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Jules.

Freecycle experiences

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Just this week I managed to rehome a load of plastic platters after having the food for a buffet delivered by Sainsburys.

 

I saw the post Shirl and though helly Shirl's been having fun!

 

I've pushed everything through Basildon or Wickford lately - I always found the Basildon one to be very well run. I might chuck some exercise equipment on the local one this weekend though. I do get a bit hacked off though when people complain that things are "too far away". Personally I'm happier to travel to Maldon than into Chelmsford - far less traffic!

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Very conveniently the platters were collected very quickly by someone living in the village. In truth it would need to be something I really wanted to travel out to your neck of the woods and basildon/ wickford are way too far for me. The Chelmsford one is OK but there are so many people that are always wanting stuff and never seem to give. Mind you some of the stuff I've given has been in response to requests so I guess it is hard to tell who has given and not just received.

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I've had mostly good experiences, I get rid of more stuff than I collect. In fairness, the Freecycle rules do say that animals shouldn't be advertised, and certainly in the London group there's a 'Freecycle Cafe' where you can ask for plumbers, handymen etc.

 

I am sick of people who respond 'yes please, I'll have it' - so I make a point now of offering to the first POLITE response that I get! Maybe that's why I get more people turning up? If they are too rude to bother saying 'please' in a post, they are probably not going to care about letting you down!

 

I will also no longer list 'bundles' of stuff - people who will accept random collections of things are definitely going to ebay/carboot them in my view. Amongst the things I've collected though are a wormery, a hoover (both for a friend who was moving into a new flat) and a deer antler (also for said friend)!

 

I only use it for getting rid of stuff that charity shops won't take - electrical goods, furniture, and as someone else said, paint, wood etc. which is difficult to recycle. On the whole I think it's great, shame that a few people let it down.

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I've mostly had good experiences - given lots away that I could probably have sold but I'd rather it went to a good home however I've never managed to get anything back :( It's great knowing the stuff you wouldn't be able to sell is going to someone else rather than landfill.

 

I've met some lovely people, the people who seem more in need have all been really nice. Especially when it's something good going that just doesn't suit the style of decoration anymore it's really nice when it's going somewhere it will be appreciated. I withdrew a dishwasher when I realised my sisters had stopped working and I knew she couldn't afford a new one - a bit naughty because it was after I offered and accepted one couple but we hadn't arranged the pickup yet :oops: , the people I'd offered it to were nice about it when I explained. Fortunately my sister decided to do without a dishwasher so I was able to give it to those people after all :D

 

The obvious car booters annoy me so now I'm vague about sizes etc now so I can ask them what size they need and anyone who insists they'll take whatever it is anyway without checking it will fit doesn't get.

 

When I was advertising a friends piano that I'd stopped her sending to the tip I had one person email me with an abrupt message asking me the manufacturer and year of manufacture :shock: (In the offer email I had stated it was a friend's old piano and out on her drive so I'd have thought it was obviously not anything special) Afraid I pointed out I had no idea and that it was free not a shop. On the plus side the next email was very nice and chatty about why she'd like the piano. I wasn't at my friends when she turned up to collect but I gather they were a lovely couple who seemed very genuine and were very pleased to be getting a free piano.

 

I usually ignore the 'grabby' emails as well now. If I don't get a polite/nice email I tend to hang onto whatever and re-advertise in a few weeks.

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