Keep it local with online communities
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SEPTEMBER 2026
Keep it local with online communities
Haven’t found a match on REcheck? It happens, don't give up.
REcheck doesn’t have ALL the answers. Sometimes we haven’t found the right taker yet. And sometimes, the sustainable option doesn’t exist… yet.
The fact that you are here tells me you are determined to avoid landfill – woot woot! - so here’s some other options to try within your local online communities.
We haven’t included these in REcheck’s directory. As catch-all communities, they’d appear in almost every results list, and that would get repetitive pretty quickly!
Facebook groups
There are thousands of local Facebook groups where people give away, swap, share and find useful things.
Here are a few types of groups worth looking for.
Street Bounty
Street Bounty groups help locals find free stuff left or abandoned on the street. They aim to promote reuse, keep curbs cleaner, keep landfill emptier and wallets fuller.
Pop your stuff out the front with a FREE sign and post a photo on your local Street Bounty group, with a street name, or local landmark to help it be found. When it’s been taken, update the listing. Job done.
You can also use this group if you happen across others stuff that has been left on the curb.
Search Facebook for your local Street Bounty group.
Buy Nothing
The Buy Nothing Project is a worldwide network of hyperlocal gift economies where participants give freely, share creatively.
Depending on your local group, you can give away things you no longer need, ask for something you do need, lend things, borrow things and share with people in your neighbourhood.
It's particularly useful for those odd things that don't seem worth selling but are too good to throw away.
Find your local Buy Nothing Group. If there isn't one near you, you can even start one.
Pay It Forward
Pay It Forward groups are based on exactly that — giving something to someone else without expecting anything in return.
Find your local Pay It Forward group.
Good Karma Network
Good Karma groups are another option for passing things on to people who can use them.
Again, the magic is in the local network. The item that isn't useful to you may be incredibly useful to someone else — and they might be just around the corner.
If you don’t have any luck in your local groups, expand your reach by listing it on Facebook Marketplace. This is a huge online marketplace where people buy, sell and give away all sorts of things.
Online, but no Meta required
If you prefer to stay away from social media, there are options for you too.
The Freecycle Network is a worldwide network of people giving away and finding things for free. You can join a local community and post items you want to give away.
Gumtree Australia is a platform for selling items, or list them for free if finding a new home is more important than making a few dollars.
Buy Nothing app If you like the idea of Buy Nothing but don't want to use Facebook, try the free app where you can join a local community and give, receive, lend and borrow things with people nearby.
A few tips before you post
- Whichever community you use, read the group rules first. Every group is a little different.
- Be careful with what information you're making public.
- If someone is collecting an item from your home, we'd suggest not publishing your exact address publicly. Instead, give the general suburb or area in your post and share your exact address privately with the person collecting the item — preferably only shortly before collection.
You might be surprised what people want
A while ago, I gave away the inner springs from a mattress to a teacher who was using them for a class experiment.
Another time, a single pane of glass from a broken picture frame found a new home with someone using it for a UV printing process.
Help us grow
If you find someone who is interested in taking more of the item you were rehoming, send let us know.
The more takers we add, the more useful REcheck becomes for everyone.