To Recycle or Freecycle

Have you ever wondered what you would do with that old exercise bike that you were using as a clothes rack, or the stereo receiver that still works but was replaced by your new television, or even your outdated computers? I have some items that I don’t want to take to the electronic landfill because they still have life left in them.

It reminds me of a story that a friend, Steve, told me. He said he would never replace his mattress again because it cost tens of thousands of dollars, which seemed rather odd to me because I didn’t think mattresses were that expensive. Here’s how he explained it.

Steve’s wife, Linda, said they needed a new bedroom mattress. At the mattress store they tested three different ones and, just like Goldilocks, chose the one that felt best for both of them—no doubt it was the one where each of them could dial in the amount of firmness that they wanted and could tout that their sleep number was a 6 or a 10. Steve didn’t mind going with the top-of-the-line because their only purchase was a mattress—so he thought.

When they returned home Linda looked at the headboard and said that it simply must be replaced. They shopped and shopped until they found the perfect headboard, however it wouldn’t fit their current bedframe so that would need replaced too. Now the headboard didn’t match the nightstands, dresser or chest-of-drawers. Steve was getting a little uncomfortable with the mounting costs. Linda assured him that was all they would have to purchase.

When the furniture store picked up the used furniture and the bedroom was empty, the carpet looked really dilapidated. So, they ordered new carpet. As soon as the installers removed the old carpet, Steve said that they might as well paint since everything was out of the room. And, of course, with new furniture, paint and carpet, then the comforter, pillow shams, dust ruffle and draperies no longer matched.

Two months and many dollars later, Steve said he would never replace a mattress again. That it was much too expensive.

Today I discovered something that may have made Steve feel a little better about his purchases, because he could have recycled what he wasn’t using instead of sending comfortably-used furniture to the landfill. The Freecycle Network™ is a grassroots nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their local city. It's all about reuse and keeping usable items out of landfills.

It is made up of over 5,000 groups with more than 5 million members around the world. Each community has a group moderated by local volunteers. The Klamath Falls group has one main rule: Everything must be free, with no strings attached.

For today’s gift, I signed up on the website so that I can see what people need that I may have, and to see what others may have that I need. Check it out http://www.freecycle.org

It will feel good to help others get what they need and know that my stuff is getting a new life. But I’ll be careful that what I may “need” doesn’t end up costing me tens of thousands of dollars.

In Giving and Freecycling,

Robin