Get Rid of Clutter, or Get Stuff You Need — for Free

Freecycling lets you freely exchange usable items with neighbors — including those you haven't met yet — so less stuff goes to waste.

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By Dan Shapley

We all know how the Internet revolution has connected otherwise strangers in virtual relationships. The Web is also giving new life to old junk by helping people give it away to those who need or want to reuse it, for free. And a good thing, too, since Americans produce, on average, about 4.5 pounds of waste daily.

Freecycling is a growing, non-commercial movement that makes it easy to clean out the garage without filling up a dumpster. Just register your stuff on the Web, and the neighbors you didn't know you had will take it off your hands. Think of it as neighborly over-the-fence sharing 2.0.

Generally, the only rules are that everything must be offered for free, and no illegal or adult-themed materials are allowed. If you're in the market for an item, you can browse the listings or tell the community what you're seeking. You never know what people have tucked in the attic.

Swapping used items keeps usable items in circulation, which supports the environmentalist's mantra to "reduce, reuse and recycle." Plus, you can't beat the price!

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