Simple Pleasure ~ Freecycle

This appeared recently:

OFFER: Training Bras
  10 - 15 training bras


What the heck are they training?  An army?  Or did they have quintuplets? 

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More Free Stuff

I think I've mentioned freecycle before.  You can find someone else's castoffs and you can get what you no longer want back into circulation.  They're always very local so you're sharing with your neighborhood.

Recent finds in my area include
Subject in bold.  Detail in normal type.  My two cents in italics.

• Size 12 Pants Suit Evan Picone Jacket and pants, 55% Linen 45% Rayon: Dry Clean (was cleaned recently).  Jacket color is Aqua with white trim, pants are white with zip fly non-elastic waist.  The donor included pictures.
• Nursing bra and two tanks  Size large.  Now that's cool.  You get the bra AND tanks to store the milk. :)
• Bag with size xl womans clothes and size 7 high heels. That's all they wrote.  Sometimes, you run on faith.
• 5 pairs of earrings  Most of them silver.
• Bra, Size 36D Le Mystere Sophia Bra Beige, lacy, not new but nice condition.  And sometimes you just want to meet the owner. :)
• merona sz 10 mid rise 3/4 leans Bird/dog friendly home I'm guessing they were jeans
• Women's white sunglasses
• 38/40 C nursing bras + nursing pjamas sz M2 underwire bras, smoke free bird and dog friendly.  An epidemic of nursing babies!
• Knee-high black boots and black pumps Size 6 and 6 1/2Faux patent leather boots- very high heel. Size 6 1/2.  Leather, very good quality black pumps size 6- too small for me, quite narrow.Five sizes too small!  Grrrrr.  I guess close would be worse.
• 2 fabric purses Shoulder bags with two straps, one is red/Nine West (material similar to microfiber) other is pink with black straps/Reaction (more like a stiff cotton).  Both need some spot cleaning but there are no major stains.Sometimes the gems are just diamonds in the rough.
• Ecco brown pumps, size 40 Ecco maryjane brown pumps, size 40. In good shape. See Photos for pic.40 is women's 9.  Closer!

For the record, I did not request any of these things.  I also always pass by women's suits.  I figure there are women who are struggling to build a work wardrobe and can use the suits more than me.
But it's always fun to see what's being offered, girlwise.

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Free Stuff

Freecycle has had a rash of women's shoes lately. 

Most recently:

2 pairs of woman's high heels. New.
Ann Taylor sandals, high heels, brown leather.
Charlotte Russe black , open toe, high heels, man made materials.

Size 9.  I'd never cram my size 11s into those!

Then:

2 pair pumps (Sofft), about 2" heels
1 pair black boots, mid-calf, about 2" heels

Size 10.  They're getting closer.

Then a couple of days ago: 

Women’s sandals, size 11, Predictions brand with black soles and 2 white straps.  Never worn

Yay!  I wondered what height heels for starters but when no-one said they wanted them I chimed in.

Heels are an inch.  They're OK but not beautiful.  But I can use some casual flats so I'm glad I got them.

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It Figures

The day after my first "Girls Do It (But I Don't)" post (about me not wearing perfume) the following freecycle ad appeared: 

OFFER: Perfume

I have the following perfume used only a couple of times. They were given to me as gifts and they make me sneeze. Take all or just one. Located near [where I live now]. 

- Elizabeth Arden Pretty (bottle)
- Calvin Klein euphoria (bottle and two purse atomizers) 

If I swore off  gambling, the next day there'd be an OFFER: surefire system to win at the track.

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This Had Possibilities

(the poll refers back to yesterday's post.  I'll take it down at the end of today.  Looks like I should do the right thing, not the fun thing. :) )
 
I have written about freecycle before.  As you may recall, you can join your local group and if you want to get rid of something you post an OFFER: and hopefully someone else thinks your trash is treasure and requests it.  Less often, someone posts a WANTED: to get something they need but don't have and hopefully someone has one getting dusty in the basement and gives it to the requestor.  All transfers are free.

I saw this WANTED in my inbox a few days ago:

WANTED: 5-6 yr old boy or girl clothing

Interesting, I thought.  A while back, someone wanted a princess Halloween costume for her son, and I wondered if this was something similar.  More likely, the mom just wasn't fussy about whether her daughter wore boy or girl clothing.  Or the daughter wasn't fussy.

Normally, I ignore OFFERs or WANTEDs for kid stuff.  I have no need, and none to give.  But I had to take a look:

Just wanted to know if anyone had any 5-6 yr old boy or girl clothing.  I have twins.

I admit it.... I didn't see THAT coming!

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OFFER: Exactly What You Want

I see that in freecycle a lot.  Except it always has a second line.  The second line is either "but not in your size" or "when you're out of town and can't pick it up."

Freecycle, for the uninitiated, is a local free exchange.  One is set up in a community and people post OFFER to get rid of stuff, TAKEN when someone picks it up, WANTED if they need stuff and RECEIVED when something they want becomes theirs.  WANTEDs are discouraged.  Someday, I'm going to get a list of everyone on the list by posting OFFER: 2010 Ferrari.

So when I'm home I see "OFFER: Two Garbage Bags Full of Women's Clothing."  Wow.  People don't freecycle junk (as a rule) so I read further: "Dresses, skirts, tops.  Most are XL but some are 18 or 1X."

Sometimes, the last line is Petite, small, some 2s.

Or I'll be in Arizona or somewhere else and it'll say "size 12 tops, size 8-10 skirts, must pick up today."

Or I'll be home and I'll see the TAKEN before I even see the OFFER.

One recent offer:

2 nice black dresses, (YAY!) both size 18. (BOO!)

Or

OFFER: 6 Women's Skirt Slips  (OK, I'm interested)
Sizes range from size 12 to 2x, 3x, 4x. (maybe not)

Or

OFFER: Women's shoes, size 11
A pair of brown flats and a pair of black wedge sandals with stones along the top.

Gone before I had a chance to read the offer.  By the way, I scored a few pair of 11 or 12 shoes ~ none were really nice or useable.  But I wonder if there are other women like me on the list.  (I almost forgot: I scored these platforms that someone bought for a costume and wanted to get rid of.  I want to know the story behind that!  I'm sure they were for a guy's costume.)

Here's one I liked:

OFFER:  3 Bali Bras, New in packages.
2 size 42 D
1 size 40 D

Not my size, but I really wanted to meet the owner!

They've offered gowns, bridesmaid's dresses, prom dresses, business suits, but mostly I pass.  There are women who can use them for an affair they wouldn't be able to go to, or a new job while they're down on their luck.

One of the most frustrating:

OFFER: ladies clothes size 10 - 14
Business clothes, dresses & suits. Current style.

Irresistable.

I copied the message to a new message on my Meg e-mail account, to be a bit more anonymous and imply they'll be taken by a woman.  I started typing my response.   I remembered to copy the sender's address into the To: field and...

It's a friend of my wife.  I know her too.  She knows me.

The most recent was OFFER: red skirt and I had to look.
Jones New York red, 100% pure wool skirt. Originally a size 14, has been altered to a size 2-4. It's 18.5 inches long, about 13.5 inches at waist, and 17.5 inches at hip line. In excellent condition(worn maybe a couple of times).

Why oh why couldn't they alter it down to a 10 or 8?  A thirteen inch waist?  Are they kidding?  Babies are born with bigger waists!

Recently, I saw:

OFFER: 4 women's Banana Republic shirts, size L
3 of the same shirt in black, teal and deep purple - stretchy shirt, size L, scoop neck with applied crescent detail around neckline.


1 grey ribbed knit shirt, size L, with scoop neck and ruffle, button detail down the front.


Great shirts in new-like condition.

The grey one is a bit scoopier than the others.  I tried the grey one and the purple (as representative of the other three) with a padded bra to see if they were too low or too see-through or too unwearable for some reason.  They're nice, they're stretchy, they're almost but not quite too low, they have 3/4 sleeves and they're hanging in my closet.  I think one will make it to Tucson.  I've been looking for solid tops to wear with patterned skirts.  I have many of those.

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Polo Anyone?

In Sierra Vista, the uniform is casual bordering on slob for most of the guys in engineering.  The women wear jeans and polo or other casual tops.  I have limits as to how casual I am in an office, but polo shirts and jeans or khakis seem OK to me.

I have women's jeans and and other women's casual pants.  I have a couple of women's polos, but not many.  The tricky part is generally the sleeves.  Cap sleeves are the norm and are, of course, out.  A-bit-too-short sleeves don't bother me at all.

I've been going to department and big box stores looking for polos, without much luck.  There are lots in the men's department but nothing on the other side of the store.

For those of you who are wondering why I eschew men's polos while seeking out what is virtually the same shirt from the women's department, the simple answer is I have no idea.

But I do.


After I scored the freecycle Banana Republic shirts I mentioned yesterday, it occurred to me that I'm looking for shirts in all the wrong places.  I bet Banana Republic has polo shirts.  Or Land's End.  Or Old Navy.  The shirts here are all at Land's End.  There are several styles and uncountable colours (but do guys wear pale pink?  Or long sleeve polos?)!  I would like to find better prices though.,  Does anyone know are resources I missed?  I'd rather shop in person so I don't get something that seems OK but has a cutout back or is mesh or something unexpected.  I hate returning things.

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The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

With an update, below.

I've written about freecycle several times.  It's a collection of yahoo groups.  Each is for a small geographic area.  People post OFFERs of stuff they want to get rid of, and then TAKENs when someone grabs it.  It's great for getting rid of Things You No Longer Need.

I've never used it to get rid of clothes.  There are some people who know our family on the list, and I'd hate to post a "OFFER: Size 10 Red Minidress" and have a friend or neighbor think "hmmm....  She's not the kind of woman who'd wear a red minidress."

But I have used it to acquire clothes.  Sometimes, the clothes are great, sometimes a waste, sometimes they're a mixed bag (so to speak).  I don't re-freecycle what I don't want (although I promise to) but they do go to the clothing swap, so they are reused, which is the goal.

Today, I'm kind of breaking a rule.  I have decided to get rid of whatever I won't wear out of the house (well, with exceptions such as nightgowns).  But I answered the following OFFER:

White Tennis Skirt, Size 10 (though Size 10 from 1986) in really good condition.

I don't think I'll be playing tennis as Meg.  But I've always coveted tennis skirts, and the price is right, and a size 10 from 1986 ought to fit.

I'll pick up before work and then I have to wait until later in the week (possibly the weekend) to try it on.  If someone gave me a package and said "it's a present.  Don't open it until your birthday in six months" I'd say "fine" and put the package aside.  If someone said "it's a dress.  Don't open it until your birthday in six months" I'd have a rough six months and may cheat and open it just a half-year early.

It'll be a long week.  I'm even thinking of sneaking it into the office and trying it on in a stall.  But I won't.  But tell the truth ~ you'd consider the same, wouldn't you?

Update:  I did.  I'm usually the first person here, and always the first male here, so the restroom is pretty safe. 

It's a wraparound skirt and seems to fit OK.  I need to check it out further at home, but at least the hard part is over.

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(Cami)sole Searching

I wasn't going to write anything else about camisoles, but I thought of another pun subject, so....

Several years ago, I found out about freecycle from a client.  I joined the local group using my "regular" e-mail.  I got rid of some items I would have tossed, but I joined mainly as a free clothing source.

The first item I found was a bag of slips and camisoles.  There were a few half slips, full slips, and camis, all white or off-white, all silky (but not silk).  The slips, unfortunately, were on the long side but I've worn then with longer skirts around the house.  I don't get out enough to wear long skirts outside!

Often, freecycle items are left on a doorstep for you to pick up and you never meet the donor.  In this case she had to bring them to work and I picked up there, so we met and chatted a bit.  This is way before my no more stories epiphany, so I didn't admit they were for me.

Oh... one more detail.  She knew who I was.

We never met, but my male e-mail addresses are generally in my full, unusual, male name.  She'd seen my name in the newspaper.  There's a regular newspaper contest here ~ I'd seen hers as well.

I was pretty nervous, but I thought she already knew I wanted them (but not, of course, for me) so there's no point in canceling the pickup.  I did joke about "hoping they'd fit" and she looked me over and decided they should, and I promised I'd re-freecycle them if they didn't.

The regulars in this contest have a closed group.  They meet about once a month, and they have big events 2-3 times a year.  There's a fairly active listserv too,

She still doesn't know.  One person in the group of regular contest entrants sort of knows ~ I've told her, but it's a humour contest and she probably thinks it's a joke.  If she asks, I'll make it clear.  But she hasn't asked, yet.

You know me by now.  I'll probably escalate.

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So Close!

I always check Freecycle.  I use it to get rid of stuff, but I'm always on the lookout for clothes.

For the uninitiated,  freecycle has local groups around the country.  If you want to get rid of something, post an OFFER.  If you want to pick that up, write to the person; after it's picked up they post a TAKEN.  It's discouraged, but if you need something you can post a WANTED and then a RECEIVED if/when you get it.

I always wanted to post WANTED: Porsche Carrera GT, any year and then a RECEIVED.  Just to see what the reaction is.  Or post an OFFER and TAKEN for the same car.  I bet I can find everyone on freecycle that way. :)

Back to the real world.... here's what I just saw:

My feet grew after having 3 kids so sadly for me, my shoes don't fit anymore. Would like it if you take all and freecycle or donate what you don't want.

Enzo Angiolini black wide medium heel - great for every day in the office or an evening out.
Easy Spirit tan/beige with brown accents, medium thin heel - very cute.
Easy Spirit beige low wide heel.
Trotters navy, thin high heel - love these.
Easy Spirit black sling backs, medium heel - great for a night out.
Tan low wide heel - great for everyday, very comfortable
Munro navy flats - very comfortable, need a good cleaning
Ryka white tennis shoes.

Almost all of these were rarely worn - maybe once or twice and have just been sitting in my closet.

The bad news: they're size 10.  I need 11.  So close.

The good news: I'll keep watching for this freecycler.  She might be 11 now and getting rid of some of those shoes at some time.

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Priorities + Some Sources

When I left this morning, I had the address of the Manassas Mall (where the Deb store is, where those shoes I love are) in my gps. I spent the day at the company "summerfest" and planned on heading over afterwards.

Instead, I spoke to my youngest who wanted to know when I'd be coming home because he wanted to do some things with me today.

So I came home. The shoes, I hope, will wait. And if I really really wanted them, I can order on-line. My wife doesn't like to see that I'm bringing More Meg Stuff into the house. Even when I get it for free.

OK, that source: I belong to the local freecycle group. For the uninitiated, freecycle is a yahoo group where you can post offers of stuff you don't want. People who are interested send you an e-mail, you arrange to hand it off. No money changes hands. Sometimes, you see a wanted post ~ someone asking for something they need. These aren't very common.

After you get rid of your item, you post a taken. If the item you requested comes your way, you post a received. Someday, I'm going to post

WANTED: Porshe Carrera GT in Perfect Condition

A few days later, I'll post a RECEIVED. :)

I also thought if I posted an OFFER: of that same car, I'd find out the e-mail address of everyone on freecycle.

I've uncluttered a lot on freecycle. Books, my old grill, miscellaneous items. One woman's trash and all that.

I never request items. With one exception of course. I've scored dresses, tops, shoes, even slips. Some I can use, some I can't. What I can't use goes to the clothing swap. My most recent pickup was a half-dozen skirts. Four fit and are a style I will wear.

The six-inch sandals pictured here came from freecycle:



In the past few days, someone offered a wedding dress, size 14. It's a bit big, but I was very tempted. I decided to leave it for someone who might actually use it for, say, a wedding. I never freecycle clothing myself. People who know me and my wife are on this list. If I offer, say, some size 10 skirts, and they know my wife is a 1X, red flags will be raised.

I know I should keep my mouth shut. There Will Be Local Ladies who will now be competing with me, but this blog is about sharing. So join, post, clean up your house, and maybe get a special item of clothing. And look for clothing swaps on meetup. You might find some other treasures.