Love it, Love it, LOVE IT!!!!

We were planning to go to Staples to buy bubble wrap for ebay shipping yesterday. Checked the freecycle board the night before as usual. There was a post from a gal that had bubble, wrapping paper, tissue and boxes for pickup. Turned out she was a mile from where we had to go for another errand (she was quite out of the way otherwise). We have enough packing materials to last a good while- for free!
Can't say enough about freecycle- we use it mostly for getting rid of vs. getting, but this worked out ideally.
Love me some freecycle! I guess you can tell :)

Shore

Love it, Love it, LOVE IT!!!!

We were planning to go to Staples to buy bubble wrap for ebay shipping yesterday. Checked the freecycle board the night before as usual. There was a post from a gal that had bubble, wrapping paper, tissue and boxes for pickup. Turned out she was a mile from where we had to go for another errand (she was quite out of the way otherwise). We have enough packing materials to last a good while- for free!
Can't say enough about freecycle- we use it mostly for getting rid of vs. getting, but this worked out ideally.
Love me some freecycle! I guess you can tell :)

Shore

Love it, Love it, LOVE IT!!!!

We were planning to go to Staples to buy bubble wrap for ebay shipping yesterday. Checked the freecycle board the night before as usual. There was a post from a gal that had bubble, wrapping paper, tissue and boxes for pickup. Turned out she was a mile from where we had to go for another errand (she was quite out of the way otherwise). We have enough packing materials to last a good while- for free!
Can't say enough about freecycle- we use it mostly for getting rid of vs. getting, but this worked out ideally.
Love me some freecycle! I guess you can tell :)

Shore

Here is a link that might be useful: ws pics and others

I LOVE freecycle. The more you give, though, the more you tend to get because people start to recognize you. I've gotten rid of a lot of clutter this way.

I've gotten clothes, a old perfectly good full-sized freezer, lots of plastic garden pots, landscaping rocks, and curtains.

I share my extra plants this way, too.

I have shared extra plants but my first experience was almost my last. I had warned people to bring digging tools for a very large hosta. The lady showed up in dressy sandals but at least she brought a male who was able to use my garden fork to dig out the plants. The second time, it was a good experience but I enjoy an organized plant swap a lot more.

I have been on the receiving end of a large, heavy office desk.

I'm giving away a piano, so hopefully that helps me get stuff! I requested anything for use in my compost pile like leaves, wood chips, old straw or hay, grass clippings, even manure if the giver is willing to haul it. Also asked if anyone would be willing to save newspapers and jugs for me (rinsed out, of course), and requested old mini blinds. I linked wintersown.org in case they wondered what the jugs were for. I also get a kick out of misspellings, although not as bad as on craigslist. Today someone was selling a POP belly pig! I'm a rummage sale, dumpster diving girl, so Freecycle is right up my alley.

When I first started WSing, I requested milk jugs on Freecycle. I found a very nice woman with 6 kids who saves her jugs for me - I pick them up once a week. In return I give her veggie and flower starts for her garden. I have also gotten blinds, pots, and flower starts, but mostly now I just give stuff away. I always have a lot of wintersown plants left over after I finish planting out and going to swap meets.

I got some really nice designer clothes for my 7 year old daughter from a family in the wealthy town next to mine.

I've also gotten tons of fabrics and sewing patterns (which I haven't done anything with...I'm thinking I'll be freecycling them myself soon!)

We gave away a boat (Yes, an actual boat with the motor and all), some TV's, and a pasta machine that someone had posted a Wanted ad for.

Freecycle is awesome. I've tried getting the garden stuff that gets posted, but I've never been lucky enough to be the one who gets it.

I asked for and received the four decorative metal corners that support the canvas roof of those gazebos that are popular the last couple of years. I got them from someone whose canvas had been destroyed in a windstorm. They had bought a new one and so had the four corner supports laying around. I used them in the garden for tomato supports last year, but they could be used for anything in the garden. Have also receved five gallon pails with lids, roller blades for my grandchildren, a double stroller and a serger. All big stuff I know, but I have also given away a ton of stuff also.....bookshelves,books, movies, records(LPs), plants,fabric, yarn,etc,etc.Hard to remember all the stuff over the years that has gone out of this place........and it still looks like we have a ton more to get rid of!! :)
I love freecycle

Spring daisies and a darling clem that looks like it didn't make it through the winter.

I've had mixed experiences, got rid of everything but 2 or 3 things I offered but a hassle to juggle the emails and the rest of it. When I'd find something nice in trash and could get it in my car that I didn't want for myself, I'd offer it but don't do much of that lately.

Don't offer too much at once unless you can juggle everything.

I get the digest form because I'm not watching all those emails fill up my inbox but then the few things I've seen I've wanted, I lost out because of the delay, would have some anyway. These people are quick, I swear some much sit on the group messages waiting for the new posts.

If you have a digital camera and know how, take a photo and put a link to where it's hosted in the body of the message. Some things sound nice but driving 10 miles or such not knowing what it looks like, I wouldn't want to for some items and would come across as rude if I did get there and decided I didn't like it. That happened once on one of my offers, and I was not annoyed by it, just lost time and went to the next person who took it.

Explain the condition. People who are handy can deal with it, but I can't. Can't load heavy stuff.

Overall it's pretty good, things seem to get snapped up quickly; ours overs a large bi-state metro area.

Yeah the digging, I had a lady show up, very heavy and shovel not a problem but ended up digging it up for for her. My other negative experience if you offer plants don't let them take your nice pots because mine said they would but didn't bring them back, annoyed me even though a small loss. Make them dump it out unless it's cheap and you don't want it.

Try to follow the ground rules; it's annoying to see the mod keep having to step in and remind people.

Most importantly of all, I've been pretty easygoing about letting people in my house but am going to back off on that and other matters concerning safety, set the stuff outside if you can. Many people seem very nice though, hard to read people via emails and if I let them in the house they see or ask for other things they want, I gave away some that way but just be aware that can happen.

Sometimes backchannel, people will offer some nice plants in exchange.

For everything I've gotten rid of, I somehow manage to fill with the empty spot with more stuff, need to get organized lol.

I love Freecycle. There is also Plantcycle - all plants, all the time. I'm on both groups in my local area.

Freecycle is an excellent way to de-clutter and get your unwanted items directly into the hands of someone that wants them. And if you get something through Freecycle and later decide you don't want it, you can give it away through Freecycle. Sometimes items need to change hands a few times before they find a home. Through Freecycle, I've received an indoor fountain and a tarot deck. My sister got an iPod and a sewing machine. I found replacement parts for my father's ham radio. I got a bunch of office chairs, and I gave away lots of office stuff after I closed my office.

I did learn the hard way to not Freecycle a bunch of tender houseplants in winter. I couldn't leave them on the porch, which is the usual method for Freecycle pickups, because they'd freeze and die. Arranging to be there for pickups meant lots of back-and-forth email with each person.

Freecycle is great! We got rid of out old kitchen table when we inherited another one & a 20+ year old Air conditioner-working but with a bad thermostat. Like others have said, stuff goes fast! Maybe I'll post for jugs-I'm almost out!

freecycle did not work for me but also check the Free section of craigslist. I almost got a load of topsoil and wood chips last year from this.

Karen

A few years ago I gave away OODLES of stuff on freecycle. Even a greenhouse someone gave me which did not work out for us (it was a lean to with nowhere to lean), a drip irrigation system, some book shelves, plants and all kinds of things. I don't ask anyone to do anything but come and pick it up and I meet them at the end of the driveway. Every experience was good. And fun. And I was so glad to PURGE.
My friend who helps me with the garden has found wonderful things on Freecycle and Craigslist for my garden. I tend to be more a side of the road finder :)

I use freecycle a lot. I've given away toys, tons of clothes, shoes, electronics, magazines, books, bikes, air conditioners, packing peanuts - and the list goes on.

I've gotten a working refrigerator, some styrofoam cases/coolers to store dahlias in, milk jugs, and kitchen chairs. I'm sure there might be a few other things, but I tend to give away more things than I take.

:)
Dee

SCORE!

I freecycled my butterfly bush prunings and the guy left me two surprise lilac saplings!

And I just got 6 raspberry bush saplings as well. Anyone know if you need more than one to pollinate? I mean, I have six, so that's not a problem, but I might give some away...

leisa

I'm thinking of posting on Freecycle (for the first time) to see if anyone wants this white landscape stone I'm removing from my front bed. Hopefully someone will, or otherwise my boyfriend and I will be shoveling it off the driveway and dumping it on his dad's property. It's taken me most of the day to shovel and scoop it up with my hands to remove it, and I still have more to go. It's evil stuff!

Karen

Someone locally offered landscaping stones, but the recipient helped shovel it up. You could advertise it - bring your own buckets and shovels - and get out of doing the work!

I freecycled a dress, but the lady never showed to pick it up. Everyone else who replied wanted a picture, but I have to learn how to reduce the size of my pictures so I can attached them to email. Tomorrow's project. Photobucket wouldn't even let me download.

My Freecycle moved its site. When I tried to sign in, I must have forgotten my password. I have not been able to get back on. Bummer.
Been a member for several years. Don't want to sign on with another ID.

I don't like Freecycle. The local one by me is a yahoo group and its too hard to keep track of the offers and taken posts. I wish they could just delete them when the stuff is gone.
I much prefer the free page on Craigslist. I check it a few times a day and have given away a ton of stuff using it. LOVE it.

All of the above...compost material, plants, dairy tubs/cups, plant pots...
Have given away a couple lots of kids clothes, and other things.

F/C and CL are two of the best things that have come from the internet.

I got all my WS milk jugs from freecycle!