- Location
- Cornwall , UK
What made you smile today?
- Thread starter snowbunny
- Start date
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Meant to put this on yesterday for World Mental Health Day - so true
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
For some years I worked in a Day Hospital for older people with mental health problems. I often took Barley, my Yellow Lab, to work with me and the lifting of mood for everyone, including staff was instant and easy to see. She loved it too, lots of norty treats!
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Cath
MLF Sales Coordinator
Yes it is Alison
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Not dog-related, but as part of my Big Clean, I put a bunch of things out on the street to give away. Itâs a German (or Bavarian ?) thing that whatever you donât want, no matter how much, you stick in the street with a sign saying âto give awayâ and most often it will just disappear.
I had some really good stuff (backpack, hair curler, new notebook, etc) but also two big plastic IKEA storage containers. I thought these would not go as someone would need to lug them to wherever home was.
Anyway, I came out only an hour later and the entire lot was gone! I feel lighter already!
I had some really good stuff (backpack, hair curler, new notebook, etc) but also two big plastic IKEA storage containers. I thought these would not go as someone would need to lug them to wherever home was.
Anyway, I came out only an hour later and the entire lot was gone! I feel lighter already!
Cath
MLF Sales Coordinator
They do this in France too
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Years ago my brother had some paving slabs left over from making a patio. He left them outside his gate with a sign saying 'Free. Please help yourselves.' After a week none had been taken, so he changed the sign from 'Free' to '15p each' and left a box for the money. After a day they had all gone and there was money in the box.
Typically British to be suspicious of getting 'Summat for nowt'!
Typically British to be suspicious of getting 'Summat for nowt'!
Iâve known people leave things with Free on them and theyâve been left but the minute they put a price on them theyâve been stolen
- Location
- SW London UK
We leave things we dont want in the street on our road. TV, dinning chairs, table. More recently we add a message on our street whatsapp group too. Only thing that didn't go were crutches we didn't need any more.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Perhaps they could have gone back to the NHS?
Cath
MLF Sales Coordinator
When our son hurt his leg at Leeds and came home with NHS crutches, he was then treated at our hospital in Cheshire. When he had finished he tried to give the crutches to our local hospital and they wouldn't take them. It was too far for him to go back to Leeds so we just kept them.
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When we have council cleanup there are people trawling the streets in vans collecting the best stuff! My husband came home with this nice outdoor table a year or so ago, it was really handy and in perfect condition but he picked it up from outside next door. So hopefully they don't notice it in our backyard if they come over!
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
If it was me, Iâd be pleased that it ended up with someone who would enjoy it instread of in the landfill.
itâs really interesting to read about the âgive awayâ options around the world. Recently Iâve been watching a bunch of videos on Japan and one was describing how hard it is to throw anything away. Apparently even public rubbish bins on the street are rare so you end up with pockets filled with stuff that you want to bin but canât until you get home.
And one person described what it took to get rid of an old stool he didnât want: he had to buy 3 different permission stickers and even then it took 2 months to schedule a pick up of the stool.
I was thinking, âJust put it on the streetâ! But thatâs a no no apparently. Considering all the stuff Iâve gotten rid of the past couple weekends, Iâm grateful for the German free stuff tradition!
My next and last lot to get rid of is winter clothes, which will go to a local charity shop. Itâs different from the US or UK system I know because thereâs no cost for people who need the clothes. They just go in and shop for what they need. I donât really know how they keep people from grabbing things to resell, but it has a really good reputation and I like the concept at least that if someone needs something, they can just get what they need.
We get two scheduled council pickups a year and they will take away up to 2 cubic metres of stuff. In our old council you could schedule a pickup every fortnight!If it was me, Iâd be pleased that it ended up with someone who would enjoy it instread of in the landfill.
itâs really interesting to read about the âgive awayâ options around the world. Recently Iâve been watching a bunch of videos on Japan and one was describing how hard it is to throw anything away. Apparently even public rubbish bins on the street are rare so you end up with pockets filled with stuff that you want to bin but canât until you get home.
And one person described what it took to get rid of an old stool he didnât want: he had to buy 3 different permission stickers and even then it took 2 months to schedule a pick up of the stool.
I was thinking, âJust put it on the streetâ! But thatâs a no no apparently. Considering all the stuff Iâve gotten rid of the past couple weekends, Iâm grateful for the German free stuff tradition!
My next and last lot to get rid of is winter clothes, which will go to a local charity shop. Itâs different from the US or UK system I know because thereâs no cost for people who need the clothes. They just go in and shop for what they need. I donât really know how they keep people from grabbing things to resell, but it has a really good reputation and I like the concept at least that if someone needs something, they can just get what they need.
I also try to donate to charity shops or give away via local buy nothing groups. So much baby stuff to get rid of! Especially as we are going to be moving out for 12 months or so next year.
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Are you moving out for a major reno @MrChew ?
Yup. We finally got our DA signed off and have lined up a builder. Just finalising the engineering, geology and plans and then we have said we want to start mid to late 2025 so we can start kindy and get settled in at school before moving out. Pet friendly rentals in our area are eye wateringly expensive.
