Best sites for giving (and getting) free stuff

I never thought of myself a hoarder.  Recently, though, it’s dawned on me that if we bring one more item into this house, we may inadvertently end up on a reality TV show. So, I’m most interested in using the local sites below to get rid of some of that clutter—but if you’ve got more self-control than our family does, they’re also  great for giving no-cost items a second life in your own home.

Freecycle

A nonprofit organization, Freecycle has local groups all over the world where members can post items they want to give away or request items they need. Everything is free, with the goal of keeping usable items out of landfills.

It’s a feel-good site, in other words. And though items on offer can be hit or miss, if you live in a reasonably populated area, they’re often more hit than not.

Act fast, though: this site has a lot of members, so the good stuff gets snatched up quickly.

Craigslist

Even if you haven’t used it since the Clinton administration, don’t sleep on Craigslist, which has a very lively “free” section under the “for sale” category on the main page.

There’s usually something for everyone here, though the sheer number of items listed without photos doesn’t help matters.

And if you need to get rid of stuff, this is about as quick as it gets.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace has a “Free Stuff” category where people can post items they want to give away.

This is a great place to check because there are plenty of items that start out for sale but get marked down to free once the owner realizes nobody’s willing to pay. So you can snag reasonably high-quality items here from time to time—and the interface is very un-Facebook-like in its simplicity and usability.

Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a social networking platform for neighborhoods, so there’s a lot going on besides free stuff. That being said, it’s got a great free stuff section that breaks items out by category and surfaces top listings for items that generate interest from other users.

To get signed up, find your neighborhood and then visit the Marketplace section of the site, where you’ll find the freebies.