If you ever want to get the vibe of a neighborhood, sneak into their local “Buy Nothing” group.
Buy Nothing groups—online communities in which neighbors gift, request, and borrow items from one another, totally free of charge—are an intimate look into people’s cupboards, attics, and basements. You’ll get to see little snapshots of people’s lives, from their abandoned hobbies to their forgotten groceries. Sometimes you’ll even witness big, life-changing events, like the birth of a new family member or the passing of a beloved pet, as told through the things people ask for and offer up.
Many of the offerings are everyday items (cleaning supplies, old clothing, pots and pans), but sometimes you get lucky and a give (in the world of Buy Nothing, “give” can be a noun) is truly memorable. For this story, I asked folks to tell me about some of the stranger things they've seen pop up in their Twin Cities Buy Nothing groups. The original posts, as they appeared on Facebook, are included below; I illustrated and animated them.
Buy Nothing Bryant/Bancroft
Give: sailboat! It’s time to pass this 14’ HobieCat on to the next family who will use it more than once every 3 years. On a trailer that was fully legal with working lights when we parked it last. Boat in good considering it’s an ‘81. Sails are pretty new and kept in the garage. Happy to provide dimensions and sailing lessons to anyone who’s interested. Please tow this beauty home and make it your own!
Buy Nothing Marcy Holmes
Give: Tiger rug, small corner imperfection.
Buy Nothing Northfield
Give: Assorted buttons, wear with caution.
Buy Nothing East Nokomis
Give: Look away now if bugs are not your thing. Our hissing cockroaches had babies...like a lot of em. Do you have a reptile that eats hissers? Would you like to join the illustrious world of bug pets? We love our hissers but we don’t need 30 of em.
Buy Nothing East Nokomis
Give: Used candle from my spouse’s days as an elder care chaplain. Hoping someone who makes candles might be able to use it for the wax! I’m a pastor, I promise this is allowed, no one will smite you.
Buy Nothing Central/Corcoran/Powderhorn
Give: Costco coffee. Mostly full. We had some loose stools from drinking this. Not sure if it is just our bodies or would happen to other people too. Let me know if you want to give it a try.
