c/free-stuff-alerts

Picked up a solid wood desk off Craigslist for free yesterday

Some guy in Oak Park was moving out and just wanted it gone, I got there within 2 hours of his post. Thing weighs a ton but it's real oak, not that particle board junk. Anybody else grab good furniture off curb alerts lately?

Free couch turned out to be a cat pee nightmare, always check first

Saw someone post a free sectional on Craigslist near Oak and 5th yesterday, drove 20 minutes to pick it up. Get there and the thing reeks of cat pee so bad my eyes watered, they didn't mention it at all. Now I know to always ask about pets and smell before I leave, has anyone else wasted gas on a freebie that was trash?

Picked a beat-up IKEA table over a nice solid wood one off FB Marketplace...

Everyone said grab the solid wood piece for $0 but I went with the rickety IKEA one because it was 2 blocks from my apartment in Brooklyn and I didn't have a car. After dragging it up 3 flights of stairs I realized the legs are totally stripped and it wobbles like crazy. Anyone else take a free thing just for the convenience and regret it later?

Just found a free solid wood desk on the curb near the park on Elm Street

I was walking my dog last night around 7pm and spotted this big old desk sitting out with a "free" sign taped to it. It's real wood, not that particle board stuff. I had to call my brother to help me load it into his truck because it weighs a ton. Now I'm wondering - what's the best way to check for bed bugs or other creepy crawlies before I bring it inside? Anyone else pick up curb furniture and regret not checking first?

Shoutout to the person giving away a perfectly good wooden desk that "just wobbles"

I picked up this solid oak desk off the curb last week near Main Street. The owner said it wobbled and they wanted it gone. Took me 10 minutes to tighten two screws on the back leg and now it's rock solid. I keep seeing people throw away furniture with easy fixes like loose joints or a missing caster. Why aren't more people checking for simple repairs before posting free stuff? Has anyone else scored a great item that just needed a tiny fix?

Had to choose between two free couches today and I'm still not sure I picked right

One was a plush velvet sectional from a lady moving out of Elm Street, other was a leather recliner from a guy in Oak Lane. I went with the sectional but now I'm wondering if the leather would've held up better with my dog.

Free couch pickup went sideways yesterday

Guy said it was in great shape. Got there and the thing was moldy underneath. Still had to haul it out of his basement because I already drove 20 minutes.

I used to haul free furniture in my hatchback

Back in 2018 I could fit a full size couch in my 2005 Civic if I took the passenger seat out. Now I have a truck but nobody gives away solid wood stuff anymore, it's all particle board from Amazon. Does anyone still find real wood furniture on the curb or is that just a memory now?

Picked up a free couch off Craigslist and learned a valuable lesson about bedbugs

Saw a listing for a nice sectional in my neighborhood last week, looked clean in the photos. Loaded it into my truck, brought it home, and started getting bites that same night. Had to call an exterminator for 300 bucks and toss the couch. Anyone else get burned by free furniture?

PSA: That free couch I grabbed off here last week ended up in the dumpster

I saw a post about a free sectional on Sunday and jumped on it. Looked fine in the pics, guy said it was from a smoke free home. Got it home and started noticing this weird musty smell after a day. My wife kept complaining about it so I peeled back the cushion covers and omg there was mold growing on the wooden frame underneath. Apparently it had been in a basement for months. I spent all Tuesday hauling it to the dump and now my truck smells too. So yeah maybe ask more questions before you take free furniture from strangers on here. Has anyone else gotten burned by something that looked clean but was actually gross inside?

Tried picking up a free sofa from a listing and got more than I bargained for

Saw a post for a free sofa on our town's Facebook group last Tuesday. The picture looked clean and the person said it was barely used. When I got there, the sofa was in decent shape but the cushions were full of dog hair and the smell hit me as soon as I opened my car door. I spent two hours with a vacuum, enzyme spray, and baking soda to get the odor out. Has anyone else had a free furniture pickup turn into a deep cleaning project?

Had to choose between a nice dresser or an old curio cabinet from the curb last Tuesday

I picked the dresser since it was solid oak and only needed new drawer slides, but now I keep thinking about that curio cabinet with the etched glass doors that someone else grabbed an hour later, anyone else ever second guess a freebie choice?

TIL Facebook Marketplace listings labeled 'free' often get taken faster if you message within 5 minutes of posting

I was deciding between waiting for a curb alert or messaging immediately on a free bookshelf in Denver, and messaging first got it reserved before 3 other people even had a chance to comment.

Some jerk grabbed a free couch before I could even get there yesterday morning

I saw a post in this group at 7:15 AM for a nice leather couch in Sherman Oaks. I messaged the guy within 5 minutes and he said first come first served. I drove 20 minutes across town and when I pulled up, some dude in a white van was already loading it. He must have been watching the group like a hawk. From now on I'm gonna refresh every 2 minutes and maybe offer to pick stuff up same hour. Anyone else deal with people swooping in that fast on free furniture?

Unpopular opinion: giving away furniture with "some assembly required" is a trap

I grabbed a free dresser from a post here last week and the guy said it just needed a few screws tightened. Three hours later I had stripped two bolts and the thing still wobbles like a Jenga tower. Everyone in the comments was saying what a steal it was, but I think people just say that to make themselves feel better about passing on it. The drawers don't even line up right and I had to buy a $7 tool to even attempt the fix. Has anyone else grabbed a "quick fix" piece and regretted it way more than you expected?

My neighbor in Springfield said to always check the 'free' section on Tuesday mornings. I found a working lawnmower last week.

He argued it's when people post after weekend cleanouts, but my sister says evenings are better for quick pickups. Which time actually works for you?

My sister told me to always check the 'free' section on a Tuesday morning

She said people clean out their garages over the weekend and post stuff online early in the week. I didn't believe her until I set a reminder for 8 AM last Tuesday and checked the local listings. In one hour, I saw posts for a working lawn mower, a box of kids' books, and a perfectly good coffee table all within five miles of my place in Springfield. I got the coffee table by being the first to reply. What's the best day or time you've found for spotting good free stuff?

Vent: I picked up a free couch from a listing in the Free Stuff Alerts for my area in Portland

The post said it was in good shape, but when I got there with my truck, the whole bottom was soaked and smelled like wet dog (it had been left on a porch for a week of rain). I learned to always ask for a current picture, not just trust the old one in the post. Has anyone else had a free find turn out way worse than you thought?

My old 'curb alert' system was a mess of sticky notes and missed chances.

For years I'd scribble addresses on paper when I saw furniture on the curb, but I'd forget or show up too late. After missing a perfect mid-century side table in my own neighborhood, I finally downloaded a local 'buy nothing' app and set alerts. Do you think the old school drive-around method is still better than relying on apps for finding free stuff?

Got a 'free' couch from a listing in Oak Park last month, ended up paying $75 for a flea bomb and a ruined Saturday.

Guy in the parking lot gave away a whole box of old records for free

At the grocery store last week, a man was putting a big cardboard box next to the dumpster. He saw me looking and just said, 'Take them, they're yours.' It was full of classic rock albums from the 70s. Do you ever get the best free stuff when you least expect it?

Vent: I almost missed a free bookshelf in Denver because I didn't check the 'curb alert' tag on the app until my neighbor mentioned it.

Now I sort by that tag first thing every morning, what's your best tip for spotting the good free stuff before it's gone?

People say you should only post free stuff in the evening for more views... but I got rid of a whole moving truck's worth of stuff in one morning.

Posted a 'curb alert' for a bunch of old furniture at 7 AM on a Tuesday in Portland, and it was all gone by 10. I think the early bird really does get the worm, or at least the free coffee table. Anyone else have better luck with morning posts?

Hit 50 free items given away in a single month and it made me rethink the whole 'free stuff' game

I just counted up my posts from April and realized I gave away 50 separate things, from a working microwave to a pile of old bricks. It matters because it shows how much perfectly good stuff gets thrown out when people could just list it. Anyone else in the Columbus area hit a number that made them stop and think?

Our old washing machine finally gave out last Tuesday

It was a Kenmore from 2012, and the drum just stopped spinning mid-cycle. I had to haul a bunch of wet clothes to the laundromat on Main Street, which was a huge pain with three kids. I'm hoping someone in the Springfield area might have a working one they're looking to get rid of before I start checking thrift stores. Has anyone had luck finding a major appliance for free locally?