Freecycle

I have discovered Freecycle Columbus.  This is part of the Freecycle Network, which offers a place for people to post items they would normally throw away for other people who might want them.  Its goal is to reduce items going to landfills and "recycle" them to other people.  Everything posted has to be free. 

I have known about Freecycle for years, but never really looked into it.  However, I had a beige metal file cabinet that I needed to discard now that I've bought the wooden four-drawer one from Craigslist.  I couldn't sell it - it was dinged up and rusted and grimy.  I looked into Freecycle and completed all the "paperwork" to get added to the group so I could post my file cabinet.

On Monday night around 7:30 pm, I finally had all the permissions I needed and posted the file cabinet, including the picture below:

By 10:30 pm, I had two offers to pick it up the next day.  Unfortunately, I knew I was going to work late on Tuesday.  I made arrangements to have one of them pick it up around 8 pm.  I barely got home by 7 pm, unloaded it of the files inside, emptied the hanging folders - which I was throwing in with the cabinet since my new one only takes legal size, and moved it next to the front door.  We put the kids to bed.  I checked email and had 8 more people asking if the cabinet was still available.

At 8:20 pm, I get a phone call saying the selected recipients are running late.  They finally show around 9:15.  I'm a little irritated, but it's getting junk out of my house.  The woman is going to use it for her daughter's artwork.  Her daughter will love the aqua hanging folders.  They take it away.  And my first success with Freecycle.  Now, I'm constantly on the site looking at things they have for free.  I mentioned to my boss at work and he's thinking he might post the blinds from his windows - they just replaced all their windows and have to get new blinds but don't know what to do with the old ones since Goodwill won't take them.  I'm looking around my house for anything I can post next.  I'm wondering who in their right mind would accept "king sheets - old" or "wedding dress - worn twice" from this site.  I'm intrigued.  And addicted.  Between Freecycle, Craigslist, eBay, and the furniture consignment shop nearby (Trading Places). . . and blogging, and Facebook. . . I'm running out of hours in the day!  But I'm moving forward.

Tomorrow is the day Volunteers of America will be on our street and the box in the garage marked "Donate" will be put out for them to pick up.  I could probably Freecycle the items, but it's too much work to coordinate pickup for items this small (even though I see other people posting "craft supplies", "bag of yarn," "tote full of junk").  This way, I get rid of an old iron, a non-working sprinkler, and some other miscellaneous household stuff without much hassle.  My anti-hoarding campaign continues.

Next up:  I was reading an issue of Family Circle and they had an article, "Clutter-Free in 30 Days" by Kimberly Fusaro.  My thought is to review one of these items a day.  I have read the whole article and find I've already done some of them.  Others, I'm not sure I agree with, but might share and then pick something else to do that day to move my house forward. 

(Note:  I'm in peak season, so my posts won't be as frequent, but I'll try.)