Got Clutter? Don't Recycle It... Freecycle It!

Looking around my home, I noticed that I have waaaaay too much stuff that I don't need. It's all in great condition. I'm sure somebody would love it. But I can't get rid of it. Taking another look around, I noticed that there are quite a few things we really need. But alas, we don't have much extra cash lying around. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to get rid of this stuff while finding the things I'm looking for?

Then one of my friends told me about Freecycle.org. I was intrigued, so I checked it out for myself. It's kind of like recycling, or maybe like hand-me-downs. And you can get all kinds of things, but it's all free. Free plus recycle equals "freecycle." Get it?

How does Freecycle work?

I am loving Freecycle so far. This is how it works. You go to the Freecycle website and search for your local group. Each local Freecycle group has its own page, where you can join for free. You simply submit your email address and tell them what town you live in. This is important, because you don't want to be Freecycling with people that live an hour away from you. That's too much travel time and gas money. Then you briefly tell the group leader why you're interested in joining Freecycle. This sounded a little strange to me. Um, I want to join because... I want free stuff? But Freecycle is serious about protecting its members, so they ask your reasons for joining in an attempt to weed out the creeps, pervs, and spammers.

Once you're a member, it's easy to Freecycle. If you have an item you'd like to give away, simply post it on your local Freecycle group page. You'll need to include a brief description of the item as well as is general location. Again, people need to know how far away you are to see if it's worth the trip. If you want a certain item, same rules apply: just post a listing on your local Freecycle page, with a description of the item you want as well as your general location.

Can I use Freecycle to sell things, or to get items for trade?

Freecycle is not a place to advertise your yard sale, or the car you are trying to sell. Everything posted on Freecycle must be completely free. That means no yard sales, no shipping costs, nothing. You're not even allowed to trade. Freecycle is an organization that truly promotes the spirit of free giving among the people.

Be smart about Freecycling

If you use Freecycle, do be careful. You can't just go around giving out your personal information on the internet. If you are giving an item away, logic would dictate that yes, you do need to give your information to the person who is picking the item up. However, you can be smart about it. Give your address only through private emails. Never post your address in the open on the Freecycle message boards. Never give your phone number or other unnecessary personal information to another Freecycle member. And when someone is scheduled to pick something up from your home, either make sure that you are not home alone, or simply leave the item outside with the person's name on it. Don't let anyone into your home.

What's the point of using Freecycle when I could buy this stuff new?

Freecycle is a great way for people to come together and share the wealth. It's also a wonderful way to keep some of these items out of the landfills, as well as a valuable tool for getting the things you need without shelling out a lot of cash. Sure, you could buy these things new. But with a little bit of effort and the help of Freecycle, you can get great stuff for your home and still keep your money in your pocket. And if you take an item through Freecycle, that means that the original owner no longer has that item taking up space in his house. Everybody wins.