Do you have “Freecycle” where you live? It works like this: say you have some items to get rid of, you post an offer and then you watch and see as the requests roll in. You get to select who you give your items to.

Likewise, you can post a “Wanted” notice, listing things you’re looking for.

My bonus daughter, Marie, put me onto Freecycle around the time her daughter was born, and she found it a bonanza for finding things you don’t need for very long like baby toys, equipment and clothing.

Most things seem like they would bring a small amount at a yard sale, or could be donated to the thrift store of your choice, but when you have random items that need a new home, this is a nice way to get them into the hands of someone who really wants or needs the item, without going to the trouble of having a yard sale or making a run to a thrift store drop off point.

Just google Freecycle to see if there’s a group in your area. Then you subscribe via yahoogroups and you’ll start getting a ton of email.

If you’re a novice at groups like this, you’ll want to consider setting your options to the “digest” version of Freecycle, or even opting to read all the email when you want to, by logging into the yahoogroup itself. I found the drawback to that was that by the time I think to check the listings, anything I may have been interested in is long gone; things turn over very quickly.

This is a good way to recycle items and can work equally well with used or excess office equipment if you’re willing to let it go to its next home without making any money.