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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to leave unwanted household items outside for people to take if they want them

90 replies

longwayoff · 14/08/2018 07:46

Sometimes I do this. Mostly books occasionally small furniture items. I put a post on a neighbourhood site saying please take if u want them. If not gone by end of day then I make other arrangements. Vile Mail says I'm a middle class fly tipper. I'm feeling a bit miffed.

OP posts:
NoTeaNoShadeNoPinkLemonade · 14/08/2018 11:15

Yanbu I love people who do this...its how I furnished my first home Grin

wafflyversatile · 14/08/2018 11:16

I'm pretty sure in Barcelona the 3rd Wednesday of the month (or whatever) is put your stuff out day when people put unwanted items out and others can pootle around to see if there is anything of use to them to take away. (I'm sure 2nd hand shops probably also send vans round to collect what they think they can sell but the important thing is less waste) Win, win.

BabiesComeWithHats · 14/08/2018 11:17

We've done it with baby stuff - high chairs, buggy, garden toys, with a big clear note on it saying HELP YOURSELF All gone within an hour or two.

I sell things on local fb pages occasionally but advertising things as 'FREE' online brought out too many wierdos frankly. not doing that again.

SnuggyBuggy · 14/08/2018 11:19

YANBU although I'm now imagining your neighbors in a Daily Mail sadface article next to your old stuff.

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 14/08/2018 11:20

I did it this morning with some thermos and Starbucks style drinks mugs I don't need, a Costa metal mug and a couple of others. All clean but not needed. Must go out and see if they have gone!

cloudyweewee · 14/08/2018 11:23

I watched the first 5 minutes of The Wright Stuff this morning and this issuewas one of the items up for discussion. I decided to watch Highway to Heaven instead.

RoseWhiteTips · 14/08/2018 11:23

Nobody does that here. It’s a National Trust village and such behaviour would be an outrage.

SparkleBag · 14/08/2018 11:24

wafflyversatile It's Barcelona where we are. It's every Wednesday, we don't have second hand or charity shops (except humana and they only take clothes) here so street shopping is a big thing, it's fab.

RoseWhiteTips · 14/08/2018 11:24

Municipal tips provide an area for leaving such items, anyway - so yes, I think it does boil down to middle class laziness camouflaged as do-goodery.

ethelfleda · 14/08/2018 11:29

I'm so torn on this.

My first reaction was "oh no - that's awful... to leave your unwanted crap lying about in the street" and I pictured a run down estate with mattresses and such left on the front lawn (which is what I have seen in estates in my town)

But I have walked passed people's houses with hens eggs and veg from their garden and an 'honesty box which I always thought was so lovely... and have quite often dropped in a couple of quid for some eggs.

Is there really much difference between this and what you're doing, OP? Probably not.

And we have left scrap metal out for the any old iron man who comes twice per week. But only ever left it out on the day he comes, obviously.

Mostly we either eBay stuff, take it to a charity shop or head down the skip if the stuff is really no good.

I shall have to rethink my opinion on this.

anniehm · 14/08/2018 11:30

I do this, it always goes. Also I put out appliances, metal things etc as there's lots of people who make money from junk, modern rag & bone men. If it's not gone by nighttime I bring it in

HollyGibney · 14/08/2018 11:32

Nobody does that here. It’s a National Trust village and such behaviour would be an outrage.

So not actually out here in the real world then Grin

HollyGibney · 14/08/2018 11:36

Municipal tips provide an area for leaving such items, anyway - so yes, I think it does boil down to middle class laziness camouflaged as do-goodery.

What utter nonsense. I put my child's toy kitchen out once and a bloke came and knocked on the door to ask if it was ok to take it for his granddaughter. I assured him it was and gave him the crockery and toy food that went with it that I hadn't yet put out. He was chuffed to bits and so was I. I loved that another little girl would get to play with it. I'm a single parent who couldn't less middle class if I tried. Same with my tumble dryer that I mentioned earlier. We needed a bigger one and really wanted someone to get use out of the perfectly serviceable smaller one.

What a miserable view of the world you have.

kaytee87 · 14/08/2018 11:38

@RoseWhiteTips why is it middle class laziness though? I only ever see it in the more working class areas here tbh.

tillytrotter1 · 14/08/2018 11:39

* Nobody does that here. It’s a National Trust village and such behaviour would be an outrage.

So not actually out here in the real world then grin*

Such a fetching shade of green!

DannyDogg · 14/08/2018 11:40

We’ve left stuff in the garden to take to the tip later that day and it’s vanished 😂

SimonBridges · 14/08/2018 11:40

I put a radiator outside last week. As the plumber said the scrap metal guys can smell it.
Some guys came and took it within the hour.

DagenhamRoundhouse · 14/08/2018 11:41

Wuthering
What a sad indictment of our society!

hibbledibble · 14/08/2018 11:41

It's fine if it is things in a reasonable condition that people would take, and you dispose of it if not taken.

Locally I see people dump used stained mattresses and other rubbish, which blocks the pavement, and really should go straight to the tip.

SimonBridges · 14/08/2018 11:42

Such a fetching shade of green!

What F&B shade is that you have there? Snobby elephant fart, or stuck up mouse’s arse?

WhirlyGigWhirlyGig · 14/08/2018 11:43

Rose I see you commenting on many threads with your views. It's not middle class laziness disguised as do-goodery. It's a way to deal with unwanted items that other people want in an environmentally good way.

I used to live in an extremely 'posh' village and it was a common sight there.

DagenhamRoundhouse · 14/08/2018 11:44

We are in a village and sometimes if we have unwanted things we put them out on the top of the bins. The bin men can have them or anyone who is passing. We bought some cat food that didn't suit our little prince so put the rest out and it went quite quickly.

viques · 14/08/2018 11:45

I picked up a bird bath like this the other week, I have also adopted chairs, picture frames and mirrors too. In return I have put out bookshelves,coffee tables, unwanted crockery , planters etc. It makes the world go round.

Nesssie · 14/08/2018 11:45

It’s not fly tipping as they are on my land - incorrect, technically you can flytip on your own property.

If the item is in good, workable condition and is taken away after a day or so, then fair enough.
But leaving out loads of old crap because you can't be bothered to take it to the tip really pisses me off. And it escalates, as people start adding rubbish to the pile and it becomes an eyesore.
Take it to a charity shop or bin it.

Sheldonoscopy · 14/08/2018 11:47

I do it all the time. Having a massive clearout and I recently put 10+ random bits out and by evening it was gone.
I just saw a post on a single mums forum and contacted asking if she’d like something that was no use to me and I’m going to post to her free of charge so it gets used and not sent to landfill.

I can’t be bothered selling stuff, I’d rather things go to a new home than waste time and energy attempting to sell 🤷🏻‍♀️