I saw this working VCR the other day put out on the curb with a free sign:
Reminded me of all the things I’ve put out, and also picked up around the neighborhood. What was the best thing you’ve ever put out or picked up?
Right after we moved in we realized the coffee table didn’t fit the living room and, being exhausted, left it out at the curb with a “Free” sign. It was gone within 10 minutes. The best thing I’ve picked up is a beautiful, brass Ethan Allan lamp in great condition, which must have cost several hundred dollars. The sign said they were redecorating and it no longer matched. I grabbed it and carried it back, about 10 blocks, to my house. What a score!
We had a gas lawnmower out as free. We had landscaped the yards and minimized the grass areas. A guy stopped and just couldn’t believe that we were giving it away. He just couldn’t take it without giving us something. As it turns out, he hauls trash and so he took 2 pickup loads away of construction garbage we had accumulated in a remodel!! Was a real help!!
Someone at my apartment complex (in Green Lake) set out a long, wooden coffee table. It was just what I wanted because I wanted to get rid of my bulky desk anyway. I like sitting on the floor (as well as eating and reading on the floor), so I immediately took it in. Now, I need to find a nice, soft rug.
oh man! half of our furniture was salvaged from wallingford free piles. my favorite find is a wrap-dress that fits me perfectly. i wear it almost every day.
Best thing I ever gave away on the street: a 10-ft wooden miniature hydroplane (without motor). Disappeared in 10 minutes.
…and please, Wallingfordites – if it doesn’t “sell” please take it back. To do otherwise is dumping.
We’re on Meridian so most everything is gone in no time. I’ve learned that ANYTHING set on the parking strip is considered free, even without a free sign.
Several years ago I set up a display of several dozen items on an old table we had in the basement. I came back out a short time later to find all the stuff thrown on the ground and the table missing. (WOW!)
A couple months later I got smart, I just used an old set of saw horses with a half sheet of plywood on top. Covered it with free items, went back inside to get a beer, came back out to find everything thrown on the ground again with the old broken saw horses and plywood missing. (#$%^&*)
Now I just throw everything & anything on the ground and it’s gone in no time (no sign needed).
When I’m working outside, I just have to be careful not to set anything on the parking strip even for a second or it’s gone.
Steve
I got a great play structure for my baby.
But I also had a retaining wall fall down and I stacked the cinderblocks in the parking strip to stage them until I could rebuild the wall. I did not mean to give them away, but in the morning half of them were gone. Lesson learned! Don’t leave ANYTHING in the parking strip unless you want to give it away.
I’m on 50th, and refer to the parking strip in front of my house as the Bermuda Triangle since everything I place out there disappears so fast. I’ve put out a couch, an armchair, a huge BBQ, misc gadgets as well as computer stuff without it ever lasting more than several hours. I’ve even had people pay me since they thought it was too good to be free.
we put out a large sand plastic boat sandbox, plastic kids picnic table, trampoline (toddler)…. computer desk…. all gone within an hour or less
my greatest find in the hood was an old-fashioned student desk and an ikea-esque desk with matching hutch
fun fun
The best thing I got was on curbside 37th and Bagley… a portable dvd player in working condition!
Here is the other side of the coin, how about the wet mattress sitting on the corner, or a broken couch, people are too lazy and cheap to take it to the dump. It is appalling that people don’t care to do the right thing. It isn’t legal either to leave junk on the parking strip.
I run two schools in Wallingford and the best thing I ever picked up was a gorgeous wooden play kitchen which we put in our “fairy garden”. The children LOVE it!
I love being able to drive, or walk, to and from work to my home and find treasures. I also love putting things out on the parking strip, and see them go off with new owners. My favorite moment was when my daughter decided it was time to the 6 foot tall Sponge Bob Square Pants display unit from Burger King (complete with watches) to go. (My husband loves pop culture and decided these units were the best!) She hauled the thing to the curb and had not even gone inside when a young couple pulled up and ran to it. Let me tell you, they were excited. When we explained its history to them they could not believe their good luck- proof that one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure!
Favorite find is a thing called a “Paymaster” which is an old-fashioned check imprinting machine. It has all sorts of buttons, and actually embosses a dollar amount on a piece of paper if you pull a big lever on the side. The kids have had hours and hours of fun with this great piece of old tech. We’ve put out all sorts of things over the years and all of it has disappeared, hopefully to a happy new home. I agree that you need to take things back in and dispose of them properly if they don’t go away within a day or so (or before it starts to rain).