Vocal Voices

I got some new storage cabinets for my shed which mean moving things around and clearing up a bit to make space for them. I threw away a fair amount of rubbish but there were a few things in good condition that would have been a waste to throw away so onto FreeCycle they went; a total of 6 items. One is already collected, another being collected today and a third being collected tomorrow.

The other three things I suspect won't have takers, but you never know... but they're small enough to either get to a charity shop or throw away.

We love it too
It's a shame more people don't realise it's there/use it

There are quite a few people on there we have found who ring up, make an appointment to come round for the item they are keen to acquire and then never turn up. You are then left wondering whether to keep it for them or whether to move on to the next in the queue. This has happened to us quite a few times recently and it is so annoying. Also, out of about at least 20 items/collections we have donated on there, only 2 people have emailed us to thank us afterwards.

I love Freecycle but it is a nightmare trying to actually join our local group.

I did manage to join once (it took them ages to actually approve it) but now I've forgotten my log in details. I've tried joining again but am still waiting approval...........

I spoke too soon!!!

I have just googled our local one and found that they have changed their whole format and host site. I registered and got an email immediately so am now a member again!

I have begun to send these sort of items, including furniture to our local Hospice shop. It will do far more good there.

I'd never heard of Freecycle, so I've just looked up our local group.

What a good idea.

However, I agree with Rodo, and would prefer to donate resaleable items to a charity shop, but I can see that
many items that now finish up on a rubbish dump could well be recycled to someone else.

I will certainly keep this in mind next time I have something to dispose of.

I suppose it depends where you live. I had some bad dealings with Freecycle and Gumtree, people taking the p155, so I now donate to a chosen charity shop, one which will collect larger items.

I saw a piece about a council run recycling centre (rubbish tip in old money) which was sorting out items for refurbishment and resale, that seemed like a good idea.

Our local tip has always sold stuff, we got our garden chairs there

The local charity furniture shops are varied, we have donated things before, but for instance one of them won't take furniture without the fire thingy tag, so freecycle is better.
The same one charges an awful lot too, we went when I was looking for a table for the little room, for sewing, but the cheapest (completely plain, pine table) was about £50, and a lot of the table & chair sets were over £200.
I got one free instead

Also, it's not just for big things, we got some lovely plants from someone, and I gave away a pile of magazines that had sewing patterns in, most people are very grateful

Like Rodo, anything we have goes to one of the local charity shops although our oldest nephew has just bought his first house so a few older Ikea items have been taken down to Cardiff and stored in MIL's garage until he needed them.