Better To Give (Away) Than To Receive (Or Toss)

In this most material of seasons, I can't help feeling as if we're somehow drowning in "Stuff." Stuff that's still good—just not to us. (Check out The Story of Stuff for a 20-minute animated look at just how consumerist our society really is.)

Rather than let the bags pile up in the entryway or stairs, awaiting some distant garage sale or pass-along to a faraway relative, here are a few quick and easy ways we've found to send Stuff out into the world to bless someone else's life and keep it out of landfill.

Freecycle 

The Freecycle Network is a web-based organization created in 2003 to "give away what you have and don't need, or (to a lesser extent) to receive what you need and don't have." The idea is a cycle of giving that keeps Stuff out of landfills.

The greater Chicago area has more than 200 active groups, including groups in Evanston, Niles and Skokie. Each community group is run by a local moderator and membership is free. To sign up, visit the Freecycle site, enter your town name to find the closest group, and click to reach the website where you can subscribe.

I've found new homes for such varied items as a piece of railroad bed, empty boxes and square dance outfits. Freecycle works especially well for things that would not be appreciated at resale shops. The only downside is you have to be ready for email back-and-forth to arrange item pick-ups, which are usually left for the recipient on the giver's front porch.

Craigslist

The Craigslist Free area, found buried in the 'For Sale' section of the site's main page, is very similar to Freecycle. Once you've registered with the site, you can post a description of the item you're giving away along with the name of your town and possibly a photo of the item. Interested recipients can contact you via an encoded email, and you either accept the request and arrange for pick-up, or ignore it.

One difference from Freecycle is that Craigslist makes it easier for you to upload photos with your posting. The other difference is that it seems to go out to a wider audience—with a bit of a "free-for-all" feel—as opposed to Freecycle's smaller community of registered users whose names you come to recognize over time.

Your Local Library

Books and magazines tend to pile up faster than anything else in our house. Since home shelf space is limited, we periodically pack up bags of books (in good and useable condition) to bring over to the Morton Grove Public Library's ongoing book sale. Evanston Public Library and many other libraries also accept used books.

At MGPL, donating used books or audiovisual materials is a matter of bringing the donations to the check-out desk and filling out a donation acknowledgment form. The library will then send an acknowledgment letter expressing thanks for your gift.

One other option for books seeking new readers can be found at the Morton Grove Metra station, where a waiting Book Exchange bookshelf is the perfect spot to leave reading material for fellow Metra riders. Give a book, get a book. What's not to like?

Resale Shops

When you have a large amount of Stuff to give away, you may not want to spend time messing around online arranging Freecycle or Craigslist pickups. Sometimes the best thing to do is pack up your car and head for the closest Salvation Army Family Store or a resale shop that supports your favorite charity.

The Salvation Army location on Dempster Street in Morton Grove has received plenty of items from us, as has the little Save-A-Pet thrift store on Oakton Avenue in Skokie.

For a more complete list of area thrift stores, the Garage Sale Warrior has complied a handy list on the Chicago Now web site. 

A Plethora of Pass-Along Information

A non-profit group called Keep Evanston Beautiful has compiled a wealth of information on where to donate, recycle or otherwise pass along Stuff that you don't need.

Their extensive list gives details on what to do with everything from old computers and electronics, to batteries, clothing, gardening supplies, tires, toiletries and just about anything else you can think of—plus quite a few that you may not have thought about.

When you visit the site, be sure to scroll down, as this page is quite a long one. KEB strongly recommends calling before donating to make sure the organization is still seeking whatever item you're hoping to pass along.

Roving Scrap Trucks

And last (in this list) but hardly least are the roving scrap truck drivers who diligently ply neighborhood streets. They pick up old appliances, metal items, ladders—just about anything with metal or a motor in it, regardless of condition. For this service, all you need to do is leave the items by the curb.