted to craigslist myself....
I've found Freecycle to be much better for asking than offering. I've put plenty of stuff on Freecycle that no one has nibbled over and then repost it on the free section of Craigslist and its gone. Apparently I have weird tastes in items. I use Freecycle first as I love the idea of it, but I also don't love the idea of a garage full of crap, believe it or not, so I CL it if need be.
The last thing I put on Freecycle a month or so ago was a a bag of clothes sitting in my garage that needed minor repairs (the reason it was sitting was because it was stuff too big and what not and I wasn't going to wear it even if repaired), and the only response was from a women telling me to be kinky and wear the stuff with torn seems and such, esp in the butt, (DO WHAT?) and also that I should wear the jeans to bed bc that's what she does (seriously?!).
Anyway, had to share that random story. And yes, someone on CL took the bag.
What an excellent idea. We have tons of stuff we give to the goodwill every year but now have another avenue to help folks out.... You rock chickie...
Freecycle is a great tool, Chris. And if you don't already know .... craigslist also has a FREE category. Lots of things there, too.
You go, girls - with the outfits for the kids. Your hearts are as big as your smiles. :) God bless!
Gayle -Thank you, I think you will like it.
Dean - Why not try the crazy co-broker? It will at least be good for a laugh. I had to post once APOLOGY: I'm sorry my crazy grandma asked you why you were stealing our bricks. They are still available if you want them.
Jeff - I believe I saw you blog about this as well. I tell everyone, also. It's really amazing.
Sharon - I hope you have it there too!
Lanette - Bartering is very good. Especially right now.
Katerina - Thank you for the feature! It is a VERY helpful thing to know about.
Deb - We have done the Free sign on the curb as well. Actually, our mailman has a decent amount of those things at his house I believe.
Mike - I will definitely check out your group, sounds great.
Susan - If it hadn't been for freecycle, all those clothes would still be hanging in my closet. I really like the WANTED posts because they remind me of things I have that I need to let go of.
Mara - Hope you had fun! : )
Kim - I hadn't really thought of the free postings on craigslist, but I'm going to check those out too.
Elizabeth - She wears her jeans to bed? That is unusual to say the least. I have done very well with the wanted posts, and pretty well with the offers. I do have an antique stereo that I can't give away no matter where I try.
Dean - Thank you! I find that if I wait for my lazy butt to haul everything to Goodwill it just gets put off and put off... this is easier for me. : )
Carol - Thanks! I hope the clothes are helpful. It just made me sad because she said she already knew they couldn't have Thanksgiving.
Chris, great blog. I have to say, it is me who your talking about. LOL THat bunny thing was to funny. I was very slow to start and now I'm hooked. Glad you blogged about it.
Haha! Yes it was you. I torture you with all the kittens too. : )
Chris,
Could you help me with something small. Your page header with the flower and info and everything, I cannot figure it out. No picture I own or find fits the demension of that stupid header, and how could I put my name and numbers in there?/? Your good and stuff like that, so please help me!!!
I'm happy to help. Please check your email. : )
HI CHRIS!
I use to use freecycle a lot!! It is a great resource. Folks come & go, and there hasn't been a lot of activity in my area.
Yvette - that is too bad. I guess you can use craigslist though, they have a bigger following.
Wow ~ I had never heard of www.freecycle.org so am thirlled you "love it" so much you wrote about it. You rock!!
Chris ~ I just went to the site and there is a group here in Reno, Nevada! How cool is that? How did you find the site. It is so amazing the amount of great sites out there that get overlooked, the power of blogging, right?
Hi Terrie - I actually found it through someone else's blog months ago. It's been so great, I thought I should mention it as well. It's been great. With the stray kittens I've taken in temporarily (2 left), I was in need of pet supplies. Someone even donated the flea medicine I needed. That stuff is expensive. I am very grateful and try to find wanted posts that I can fill as well.
Hope you have a good time with it!
Chris, I've heard of it but never looked into it....it's definitely something I'm going to check into right now. I have so many clothes to donate!
I've been using Freecycle as a means to find people in need of things I'm clearing out for awlile now and I love it!! I still sell some things on Craigslist, but use Freecycle a lot!! Thanks for blogging about it! ~A:)
Carole - I have let go of 2 entire wardrobes I believe.
Alisha - It is a great group, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Wow Chris, this is really great information! I can't wait to check into it further.
Ann - I hope you love it too!
Chris - It's amazing what you can get on freecycle be it a couch, chair, bed refrigerator, old patio stones you name it its all there at one time or another it's a great site