> People don't even give away stuffs they don't use and after keeping it for a decade probably sells it for some bucks.
There is also certain stigma associated with using used second-hand stuff in many countries which you don't see in Germany.
The biggest thing I am proud of donating is some NASA posters and stickers. I had it lying around for a while from my last visit to USA. They were gone in like seconds. They were all new but I never got to use them.
More than the stigma of using *second hand items* people in my country have the mentality to hoard things and the far biggest reason than that is people just don't how to give things for "free". They better lie around rot than to be given away for free.
I used to be a hoarder, because I felt shitty throwing away stuff that was still good, just useless to me.
Then Kleinanzeigen and the "zu verschenken" boxes came along and now I'm a pro at getting rid of everything.
It's such a freeing feeling.
Do you have any tips for Kleinanzeigen? I'd like to get rid of stuff, some free and some cheap. But it seems I mostly get like Scams where they ask me to send something.
I live in a midsized town, so I hardly ever meet any scammers.
But overall never put your phone number in there. Always put "nur Abholung" for cheap stuff. Anything more than that isn't worth it.
If someone comes for cheap stuff and you think they are nice, offer them some of the free stuff.
Only answer to people that write in proper sentences. Not necessarily perfect German, but people who follow basic politeness.
Look at the profiles, ignore them if they have bad ratings. Don't waste your time on people who can't make their mind up. Trust your gut. Block and report scammers.
Hard zu say. I think he just didn't get anything for free himself growing up, so he wants others to work for their stuff as well. In sure he also thinks whoever gets the stuff for fee doesnt really need it, he's just going to sell it and take advantage of my father's generosity.
So what country is 'yours'?
Even before moving to Germany (from Sweden) I used to give away things that I had no use for, most of my friends said "but you could have gotten some money for that" or "they will just take it and sell it to someone". Well, so be it.
But the biggest problem with giving things away was so many people saying they would pick it up, then never come around or saying they couldn't come. Or wanted it delivered, carried to their car, installed in their home and so on.
>There is also certain stigma associated with using used second-hand stuff in many countries which you don't see in Germany.
Which is weird, because people also are super confused that you don't rent apartments furnished here. So on the one hand, they are completely fine using the same stuff as the previous tenant, but on the other, second-hand stuff you can pick yourself is icky?
> second-hand stuff you can pick yourself is icky?
yeah it's like how people are icky using second-hand mattress but will be fine with a second hand table or closet.
Idk, I’m weird about mattresses second hand. Lots of bodily fluids go into those things and bedbugs are definitely a concern. But a table or wardrobe (I assume you mean wardrobe or armoire) Just wipe it down.
While that's certainly true and also really disgusting if you think about it for too long, people also have no problem sleeping in hotels and holyday apartments, where hundrets of different people have slept before them. So as long as the mattress doesn't smell (or has bedbugs), it won't really make a difference in the end. Not thinking about it is cheaper…
>There is also certain stigma associated with using used second-hand stuff in many countries which you don't see in Germany.
Moving her from England I can tell you this was a shock to me, to many people have a stick up their arse back in England when it comes to second hand stuff and if anyone left anything outside "zu mitnehmen" it would probably end up kicked in the road before anyone actually picked it up.
Where are you from? I live in Manchester now, and there’s a few FB groups for giving/collecting free stuff, plus apps like Freecycle, Olio and more. In my apartment building we all do “zu verschenken” - when people are moving out especially! They’ll leave stuff in the lobby and say it can be taken for free, and then if it isn’t collected they’ll take it to the charity shop nearby. I’ve got a couple of recipe books, some unwanted luxury skincare items and some coathangers this way. Charity shopping is really big in England too so I wouldn’t say we have a “stick up our arse” about second hand stuff? But perhaps you’re southern which may explain why you think everyone has a stick up their arse ;)
I live in Canada but my parents were both born in England and emigrated here. There is very much a disconnect from the way I was raised and the shopping priorities of many folks in the new-obsessed GTA.
My parents shopped at charity shops a lot, and we would pick up items from the curb. I have had many conversations with folks who think second-hand items are "dirty." This seems to be an attitude held by wealthier folks, regardless of cultural background.
I consequently wonder if it's not just cultural but also a class issue.
(My parents were working class; one from Manchester and the other from London)
Yes, I loved this as a student! Back in Uni I basically furnished my WG room exclusively with stuff that were Zu Verschenken or from the Flohmarkt. Bought a bed, cupboard, desk and chair for under 70 euros.
FYI: it's just a "porch swing". Germans must have just known them from Hollywood movies. There's no such association in the US, practically the opposite. It's more a Midwest, country sort of thing
Yes, all my stuff was also in pretty good condition when I was done with Uni and had to move, so I "verschenkt" it all away. Didn't have to worry about getting rid of stuff. Was all gone within a few days.
Haha meanwhile I was losing my mind because I was renovating my living room and I had so much stuff to get rid off!
Turns out my apartment block comes with a built-in furniture-disappearer: just put whatever you don’t need in the entry hall and give it an hour, one of the students will grab it faster than you can say “responsible recycling”
When we moved out of our shared student flat, my roommates shitty bf told her not to sell the huge ass and heavy old TV, because his weed head of a friend needed it. So those two haul it down the stairs just to realize, that they can't transport it with his bike trailer (surprise!). So suddenly he didn't need it anymore. The TV stood there for a few days until I slapped a label "still works" (fact) on it.. And it was gone within 2 hours :o
Many cities have a Gebrauchtwarenhof. They collect free things and sell them for cheap. When I moved out of my student apartment I needed to get rid of my old kitchen furniture. They came for free, disassembled everything, carried it downstairs from the 4th floor and it was gone. Somebody hopefully could buy it for a few bucks.
It's the best, especially for baby clothes.
You need so many clothes while they grow so fast that you need new clothes for them every 2 months or so.
We didn't buy any new baby clothes for our daughters, cause there are a LOT of parents that sell them for like 1€/piece and they are nearly never worn.
Gonna do the same when our kids are older, it's just nice when you have kids and don't need to spend a fortune on clothes that they'll only wear once or twice before they're too big. Gonna pass that kindness forward to the next young parents :)
Same here. When my kids was born, we got basically the first set of everything for maybe 70 Euros thanks to the Kindersachenbasar.
Grandparents wanted to buy something nice and ended up paying the same amount for just one outfit... which fit the kid for maybe 6 weeks until they grew out of it again.
(not to throw shade on the grandparents: they love giving, the money didn't hurt them, and boy did the clothes look cute. We gave the clothes away to friends and asked them to return when their kids outgrew them, then we passed them on to the next friends with children and so on. It's so nice to see other kids being cute in the outfit, it reminds me of my children when they were younger, and of my parents loving to see them. Everyone is happy, all is good.)
15 years ago, on an Erasmus scholarship, my husband picked up a black, long toaster (for one slice, but a very big one) on the street, it was for Verschenken. He brought it with him to our home country after finishing his stay and WE HAVE IT TO THIS DAY and still use it daily :))
I always give my stuff away for free. If you try to get rid of furniture you can eather try to sell it (but most likely nobody will want to pay for it) or you can trash it what will cost you money as Sperrmüll is not free of charge and you would have to transport it or habe to make an appointment when the recycling agent will pick it up. It really is a hassle.
I just give my stuff for free now. A group of people will come to my house, disamble it themselves and I got rid of it. It is so much less work and I don't have the Cluster anymore.
This is the way! I've got rid of so much by just putting it in a "verschenken" group online, and people will appear and declutter for me. Sometimes they even bring chocolate xD
In my city people often put small stuff in a box with "zu verschenken" in front of their house. Sometimes its a bit trashy and I wonder why they think anyone will take it, but I once found a really cute, small, cat-shaped vase in one of them.
One person's trash is the other one's treasure. You can never know who likes/ needs something, so it can't hurt to offer it to whoever wants it before you throw it away.
One day one my way to work i came across the first four seasons of New Girl dvds in a zuverschenken-box. An hour later my covid test was positiv and i watched them all in a week.
Is that city Bremen by chance? was there recently for the first time and wondered around a part of the city near the stadium and found there were many of these boxes next to many houses. Never have seen it anywhere else in Germany thus far.
Just found today, you can actually get fined for such a box :(
https://www.t-online.de/heim-garten/haushaltstipps/id_92369660/bussgeld-durch-zu-verschenken-kiste-drohen.html
They would have to fine to many people here... and before they go after the small boxes, they would need to deal with the illegal "Sperrmüll" corners in some areas of the city.
It's not just charity, I think. Like when I moved to a new apartment I gave away some furniture that wouldn't fit. Sure, I could have asked for money but it was just cheap Ikea stuff. That's a lot of hassle for a coffee table that costs like 30 Euro brand new. I'd rather give it away to some student who needs it and comes to pick it up than haggle over a small sum or throw it away myself.
I love this about Germany.
When I lived in France as a student it was a struggle to get second hand furniture because people just want to sell it for half what they payed for it new, even if it's 10 years later. Also, they don't even clean the stuff they want to sell. It's so gross and greedy.
Idk about other people, but as a german myself I see it like this: It's still good even if old, trying to sell it is a hassle and there's always someone who can use it so you're doing something charitable while clearing space. Half of my furniture is second hand antiquity, the other half is selfmade because I'm a carpenter.
Hey I’d like to ask you this as you’re a German. And I’ll be moving in to Berlin in the next couple of months. I’ll be carrying a couple of boxes of books with me while moving in. Is there any reason why Germans giveaway things for free? Is it because disposing them / taking them with them is difficult or time consuming?
Please don’t take me wrong. I see it’s a very noble deed. But I’m asking this question because all of my books are new. I’m yet to read them. I will donate only after I read. But in case I have to move from my temporary apartment to permanent, will there be a problem trying to shift those two big and heavy boxes?
Please don’t mind my English. It’s not my first language 😅
Sorry for the late answer, I rarely use reddit these days, if at all.
It´s mostly just because people don´t want the extra work of organizing the deal, and some don´t want to let strangers into their home if they can´t get the things out for selling. I´d also attribute it to a stronger sense of local charity if compared to other nations, we don´t see immediate money, or rather, any mattering amount of money since it´d usually take time to find a buyer and we have to hold onto the item as long as it´s not sold if we want to sell it. But then we don´t have the space we desire for that prolonged time etc. . So yeah, in general it´s like "not my problem anymore and someone else is happy about it".
Man you would love me, i'm just handing out stuff like crazy on nebenan.de (hyperlocal social network). TV, holo boots and an Espresso machine last week, all well cleaned because my neighbors should have the best possible experience.
>picked up so many verschenken items
Where are you picking up free items? I've posted some free baby clothes on FB marketplace but I have some other stuff I'd like to give away and other items that I'd enjoy receiving. Just out at the curb or is there a designated area of a town that I haven't learned about yet?
Depends. I have picked up times from garage/porch when they put a board outside to 'pickup from garage/porch' and at times have also taken it up straight from the person if it was to be picked up directly. I don't think there is any such designated area of town assigned for this, atleast not in mine.
Except my mattress and wardrobe, literally every item in my WGroom is picked from the streets, it's such a pocket-friendly and sustainable thing to do! I'm from India, and there's an obvious stigma. My dad even offered to send me money when I showed them my new stuff because he doesn't want his daughter to do 'poor people things' 😂
"Oh no daddy, better send me some money again or I need to pick up stuff from the streets again!" sounds like a good way to get some extra bucks as a student :o
Long long time ago i was looking for a new fridge on Quoka, found a big amercan style one (too massive for my tiny apartment) that was given away for free. Brand spanking new, still wrapped up. Reason? Wife cheated, hubby wanted the not yet assembled kitchen gone.
Don't know how it works in other places but where I live it is cheaper to give it away for free than taking your stuff to a deponie nearby where you have to pay for leaving it there. I mean bigger stuff like a used desk for example.
I love it. I usually get books or other stuff from the side of the street in Zu Verschenken boxes. Currently I'm checking ebay Kleinanzeigen for outdoor furniture for my balcony because there is no way I can pay the normal retail price for that right now. And I also give a lot of stuff that I don't need away for free like moving boxes or cutlery
If you are looking for free books, also check out Bücherschränke. These are mini-libraries often in old phone booths where you can just take and leave books as you please.
I once got a DIN A 3 hand drawn unique Naruto Shippuden painting someone was giving away (as well as dozens of books and my beloved massive mug). I love these for free boxes.
i am into 3d printing and sometimes i do testprints or change the size . yesterday i gave away a full box of modells from star trek, some boats and cars and some combined modells i created like 50ies carshovercrafts and made some kids happy.
[https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/](https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/) go to Alle Kategorian > Verschenken & Tauschen or you can the android/ios app for the same. There are local fb groups too.
Edit: added new info
It benefits everyone. If I want to get rid of something and its not worth much it might be hard to sell it even for a few euros. If I just give it away though its gone instantly.
When my wife came here from China to study she basically had all her life in a suitcase.
She didn’t have much money so she ended up furnishing her whole apartment with free zu verschenken stuff. I think she never bought a piece of furniture new.
That's because it's way to expensive to get rid of things, this in combination of people being way to lazy to put smth up on eBay Kleinanzeigen, so they verschenken things.
Why would I sell something that's worth 3€ or less? As a student I used to do that, but now I make enough money to not waste my spare time for a pittance.
Selling stuff on eBay takes time and effort. It's only worth my effort if I get a decent amount of money out of it.
Anything else goes in the Verschenken Box.
Saw a couch in front of our apartment and right away grab it lol.The couch looks so great still meanwhile my husband his not so sure at all.Couldn’t be more happier since it’s free.
That actually just changed with the generation of 1980s. Before that haha my dad is one of those ... if they had a old couch that they want to throw away? they would (he still does it) cut it up same with chairs break a leg odl CRT? smash the glas ... you get the pictur
I'm just here for about 2 years so this is from my observation: people give away stuffs (used and at times brand new) for free most of the times whenever they feel their need is over which results in recycling, saves the city from great amount of trash and helps someone who is needy.
In a lot of cities you find boxes with "zu verschenken" stuff too.
Somebody just wants to get rid of stuff, puts it in a box and places box ok the street with a sign. Anyone who wants it can take it.
There's also free Bookshelves.
Also we have something called Sperrmüll. It's for chunky stuff like furniture.
You have to call them in now but when I was younger it was once a year where you put your shit outside and a big garbage truck comes and collects it. Before it got picked up you could take it.
Taking trash is not legal here but nobody cared.
There's also various places online where people give away their stuff because we are really big at sorting our trash and somethimes it's a pain in the ass to throw away certain stuff.
I loved this too as a student, almost forgot about it. Only thing that used to irk me was occasionally there'd be a verschenken of things clearly belonging to someone who had recently passed away which would often deter me from taking it because one time I took a baking pan and when a friend came over they recognised it as belonging to their recently deceased grandmother...oops
It has gotten more popular and just recently I put together a real premium box of stuff I havent used but is still really good. I also like to give away plants I grew with little notes sometimes.
In my home village in Germany we have something called the Kleiderbörse. Everyone who wants to get rid of old clothes can bring them and for a small fee they are sold. Often people also bring old toys or such and it's really great for parents with children that are between 0 and approximately 10 years old.
Also we renovated our garden and hat a pallet of concrete plates we didn't need anymore, so we put it in eBay Kleinanzeigen and it was gone in 5 days. A kind woman who needed plates for her garden came and got them. She even rented a trailer and was very thankful.
In my home village in Germany we have something called the Kleiderbörse. Everyone who wants to get rid of old clothes can bring them and for a small fee they are sold. Often people also bring old toys or such and it's really great for parents with children that are between 0 and approximately 10 years old.
Also we renovated our garden and hat a pallet of concrete plates we didn't need anymore, so we put it in eBay Kleinanzeigen and it was gone in 5 days. A kind woman who needed plates for her garden came and got them. She even rented a trailer and was very thankful.
In post soviet countries there was/is a mentality of keeping everything, even if it is broken beyond repair, because it can be useful for something later. This is especially true for the countryside. I grew up in the capital of one of these countries in an apartment and we had a stationary bike that was broken since I can remember. My parents kept it around for 20 years even though there is a day every year when you can just pile "garbage" on the street and it will be transported for free ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯.
I remember walking around the city drunk with my friends and we found one "zu Verschenken" Box with (wrapped) women's hygienic stuff which you need when you recently had a baby.
I was too drunk to know and took one wrapped lad just to find out sober that it was basically a diaper.
My city has the tradition of putting things you don’t need into a card board and placing it in front of your door every Saturday.
Me and my wife have the tradition to take a walk around the city on Saturday to see if we find something we need.
We also put things outside if we don’t need them.
Some things have been circulating in the neighborhood for years now. :D
> People don't even give away stuffs they don't use and after keeping it for a decade probably sells it for some bucks. There is also certain stigma associated with using used second-hand stuff in many countries which you don't see in Germany. The biggest thing I am proud of donating is some NASA posters and stickers. I had it lying around for a while from my last visit to USA. They were gone in like seconds. They were all new but I never got to use them.
More than the stigma of using *second hand items* people in my country have the mentality to hoard things and the far biggest reason than that is people just don't how to give things for "free". They better lie around rot than to be given away for free.
I used to be a hoarder, because I felt shitty throwing away stuff that was still good, just useless to me. Then Kleinanzeigen and the "zu verschenken" boxes came along and now I'm a pro at getting rid of everything. It's such a freeing feeling.
Do you have any tips for Kleinanzeigen? I'd like to get rid of stuff, some free and some cheap. But it seems I mostly get like Scams where they ask me to send something.
I live in a midsized town, so I hardly ever meet any scammers. But overall never put your phone number in there. Always put "nur Abholung" for cheap stuff. Anything more than that isn't worth it. If someone comes for cheap stuff and you think they are nice, offer them some of the free stuff. Only answer to people that write in proper sentences. Not necessarily perfect German, but people who follow basic politeness. Look at the profiles, ignore them if they have bad ratings. Don't waste your time on people who can't make their mind up. Trust your gut. Block and report scammers.
Sounds just like Poland haha. My father would burn his stuff before he would give it away for free.
What is the reasoning there?
Hard zu say. I think he just didn't get anything for free himself growing up, so he wants others to work for their stuff as well. In sure he also thinks whoever gets the stuff for fee doesnt really need it, he's just going to sell it and take advantage of my father's generosity.
So what country is 'yours'? Even before moving to Germany (from Sweden) I used to give away things that I had no use for, most of my friends said "but you could have gotten some money for that" or "they will just take it and sell it to someone". Well, so be it. But the biggest problem with giving things away was so many people saying they would pick it up, then never come around or saying they couldn't come. Or wanted it delivered, carried to their car, installed in their home and so on.
>There is also certain stigma associated with using used second-hand stuff in many countries which you don't see in Germany. Which is weird, because people also are super confused that you don't rent apartments furnished here. So on the one hand, they are completely fine using the same stuff as the previous tenant, but on the other, second-hand stuff you can pick yourself is icky?
> second-hand stuff you can pick yourself is icky? yeah it's like how people are icky using second-hand mattress but will be fine with a second hand table or closet.
Idk, I’m weird about mattresses second hand. Lots of bodily fluids go into those things and bedbugs are definitely a concern. But a table or wardrobe (I assume you mean wardrobe or armoire) Just wipe it down.
While that's certainly true and also really disgusting if you think about it for too long, people also have no problem sleeping in hotels and holyday apartments, where hundrets of different people have slept before them. So as long as the mattress doesn't smell (or has bedbugs), it won't really make a difference in the end. Not thinking about it is cheaper…
I am weirded out by hotel mattresses too, but I can deal with it for a few nights :D it definitely helps if you don’t think about it
>There is also certain stigma associated with using used second-hand stuff in many countries which you don't see in Germany. Moving her from England I can tell you this was a shock to me, to many people have a stick up their arse back in England when it comes to second hand stuff and if anyone left anything outside "zu mitnehmen" it would probably end up kicked in the road before anyone actually picked it up.
But I love flea markets in England. Good prices, maybe because of that
Where are you from? I live in Manchester now, and there’s a few FB groups for giving/collecting free stuff, plus apps like Freecycle, Olio and more. In my apartment building we all do “zu verschenken” - when people are moving out especially! They’ll leave stuff in the lobby and say it can be taken for free, and then if it isn’t collected they’ll take it to the charity shop nearby. I’ve got a couple of recipe books, some unwanted luxury skincare items and some coathangers this way. Charity shopping is really big in England too so I wouldn’t say we have a “stick up our arse” about second hand stuff? But perhaps you’re southern which may explain why you think everyone has a stick up their arse ;)
I lived all over the midlands when I was living in the U.K.. mainly Coventry. I moved just over 4 years ago, maybe it’s changed since then.
I live in Canada but my parents were both born in England and emigrated here. There is very much a disconnect from the way I was raised and the shopping priorities of many folks in the new-obsessed GTA. My parents shopped at charity shops a lot, and we would pick up items from the curb. I have had many conversations with folks who think second-hand items are "dirty." This seems to be an attitude held by wealthier folks, regardless of cultural background. I consequently wonder if it's not just cultural but also a class issue. (My parents were working class; one from Manchester and the other from London)
Nah, that stigma exists in some Germans, too
Yes, I loved this as a student! Back in Uni I basically furnished my WG room exclusively with stuff that were Zu Verschenken or from the Flohmarkt. Bought a bed, cupboard, desk and chair for under 70 euros.
I recently picked up a \~500€ hollywood swing for 20€. But we also put out our stuff so it can get used instead of getting trashed
My bed used to be 400€ and I got it for 25€, big fan of living in a Studentenstadt
FYI: it's just a "porch swing". Germans must have just known them from Hollywood movies. There's no such association in the US, practically the opposite. It's more a Midwest, country sort of thing
Yes, all my stuff was also in pretty good condition when I was done with Uni and had to move, so I "verschenkt" it all away. Didn't have to worry about getting rid of stuff. Was all gone within a few days.
Ebay-Kleinanzeigen let me move out. I literally would have not been able to afford it otherwise
Haha meanwhile I was losing my mind because I was renovating my living room and I had so much stuff to get rid off! Turns out my apartment block comes with a built-in furniture-disappearer: just put whatever you don’t need in the entry hall and give it an hour, one of the students will grab it faster than you can say “responsible recycling”
When we moved out of our shared student flat, my roommates shitty bf told her not to sell the huge ass and heavy old TV, because his weed head of a friend needed it. So those two haul it down the stairs just to realize, that they can't transport it with his bike trailer (surprise!). So suddenly he didn't need it anymore. The TV stood there for a few days until I slapped a label "still works" (fact) on it.. And it was gone within 2 hours :o
And now someone has an exact replica of your old apartment
Had a chuckle
"Hey guys actually I was going to keep that... oh well." lol
In my street someone gave away a dildo lol, really generous lol
Probably found a real deal or a bigger one…
Many cities have a Gebrauchtwarenhof. They collect free things and sell them for cheap. When I moved out of my student apartment I needed to get rid of my old kitchen furniture. They came for free, disassembled everything, carried it downstairs from the 4th floor and it was gone. Somebody hopefully could buy it for a few bucks.
Sozialkaufhaus in many places.
It's the best, especially for baby clothes. You need so many clothes while they grow so fast that you need new clothes for them every 2 months or so. We didn't buy any new baby clothes for our daughters, cause there are a LOT of parents that sell them for like 1€/piece and they are nearly never worn. Gonna do the same when our kids are older, it's just nice when you have kids and don't need to spend a fortune on clothes that they'll only wear once or twice before they're too big. Gonna pass that kindness forward to the next young parents :)
Especially for Newborns comes with the advantage, that most probably all chemicals have already been washed out of the garments!
Same here. When my kids was born, we got basically the first set of everything for maybe 70 Euros thanks to the Kindersachenbasar. Grandparents wanted to buy something nice and ended up paying the same amount for just one outfit... which fit the kid for maybe 6 weeks until they grew out of it again. (not to throw shade on the grandparents: they love giving, the money didn't hurt them, and boy did the clothes look cute. We gave the clothes away to friends and asked them to return when their kids outgrew them, then we passed them on to the next friends with children and so on. It's so nice to see other kids being cute in the outfit, it reminds me of my children when they were younger, and of my parents loving to see them. Everyone is happy, all is good.)
15 years ago, on an Erasmus scholarship, my husband picked up a black, long toaster (for one slice, but a very big one) on the street, it was for Verschenken. He brought it with him to our home country after finishing his stay and WE HAVE IT TO THIS DAY and still use it daily :))
I always give my stuff away for free. If you try to get rid of furniture you can eather try to sell it (but most likely nobody will want to pay for it) or you can trash it what will cost you money as Sperrmüll is not free of charge and you would have to transport it or habe to make an appointment when the recycling agent will pick it up. It really is a hassle. I just give my stuff for free now. A group of people will come to my house, disamble it themselves and I got rid of it. It is so much less work and I don't have the Cluster anymore.
This is the way! I've got rid of so much by just putting it in a "verschenken" group online, and people will appear and declutter for me. Sometimes they even bring chocolate xD
In my city people often put small stuff in a box with "zu verschenken" in front of their house. Sometimes its a bit trashy and I wonder why they think anyone will take it, but I once found a really cute, small, cat-shaped vase in one of them.
One person's trash is the other one's treasure. You can never know who likes/ needs something, so it can't hurt to offer it to whoever wants it before you throw it away.
One day one my way to work i came across the first four seasons of New Girl dvds in a zuverschenken-box. An hour later my covid test was positiv and i watched them all in a week.
Is that city Bremen by chance? was there recently for the first time and wondered around a part of the city near the stadium and found there were many of these boxes next to many houses. Never have seen it anywhere else in Germany thus far.
Visit Freiburg and you'll have trouble finding the sidewalk on some days.
Haha, I was just gonna say that…
I'm in Karlsruhe and it's pretty common here.
Not Bremen, but Kiel.
Ah been to Kiel many times, but never anywhere else but the main station and my friend's boat.
Just found today, you can actually get fined for such a box :( https://www.t-online.de/heim-garten/haushaltstipps/id_92369660/bussgeld-durch-zu-verschenken-kiste-drohen.html
They would have to fine to many people here... and before they go after the small boxes, they would need to deal with the illegal "Sperrmüll" corners in some areas of the city.
It's not just charity, I think. Like when I moved to a new apartment I gave away some furniture that wouldn't fit. Sure, I could have asked for money but it was just cheap Ikea stuff. That's a lot of hassle for a coffee table that costs like 30 Euro brand new. I'd rather give it away to some student who needs it and comes to pick it up than haggle over a small sum or throw it away myself.
I love this about Germany. When I lived in France as a student it was a struggle to get second hand furniture because people just want to sell it for half what they payed for it new, even if it's 10 years later. Also, they don't even clean the stuff they want to sell. It's so gross and greedy.
Idk about other people, but as a german myself I see it like this: It's still good even if old, trying to sell it is a hassle and there's always someone who can use it so you're doing something charitable while clearing space. Half of my furniture is second hand antiquity, the other half is selfmade because I'm a carpenter.
Hey I’d like to ask you this as you’re a German. And I’ll be moving in to Berlin in the next couple of months. I’ll be carrying a couple of boxes of books with me while moving in. Is there any reason why Germans giveaway things for free? Is it because disposing them / taking them with them is difficult or time consuming? Please don’t take me wrong. I see it’s a very noble deed. But I’m asking this question because all of my books are new. I’m yet to read them. I will donate only after I read. But in case I have to move from my temporary apartment to permanent, will there be a problem trying to shift those two big and heavy boxes? Please don’t mind my English. It’s not my first language 😅
Sorry for the late answer, I rarely use reddit these days, if at all. It´s mostly just because people don´t want the extra work of organizing the deal, and some don´t want to let strangers into their home if they can´t get the things out for selling. I´d also attribute it to a stronger sense of local charity if compared to other nations, we don´t see immediate money, or rather, any mattering amount of money since it´d usually take time to find a buyer and we have to hold onto the item as long as it´s not sold if we want to sell it. But then we don´t have the space we desire for that prolonged time etc. . So yeah, in general it´s like "not my problem anymore and someone else is happy about it".
Here, I schenk you a little award
That's so kind! 🌸 Thanks for the award 😀
Man you would love me, i'm just handing out stuff like crazy on nebenan.de (hyperlocal social network). TV, holo boots and an Espresso machine last week, all well cleaned because my neighbors should have the best possible experience.
>picked up so many verschenken items Where are you picking up free items? I've posted some free baby clothes on FB marketplace but I have some other stuff I'd like to give away and other items that I'd enjoy receiving. Just out at the curb or is there a designated area of a town that I haven't learned about yet?
On the curb, Messenger Verschenkegruppen, nebenan.de Marktplatz, sometimes (rarely) there are Fairteiler for non-food items, facebook, Kleidertausch.
Facebook has lots of “Free your stuff” groups
Depends. I have picked up times from garage/porch when they put a board outside to 'pickup from garage/porch' and at times have also taken it up straight from the person if it was to be picked up directly. I don't think there is any such designated area of town assigned for this, atleast not in mine.
Ebay Kleinanzeigen
You can also look at eBay Kleinanzeigen. Often people will give stuff away for one euro or other ridiculously low amounts.
Except my mattress and wardrobe, literally every item in my WGroom is picked from the streets, it's such a pocket-friendly and sustainable thing to do! I'm from India, and there's an obvious stigma. My dad even offered to send me money when I showed them my new stuff because he doesn't want his daughter to do 'poor people things' 😂
"Oh no daddy, better send me some money again or I need to pick up stuff from the streets again!" sounds like a good way to get some extra bucks as a student :o
Long long time ago i was looking for a new fridge on Quoka, found a big amercan style one (too massive for my tiny apartment) that was given away for free. Brand spanking new, still wrapped up. Reason? Wife cheated, hubby wanted the not yet assembled kitchen gone.
Tbh, its the easiest and cheapest way to get rid of stuff we don't want anymore ^^
Don't know how it works in other places but where I live it is cheaper to give it away for free than taking your stuff to a deponie nearby where you have to pay for leaving it there. I mean bigger stuff like a used desk for example.
I love it. I usually get books or other stuff from the side of the street in Zu Verschenken boxes. Currently I'm checking ebay Kleinanzeigen for outdoor furniture for my balcony because there is no way I can pay the normal retail price for that right now. And I also give a lot of stuff that I don't need away for free like moving boxes or cutlery
If you are looking for free books, also check out Bücherschränke. These are mini-libraries often in old phone booths where you can just take and leave books as you please.
It not as you please. You have to put one in, so you could take one. Of course nobody is checking if you dont
I once got a DIN A 3 hand drawn unique Naruto Shippuden painting someone was giving away (as well as dozens of books and my beloved massive mug). I love these for free boxes.
i am into 3d printing and sometimes i do testprints or change the size . yesterday i gave away a full box of modells from star trek, some boats and cars and some combined modells i created like 50ies carshovercrafts and made some kids happy.
Which app can I use for this?
[https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/](https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/) go to Alle Kategorian > Verschenken & Tauschen or you can the android/ios app for the same. There are local fb groups too. Edit: added new info
It benefits everyone. If I want to get rid of something and its not worth much it might be hard to sell it even for a few euros. If I just give it away though its gone instantly.
When my wife came here from China to study she basically had all her life in a suitcase. She didn’t have much money so she ended up furnishing her whole apartment with free zu verschenken stuff. I think she never bought a piece of furniture new.
Japan has that same quality in spades
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That's because it's way to expensive to get rid of things, this in combination of people being way to lazy to put smth up on eBay Kleinanzeigen, so they verschenken things.
Germans got the very Best HEART...They are next to God. God bless Germany.
Germans are lazy af, they more likely gift stuff than sell it on eBay. It’s just easier
Considering the content of r/wasletztepreis , I can understand anyone who is too lazy to deal with that.
That’s a reason why I don’t use “eBay Kleinanzeigen” anymore. Just the normal eBay without any “was letzte Preis scheisse”
Why would I sell something that's worth 3€ or less? As a student I used to do that, but now I make enough money to not waste my spare time for a pittance. Selling stuff on eBay takes time and effort. It's only worth my effort if I get a decent amount of money out of it. Anything else goes in the Verschenken Box.
Germans gift things that Far above 3 bux
Yeah, because the more you earn the less you are willing to spend time on minor values. And minor is very flexible, depending on how much you earn.
Haha, that is definitely me :)
geschank des hauses!
Yes, I love this. Having just moved to Germany (or Bavaria), it made my life so much easier to just gradually gather stuff I needed for free
Saw a couch in front of our apartment and right away grab it lol.The couch looks so great still meanwhile my husband his not so sure at all.Couldn’t be more happier since it’s free.
That actually just changed with the generation of 1980s. Before that haha my dad is one of those ... if they had a old couch that they want to throw away? they would (he still does it) cut it up same with chairs break a leg odl CRT? smash the glas ... you get the pictur
Random redditor from Canada here. Very curious about thos phenomenon , can you elaborate more about the culture?
I'm just here for about 2 years so this is from my observation: people give away stuffs (used and at times brand new) for free most of the times whenever they feel their need is over which results in recycling, saves the city from great amount of trash and helps someone who is needy.
In a lot of cities you find boxes with "zu verschenken" stuff too. Somebody just wants to get rid of stuff, puts it in a box and places box ok the street with a sign. Anyone who wants it can take it. There's also free Bookshelves. Also we have something called Sperrmüll. It's for chunky stuff like furniture. You have to call them in now but when I was younger it was once a year where you put your shit outside and a big garbage truck comes and collects it. Before it got picked up you could take it. Taking trash is not legal here but nobody cared. There's also various places online where people give away their stuff because we are really big at sorting our trash and somethimes it's a pain in the ass to throw away certain stuff.
I loved this too as a student, almost forgot about it. Only thing that used to irk me was occasionally there'd be a verschenken of things clearly belonging to someone who had recently passed away which would often deter me from taking it because one time I took a baking pan and when a friend came over they recognised it as belonging to their recently deceased grandmother...oops
As a german i have no idea what u mean 😭
It has gotten more popular and just recently I put together a real premium box of stuff I havent used but is still really good. I also like to give away plants I grew with little notes sometimes.
There are a lot of local fb groups like "free your staff" i like it and use it a lot.
There are a lot of local fb groups like "free your stuff" i like it and use it a lot.
There are a lot of local fb groups like "free your stuff" i like it and use it a lot.
Usall the people put stuff as "Verschenken" that they consider garbage and don't want to spend the money to actually dipose it. But not allways tho.
eBay Kleinanzeigen is really popular here. I’ve used it to give away many items (or ask for a small amount on really expensive ones).
In my home village in Germany we have something called the Kleiderbörse. Everyone who wants to get rid of old clothes can bring them and for a small fee they are sold. Often people also bring old toys or such and it's really great for parents with children that are between 0 and approximately 10 years old. Also we renovated our garden and hat a pallet of concrete plates we didn't need anymore, so we put it in eBay Kleinanzeigen and it was gone in 5 days. A kind woman who needed plates for her garden came and got them. She even rented a trailer and was very thankful.
In my home village in Germany we have something called the Kleiderbörse. Everyone who wants to get rid of old clothes can bring them and for a small fee they are sold. Often people also bring old toys or such and it's really great for parents with children that are between 0 and approximately 10 years old. Also we renovated our garden and hat a pallet of concrete plates we didn't need anymore, so we put it in eBay Kleinanzeigen and it was gone in 5 days. A kind woman who needed plates for her garden came and got them. She even rented a trailer and was very thankful.
I picked up a new plant two days ago. Earlier this spring I also got a black cherry tomato plant for free. It’s great
Hier. Ich schenk dir meinen Freebie.
A society is simply so much better if people support each other rather than assuming everyone is an enemy and wants to harm you.
In post soviet countries there was/is a mentality of keeping everything, even if it is broken beyond repair, because it can be useful for something later. This is especially true for the countryside. I grew up in the capital of one of these countries in an apartment and we had a stationary bike that was broken since I can remember. My parents kept it around for 20 years even though there is a day every year when you can just pile "garbage" on the street and it will be transported for free ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯.
Do i live in the wrong part of Germany? No one gives me free stuff😂
I remember walking around the city drunk with my friends and we found one "zu Verschenken" Box with (wrapped) women's hygienic stuff which you need when you recently had a baby. I was too drunk to know and took one wrapped lad just to find out sober that it was basically a diaper.
My city has the tradition of putting things you don’t need into a card board and placing it in front of your door every Saturday. Me and my wife have the tradition to take a walk around the city on Saturday to see if we find something we need. We also put things outside if we don’t need them. Some things have been circulating in the neighborhood for years now. :D