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things on Freecycle you did a double take on

12K views 139 replies 75 participants last post by  serenekitten 
#1 ·
Sometimes I read these and think- wow would people be lining up to get this item???

Only a few years old. Purchase price $1300. Its my friends couch who is moving far away and doesn't have the room for it in the new place. Its 2pcs with ottoman.

HOWEVER, it has dog pee stains at the bottom of the couch. And 1 laundry detergent stain on the top of it. She's tried to scrub clean. She thinks if you professionally clean it it should be fine but never did so because her dogs would pee on it again. Also, she is a smoker. She has moved most of her stuff out and needs this out by tonight or tomorrow afternoon NO LATER. So, if you are serious about this and you have the capability to get it out by tonight or tomorrow afternoon and are ok with a pee stained and smoked on couch...email me...if not please don't waste my time.

Share yours!
 
#2 ·
A dog pee stained, smoker stinky couch...hmmm...delightful.

I have had bad, bad luck with Freecyle. Really bad luck. Now I just go to the Salvation Army. At least there I can see what I am getting myself into and I don't have to deal with the weirdos and sob stories.
 
#3 ·
I always wonder about the people who post one little thing...like one baby t-shirt. I can't imagine going through the trouble of e-mailing, getting a response and then driving around to find some strangers house just for one Target baby shirt.

This one, though, did give me a little chuckle and a shake of my head:

Quote:
New, in the box, never been opened or used Gold 'N Hot Professional 1600-Watt Styler-Dryer meant for hair straightening, and hair-straightening spray (also new, never used, full bottle).

(These were a gift from a very misguided, but well-meaning relative who doesn't like curly hair.)
It also reminded me of the worst presents ever thread...I love that thread. I'm off to find and bump it. It's that time of year again.
 
#4 ·
oh - I'm a freecycle addict. But I'm that giver that you are talking about! Well, sort of. I don't smoke, so my stuff wouldn't be "that" gross. However, I've given away a lot of really questionable things, and I have a lot of success with it! My theory is that I have to rid myself of the clutter that I've been hanging onto for 20+ years, so I need other clutter-bugs in order to do it!

It is too painful for me to throw things away, charities wouldn't be able to know what to do with most of it, or appreciate it, and I absolutely hate garage sales. My brain is a bit foggy tonight, so I can't think of some of my better "offers", but I know I've made quite a few people chuckle along the way. And very seldom do I have lost causes.
I'm honest and up-front about the condition of things, and I have very strict guidelines for porch-pick-up so that I don't actually have to deal with the people.

(I thought of something: today, I gave away 10 calendars from years gone by ... dumb stuff, maybe, but someone who is a collage artist was inspired by them!)

I rarely respond to offers, though - but I'm sure there are plenty of oddballs out there!

My mantra is: Purging My Life One Box At A Time!
(and I've been doing it for over a year now)

--janis
 
#7 ·
I have offered some weird stuff in my time, like about 5 tubes of kids toothpaste. They had all been opened and used once before my kids decided they hated it.

A few days ago I gave away 5 cardboard boxes!

I felt really bad once when I advertised a bathroom cabinet. I was explicit that it was old (it was left in our house when we bought it) and not so clean or stylish. A guy drove miles to collect it and then when I was carrying it down the stairs I tripped over one of my kids, we both fell down the last few stairs (with the sound effect of me screaming!) and the mirrored doors fell off the damned cabinet. He still took it
:
 
#9 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mama_ani View Post
1/2 a bottle of Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts.

and I once saw one for a box of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal with one serving missing.
I actually love that that kind of stuff finds a new home on Freecycle. Otherwise, it would goto the dump. I've offered teas and things like that with success.
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by miss_sonja View Post
I actually love that that kind of stuff finds a new home on Freecycle. Otherwise, it would goto the dump. I've offered teas and things like that with success.
me, too - I gave away a box of dishwasher soap over the summer that our dishwasher just didn't like. What else would I do? And I purged my cleaning supplies the other day (nesting like a maniac right now) - i have too many, we buy stuff and don't like it, so someone else can use them ...
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Offer - one forty four gallon drum of petroleum jelly.
I actually think the guy used it for some kind of industrial purposes, but my friends and I thought that one was hilarious!
 
#13 ·
We don't have freecycle over here but we have something similar- things thats made me pause:
Kitty litter, only slightly used
Expired formula, milk, food etc
Broken TVs
Chair with poop on it (Great, all you need to do is clean off the diarrea poop and you have a new chair- ew)
Expired car seats
I always scratch my head at the people who are giving away caged pets (snakes, rabbits, hamsters) without the cage. Umm, what do you need a cage for without the pet?
 
#14 ·
i live in a very small town so we don't have Freecycle but this thread is totally cracking me up. Dh's family practically has their own Freecycle system. One time DH's grandma asked me what size bra I wore. I refused to tell her. She told me she had some she could give me. She claimed she bought some extra ones and these were NWTs. Uhm, I seriously doubt that at age 33 I wear the same size as DH's grandma.
 
#16 ·
This was actually on Craigslist but my local Freecycle isn't terribly active.

Quote:
Crutches for broken leg, or soon to be broken leg -- 5'1"-1 to 5'10" - $10

Do you live dangerously? Have a lot of bad luck with broken bones? Tried walking outside lately, its an ice skating rink, I already fell over earlier today and almost needed these crutches. Maybe a friend or family member needs a creative Christmas present? I have the perfect gift. Yes. Crutches..10 bucks...They were used only for a few weeks, professionally cleaned with rubbing alcohol. Look like new

Quote:
One time DH's grandma asked me what size bra I wore. I refused to tell her. She told me she had some she could give me. She claimed she bought some extra ones and these were NWTs. Uhm, I seriously doubt that at age 33 I wear the same size as DH's grandma.
That sounds like my mil! She has tried to give me so many different things.
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by chinaKat View Post
I tend to do double takes on the WANTED listings. Like "Wanted, color TV, must be 25" or larger." Like they couldn't *possibly* squeak by with a 19" television. LOL.
This was posted today:

Quote:
Wanted: Slate Pool Table

Know this is a stretch, but just in case you have one of these sitting
around collecting dust and taking up space...

Have finally found something that hubby and I enjoy doing together in
our semi-retirement (he's retired, I'm semi!) -- playing pool. Looking for a
regular table, not the
reversible ping-pong table type. Thanks.
DH thinks we should post a WANTED for a Ferarri (red or yellow, many models will do: 430, 302, Spyder, 612, Testarossa, ect) - He really wants me to post it tonight; I'm still debating
 
#18 ·
Not on Freecycle but Kijiji (which I think is like Craigslist) a woman posted an ad asking for a free car or van - goes on to say she wants a newer model that is e-tested & certified. She also wants prepaid insurance and a prepaid gas card. THEN goes on to say she's a new driver and is prone to accidents so the insurance should include collision and a mechanic who will do free repairs would come in handy.

Um, yes, I'll get right on that
 
#19 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mama_ani View Post
Not on Freecycle but Kijiji (which I think is like Craigslist) a woman posted an ad asking for a free car or van - goes on to say she wants a newer model that is e-tested & certified. She also wants prepaid insurance and a prepaid gas card. THEN goes on to say she's a new driver and is prone to accidents so the insurance should include collision and a mechanic who will do free repairs would come in handy.

Um, yes, I'll get right on that

Our local place gets ads from people looking for free cars but none that bad. Once we had someone listing asking if anyone would be willing to pay for him to go back to the states (we live in Japan) because he missed his family. I feel for him, I really do, but we all miss our families.
 
#20 ·
A guy here posted all these wanteds within minutes of each other...

wanted: Gaming chair compatible for ps2
Wanted . Interactive gaming chair for playstation 2 (crook) Area Crook Details. gaming chair for son to use with playstation please

WANTED computer station and chair. (crook)
Area. Crook Details.Wanted spacious computer workstation and chair with room for printer.

WANTED: Bookcase for playroom. (Crook)
Area: Crook Details: Bookshelves/case for playroom to store numerous childs books

Wanted:table and chair for playroom (Crook)
Area: Crook Details: I desperately need a childs table/desk and chair for eating/homework surface in small playroom please.

Wanted:Stretch Scooby, Bart or Homer Simpson. (Crook)
Area Crook Wanted: Stretch Scooby doo or similar. Description: Stretch toy for six year old wanted on Santa list but everywhere out of stock, has any freecycler one they're finished with. Thanks.

Wanted: Inflatable chair Bart simpson or Homer. (crook)
Wanted Blow up chair Bart or Homer. Area: Crook Description.Blow up Seat in cartoon character of Bart or Homer Simpson please.
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by koofie View Post
DH thinks we should post a WANTED for a Ferarri (red or yellow, many models will do: 430, 302, Spyder, 612, Testarossa, ect) - He really wants me to post it tonight; I'm still debating

but could you imagine if you were actually given one?
 
#23 ·
The other day I saw one that was basically:

"Candy thong. Has been up in my closet for a while, but could still be a lot of fun for someone's Valentine's Day."

It did not specify whether it was still in original packaging. That definitely made me double-take.

I just moved cross country. In my old city, Freecycle was so cool. I got a great dining room table, for example. It was from IKEA, and in used but good condition overall, and the family simply moved and the shape wasn't right. I also got rid of some artwork I no longer needed, some chairs, and some other stuff. I did not have a lot of luck with some really good quality stuff, though: including a nice high chair in used but good condition overall. That surprised me, but I was still a big Freecycle fan.

In my new area, Freecycle has mostly been a dud. I was able to get rid of some crinoline from my wedding, which was great. But most of what I see posted on there is stuff like coupons and also things like "box of old random kitchen stuff" (no specifics listed) or more rarely, broken/non-working appliances or furniture with holes, etc. I am sure some folks love it, but it seems to me to be for a specific type of Freecycler, and I am just not that type (not handy, can't justify driving all over for a pile of coupons, don't need random, unspecified things for my kitchen and don't sell other people's stuff, etc.).
 
#24 ·
someone on craigslist was looking for evil minions, another guy was looking for an arch nemesis to add some spice to his life, and some chick was looking for a stoner boyfreind...
those are the strangest ones ive seen...
 
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