My daughter mentioned this to me last week when I told her that I had been having a sort out and would be paying someone to come and take it away. I realised that lots of the stuff is actually saleable but couldn't be bothered to advertise it, and I always feel guilty about asking for money, I advertised stuff in the past and hate the haggling.

My daughter said to find out if there was an e-cycling scheme locally, where you place free adverts and people can have whatever you are offering free of charge, they just have to collect it. I knew there was no such scheme locally, it used to be my job to know such things.

A few days ago there was a big write-up in the local newspaper, they are starting such a scheme this week! We can place adverts and they will be on a website and in the newspaper. I have sent off more than 20 adverts so far and will have lots more.

Have any of you used such a scheme, is it normally successful? do you manage to get rid of your things?

Here is a list of my first items.

Plastic flower pots - several sacks full, need washing.
Used carrier bags - great for carboot sales, several sacks of them.
Ladies Raleigh bike, needs new tyres as it has not been used for years.
Black ladies bike, Shimano equipped, excellent condition.
Hoover upright - complete with attachments and a couple of packets of dust bags.
B&D Dustbuster.
Computer and monitor, 486 and 14", no keyboard or mouse.
Bathroom scales - not digital.
Light fittings, 2x5, 1x3 and a single wall light. Ceiling fix, not pendant - antique finish brass with Swarzoski crystal drops.
Breadmaker - used about twice!
Chain saw - not used for many years, left by ex-husband so I guess he doesn't want it.
Russell Hobbs Auto slow cooker - brand new, never been out of box.
Saucepans - usable.
Cat carrying baskets, three of them, I still have one for my cat - I had five cats and a basket each.
Vibro-masager, the wibble-wobble machine, fantastic. Scared to use it now with my artificial heart vales, don't want to shake them loose! It is one of those things that you stand on and put the canvas belt around your nether regions and let it shake and pummel your fat bits!
Roasting pans, lots of the blighters, they must breed!
Wine rack for 10 bottles, I have more racks than bottles.
Suitcases - Delsey, two large, excellent condition but without keys.
Gym equipment, Gold's - seemed like a good idea at the time, never used.
Puzzles, a dozen 1000 piece puzzles.
Hammock - never used, comes on a stand.

Perhaps I will photo some of the items so people can see them without coming to the house.

Sounds terrific, Sue. I wish I lived nearer!

Usually I just give anything usable to a charity like the Salvation Army or Goodwill, which then sell them in their shops and use the money for their causes.

We have a "Swap Shop" program on the local radio station, where people call in ads for things they wish to sell. We have found it handy for advertising things to be given away which are not suitable for charity - when we bought this house, we tore out the old and shabby wall to wall carpet (lovely hardwood floors underneath, what are people thinking? But that's another thread) It was not worth selling, and really big. One call and it was gone in about an hour.

Just a note on those used bags from the supermarket. If you have a daycare centre nearby, they maybe could use them. We use the bags from our staff, and a couple of other people bring us theirs too. A daycare always needs bags for sending home clothes which have been in an 'accident', and double wrapping really toxic diapers before they go in the trash, etc. Anyone who has a dog goes through a lot of them too.

I hate throwing away anything usable away.

The items will be given to the first person who phones, provided they collect them.

The problem with donating the goods is that most people expect you to deliver, I want them collected.

I telephoned a charity which refurbishes bikes and sells them, they are worked on by people with learning dificulties. They wanted me to deliver them, no chance, their loss.

In the past I have given bags to charities who use hem at fund-raising car boot sales, they can have them if they collect.

I really hate throwing stuff out, I was going to pay a general collector to taske the stuff, I know they go through it and sell the good stuff, AND they charge to take it away. I would rather just give it.

Oh wow, first two items gone, as in collected. That was the slow cooker and the Hoover.

In the States we have freecycling. It is internet based. It's much nicer being able to give things to someone who will use them instead of just pitching them.

Yes, that sounds like the same sort of scheme. I am a shopaholic, then I don't use the stuff. I have so much that can go, much of it never really used. There are a couple of boxes from QVC which have never been opened, including an air compressor!

It is really a question of being ruthless, I have never used that knitting machine, nor the camcorder. I have a combination VCR/dvd so really don't need either the single vcr or dvd, although the latter I might keep as a spare.

I am now taking back-up numbers when more than one person phones, then if the first doesn't collect I will give to the next one.

I've been a member of the local freecycle group for a few years now. It's a great community. Where else can you find 200 baby food jars minus lids, several pounds of potting soil, one slightly broken printer and cynder blocks all in one place for free? No, I haven't taken any of the following things, but they were listed in today's offerings.

I'm actually listing my old stove soon, I hope somebody takes it or it may become the world's tackiest planter.

I must be slightly nuts, a man came for a chainsaw and I pressed him into taking an electric jigsaw, a sander, electric screwdriver, a hammer, a tool box, a wetsuit and threw in a camcorder (used for half an hour) for good measure! He teaches at a school for children who have been excluded from normal schools, most will be from troubled homes. The stuff will be put to good use, especially the camcorder.

This is really taking off, if donating all this stuff helps to get the scheme underway then I am happy to have helped. I think I have donated at least half of the items they have advertised so far.

Is there a way to pair Craigslist with Freecycling so that everybody wins? It would be nice if something like that were possible, where matches could be made.

I discovered the other day that we actually now have freecycling in Jersey, it only started up last month - so now we have two schemes here.

My phone hasn't stopped today, some things I could have given away several times. People are totally confused to find out that they are all free. It is quite good fun.

One elderly lady wanted to know what pattern the bone china teaset was, I was slightly bemused, then she explained that she broke a cup of her set and couldn't find a replacement, she would even buy a whole tea service to get a cup. I offered to try to find her one as she has no computer. I looked on ebay and found her a single cup on 'buy now', she is delighted. I have bought it for her and will get it to her when it arrives.

That was great, a woman came today and filled her car to the roof. She got some good stuff, like a almost new vcr and breadmaker (used twice). She took a couple of old tv sets which might or might not work. She also took three sacks of used polythene bags, a pile of empty cardboard boxes and a box of roasting pans.

Boy oh boy, I have just got rid of so much stuff today. someone phoned and said he would take anything as they have just moved here from Australia and all their stuff is being shipped in containers.

They took six duvets, two sacks of bedding, pillows (some in packaging), saucepans, curtains, light fittings - all manner of stuff.

In the meantime I have acquired a sun lounger, I tried to buy one a couple of months ago but they were a silly price - now I have one for free, with a brand new mattress to put on it. Also a manual typewriter, as new - I have been wanting one.

Good Lord woman, where have you been storing all this stuff?

Just remember Sue that the whole idea is to get rid of stuff and not to add to it. It is nice to discover something that you have wanted for a long time.

I was out to lunch with an elderly friend and mentioned that I had been giving things away and she mentioned that she wanted to get rid of some things - and they were things that I wanted.

Where had I been storing the stuff? I have a large basement plus four bedrooms, an understairs cupboard and a small lumber room.

It would be nice if you lived near me Sue, I wouldn't need to go shopping ever again!

LOL LOL I think a few of us would be lining up to knock on her door.
I bet it would be like going to a giant outdoor yard sale only much better merchadise.
Just think now you have space to fill up again. Oh QVC will be so happy.LOL LOL.
I am glad that people who can use the things are calling.
I am sure you are happy that it is all going so fast.
PF

I love the idea of things being passed from one person to another for free. Re-using and recycling is a way of life for me. I find little more enjoyable than driving past piles of items that people have left out on council clean-up days and either stopping to grab an item or stopping and thinking about another use for an item.

We had our clean-up day recently and I had a couple of people that stayed out the front of the house and take items straight from our pile as I placed them there, I even threw out a number of things that I wasn`t planning on throwing out as I thought that the people taking the stuff would put it to a better use than I.

I`ll investigate and find out if we have such things as mentioned in previous posts happening here in Sydney. If we don`t we should.

There is a huge organisation called freecycle, here is the link for Australia...

http://www.freecycle.org/display.php?region=Australia

They even have a group in Orange!

Hmmm, thanks Sue,there seems to be a group here. I will join. Actually the local people here don't usually take second hand stuff at all, they throw it on the rubbish and buy new.
That way the poorer people get nice stuff. it is never more than about a year old, if it is furniture etc, as it is not really good luck not to buy new things for CNY.

Well I`ll be.....Thanks from me as well Sue. I`ll join up right now also. My collection of "valuables" in the garage is either going to get smaller or....well my wife is used to my collecting and modifying items.

I read that you can also post asking if an item is available, I love it, it`s like a barter system!

But free!