Another Day, Another Pile ... or Two

I spent most of the day Freecycling STUFF that I had pulled out over the past week. Freecycle is an interesting phenom. Let's say that you have this STUFF that is perfectly usable, yet of no use to you personally. What can you do with this STUFF? Let us count the ways....

1. You can put it in a box or a bag, on a shelf, or in a pile ... because -- who knows? -- it might come in handy some day. I have LOTS and LOTS of STUFF that fits into this category, which is why I am now doing a box, a bag, a shelf, or a pile a day.
   
2. You can throw it away. (Eeeuuuwww ... wasteful!)
3. You can give it to someone you know. Assuming you know someone who could use it. This does happen to me occasionally. Just the other day, I uncovered a Grow Light. Why I bought it is beyond me, because plants shrivel up and die when I approach. BUT... I have a friend with a proverbial green thumb, who now has a Grow Light.
4. You can give it to someone you don't know. Traditionally, this sort of thing has been done through organizations such as Good Will. Or leaving it on the sidewalk with a sign that says "FREE".

Freecycle is just a refinement of approach number 4. You join a local email list and offer items you want to give away. People who want those items email you and ask for them. And then -- this is my favorite part -- they come to your house and haul your unwanted STUFF away. Here is today's STUFF that I don't want but other people do want, all ready and waiting for someone else to take it away.


Believe me, that was a monumental pile before it all got sorted out. And in addition to all of that, someone is coming by to pick up all of this, which is mostly toiletries that are going to a homeless shelter. (The Wal-mart bags aren't mine, by the way. Some of the impoverished students who occasionally live with me have been known to shop there, but I pretty much avoid the place.)


So I am already feeling virtuous. One enormous pile of STUFF and at least two boxes. I'm way ahead of my goal for the day.

But wait! There's more.... After a lucious but lonely supper (Media Guru has class on Thursday nights and the Wizard has a meeting tonight, so dinner was every person for him- or herself), I finally got to the dog treat shelf in the garage.

Here's the before view:





And here's the after view:


Now I realize that this doesn't look like a big change. On the other hand, I threw out a lot of trash from empty bags and containers. I consolidated the various other piles of dog treats and toys that were hanging out in the garage. And ... I have finally figured out that I don't need to buy any more dog treats for a while.