Freecycle is weird/amazing

[TromboneAl]

We're moving into the room vacated by our daughter as she went off to college.  The room had a fixed frame octagonal window, as shown in the picture below.  I wanted to replace that with an openable window, since it will let us hear the waves better, and I wanted to do it myself.

The problem was that my ladder just wasn't long enough.  I didn't want to pay to have someone remove it, and I found that I would only get about $20 for it at the resale lumber place.  So I was trying to think of some cheap way of getting it out.

Then I thought of freecycle (www.freecycle.org).  I'd post an offer of the window to anyone who could remove it.

Here's the weird/amazing thing: Only two minutes after I posted, I had two people who wanted the window.  After an hour, five or six.  Now, I live in a very sparsely populated area.  The closest town has 310 residents, and the town 25 miles away has 13,000.  In spite of that, there were enough people in this area checking out freecycle.org on a weekday afternoon that happened to want a window and had the experience to remove it, that I had bites after only two minutes.  I just don't understand how that is possible.

In any case, a guy came this morning with a big ladder, and although it was very difficult, he got the window out in one piece.  I gave him a six pack too, and now I can install the new window, which I'll be able to do from inside the room.

Freecyle is weird/amazing!

 

[KB]

Great story Al. I've had good luck giving stuff away on Freecycle.

I live near Sacramento and tend to get 30 or more responses for everything I've given away. And quickly, within minutes the first responses come in. The problem I've had is people don't show up or don't reply when you email them back and tell them they can come and get the item that day.

But once someone shows up, it's totally worth it.

 

[grumpy]

I used freecycle in Maryland before we moved to get rid of a lot of stuff that wasn't going with us. I have also used it in Virginia to get rid of stuff that didn't fit or work out in the new house. Some items get snapped up immediately, others that I expected people to want wound up in the trash for lack of response. There is a problem with people not showing up to pick up items that they said they wanted.

Grumpy

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yep, there are many people who need stuff. I live in an area that is somewhat like pluto, only warmer. Wanted a little free space in my garage and advertised that areas contents on freecycle. Within 36 hours, that space was empty.

And promptly refilled by my kayak, two bikes and a bike trailer.

 

[KB]

I have a bunch of furniture and stuff I was going to Freecycle: only my youngest son is going to move out next month and wants it all. So I should have some space in my garage soon. We barely can fit 2 cars in it and the spare furniture is out on the patio until he takes it.

I guess that's the good part of kids leaving the nest.

Al, how's your daughter doing at school? Did she make it safely on the bus?

 

[MJ]

I wished I had remembered about freecycle. I threw out a couple of mattresses and a 12 year old 32" Panasonic TV which worked off and on due to a minor verticle problem. Would have been a real hassle trying to get it to the repair shop and I just didn't want to fix it for $125 (minimum). I bought a new 27" Panasonic TV for $270 instead.

 

[yakers]

I used freecysle a few times and getting rid of things went well.
The only issue I have is that for every item I posted I received several replies so there are several disappointed people for each transaction.

 

[SteveR]

I have used it a couple of times but I have mixed experiences so far. I am still sitting on some stuff that more than 3 people said they wanted. Two have never emailed my back to confirm and the other was a no show on pickup. By the way, I try to meet someone on neutral territory like a shopping mall parking lot to keep my residence private. You cannot be too careful. This stuff is free to anyone so you have to watch your self. Too many shady people out there.

Just the other day they had a news story about two guys picking up items intended for charity pickups. That is pretty low. Sort of like stealing from the blind man's tin cup.

 

[TromboneAl]

Al, how's your daughter doing at school? Did she make it safely on the bus?

She's doing fine. She ended up getting a ride with someone, so she didn't have to experience Greyhound.

She's really happy there, with great roommates (in a triple). She's not so communicative with Mom and Dad, but I understand that status reports are not her top priority.

Just got the window in, done from inside the room -- I'll do the trim this weekend.

 

[Nords]

FreeCycle & Craigslist have changed the way we get rid of our stuff. We rarely read the print classifieds anymore.

Now I need to get off my butt and start clearing the rest of our junk valuable collectibles via eBay...