Offloading Garage Stuff

[mark5767]

As I have been and will continue to upgrade my garage and tools, there are things that need to be gotten rid of. Some can go in the trash/recycling, others might be worth selling, but the majority I give away. Goodwill is my usual donation destination since they are close by and give you a tax receipt.

For things they don’t take (a lot of garage type stuff), often I just place them on the curb with a “Free!” sign and they usually disappear before too long. Things like old shelving units, gas powered yard tools, a floor jack and kid’s bikes are some recent examples of things I’ve placed at the curb.

These techniques work ok, just wondering if there are some better ideas. I’ve heard some mixed reviews about Goodwill, but the convenience factor is high so I don’t pay too much heed to any concerns.

The curb thing is ok, sometimes I wonder if there is a better way to find a “good home” for that stuff or if people are putting it to good use. I’m sure some do and some don’t.

How do you get rid of unwanted garage things? Anyone care to share some good ideas? Thanks!

 

[augustus]

I've used Craigslist successfully many times. To me Ebay seems like a hassle to sell stuff anymore. I'm trying to sell stuff through Garage Journal, with no luck yet, but we'll see! Another nice thing about Craigslist is you don't have to ship.

 

[NHBandit]

Around here there are lots of second hand stores run by the locl churches and they operate on donations and the money they take in goes to help local people. Goodwill ***** in my opinion. They charge way too much for the stuff that's any good and who knows where the majority of the money really goes..

 

[bazzateer]

When you put stuff on the kerb change the sign to read "for sale $50" - it'll disappear even faster.

 

[Danver]

Getting rid of old stuff when you bring home new stuff...

What an interesting idea. I wonder if I could ever bring myself to do that.

 

[bczygan]

Getting rid of old stuff when you bring home new stuff...

What an interesting idea. I wonder if I could ever bring myself to do that.

Seems good in theory...

Damned if I know how to put it into practice...

 

[justanengineer]

I can put anything on the curb and it will disappear before trash day. Its really entertaining to see some of the characters that stop load the items up. I had a moldy old 70s laminate vanity with a seashell shaped sink that looked like somebody had puked in it. After about an hour on the curb, a mid-40s black man stopped and tossed it on the bare roof of an 80s Nissan then tied it down with what Im pretty sure was an extension cord. **** like that is so funny to see live that I might just go look for somebody else's curb **** just to set it on my curb.

 

[deaddawg58]

If you are getting rid of stuff,How in hell are you ever going to justify making your garage bigger?

 

[zkling]

I can put anything on the curb and it will disappear before trash day. Its really entertaining to see some of the characters that stop load the items up.

x1000. In my neighborhood if it is metal and you sit it in either corner of the driveway where a trash can would go, it will be gone by the next time the sun rises. Things that are not metal will usually make it till trash day, unless very nice. What saddens me is I have seen some very nice stuff destroyed just for the little $ of scrapping it.

I had a moldy old 70s laminate vanity with a seashell shaped sink that looked like somebody had puked in it. After about an hour on the curb, a mid-40s black man stopped and tossed it on the bare roof of an 80s Nissan then tied it down with what Im pretty sure was an extension cord.

Dang, that was funny. Car topping a sink with an extension cord.

Seems good in theory...

Damned if I know how to put it into practice...

If I want to get rid of something that I don't want to bother selling, I will either drop it off at a Goodwill or the like or put it on CL for $2, then when person shows up I just give them the item. The $2 part is important because every time I posted something in the free section I have had nothing but trouble. No shows, time wasters, 3000000 questions, ask for delivery (free of course).

 

[mark5767]

The $2 part is important because every time I posted something in the free section I have had nothing but trouble.

That's kind of what I was getting at with this post, free tends to attract a strange crowd of "something for nothing" types that often don't really have any use for the stuff.

So yes, charging a small nominal amount is good way to up the sincerity level. Good tip, thanks!

 

[Lippyp]

My mum needed to get rid of an old washing machine recentrly, the local council charge £25 to come and take it away and neither her or my dad can lift it into the car to take it to the dump (I live 3 1/2 hours away so not really something I could help with) It was sat in their front garden for a couple of days when a bloke on a bicycle asked if they wanted to get rid of it, my mum said she did and the bloke loaded it up onto the trailer attached to his bicycle alongside the other washing machine he had on it already! My parents live on top of a big hill so either way it goes down steeply, I hope the guy had damn good brakes on his bike!

 

[Scott H in Wheaton]

I use Freecycle.org

Free to post things you want to give away, and free to post the occasional thing you may be in need of. The intent of the site is to keep things useful and out of landfills.

You post an example " waffle iron" and your option of including a pic or not. You start to get a few emails. You weed through them and choose the the person you feel like dealing with. Then leave the item on your back porch, alongside the garage, or wherever you decide is easily accessible and yet safe from thieves and scrappers. Person shows up and gives your item a new home.

 

[Neverfly]

I use Freecycle.org

Free to post things you want to give away, and free to post the occasional thing you may be in need of. The intent of the site is to keep things useful and out of landfills.

You post an example " waffle iron" and your option of including a pic or not. You start to get a few emails. You weed through them and choose the the person you feel like dealing with. Then leave the item on your back porch, alongside the garage, or wherever you decide is easily accessible and yet safe from thieves and scrappers. Person shows up and gives your item a new home.

I've used freecycle in three different cities and never had any seedy characters or problems.

 

[nolimits76]

My daughter said there is something on Facebook where people sell/give stuff away. Haven't tried it. She thinks it is awesome. Listed a whole bunch of stuff. I asked what my cut was since I paid for it all. She didn't think I was funny....or serious.

 

[polexican23]

If I want to get rid of something that I don't want to bother selling, I will either drop it off at a Goodwill or the like or put it on CL for $2, then when person shows up I just give them the item. The $2 part is important because every time I posted something in the free section I have had nothing but trouble. No shows, time wasters, 3000000 questions, ask for delivery (free of course).

Per your advice, just changed my CL posting. The Warden wanted a new couch, I liked our old one. She won.
Had it on free and got stood up like 8 times. It is going to the curb if someone doesnt come today. Too bad for it, no room in garage to keep it either.