Join the Freecycling Movement: Give and Receive Items for Free!

by Karman Leung

Have you ever wondered what to do with items you don’t need, but are still in good condition? What about finding yourself in a situation where you’d like to save money or want to help reduce waste? This often happens when you’re moving house or reorganizing your space. Instead of tossing perfectly good items or going through the hassle of trying to buy and sell, there is an easy, free alternative: freecycling.

Free What?

So what is freecycling, exactly? It’s the act of giving away items to others for free, rather than throwing them out. Freecycling items can be anything from clothes, toys, furniture and electronics to even food! To put it simply, it’s the giving and receiving of free stuff! It’s a great way to make room in your closet and pantry or clear out items when it’s time to move. The whole practice of freecycling works on one simple principle: one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Level Up Your Life With Freecycling

Besides an easy give-and-take transaction, there are so many benefits of freecycling. 
For people, it’s a way for both the giver and the receiver to save money. The receiver will obviously get a free item. Woohoo! But did you know that the giver can save money too? 
In Korea, you need to purchase a sticker tag when you want to get rid of large items like chairs, beds, or desks. The sticker indicates that you’ve paid for the item’s removal before leaving it outside. However, when you freecycle, you can keep your cash. You can coordinate with the receiver who can pay for shipping or pick up the item.
Another plus to freecycling in Korea is it can help build a sense of community. It promotes a need for people to reach out and connect with one another. An example of this can be seen in MONA, our freecycling in Korea group, where 13,500+ members post items they want to share daily. Sharing creates a sense of shared purpose and belonging, and it’s a great way to get to know people in and around your area. 

Keep it Environmentally Friendly

Every year, two billion tons of waste ends up in landfills and our oceans. Around 1.3 billion tons of all food produced is lost or wasted. And if food waste were a country? Well, sadly, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses after the USA and China. 
So, if saving money and building community wasn’t already enough to get you on board the freecycling train, there’s also the environment to think about. It can have an impact on reducing waste and promoting sustainability. 
When you choose to give away items or look for second-hand items, you are keeping them out of landfills. You are reducing the amount of waste and the need for new production. In turn, that helps conserve natural resources. And what happens when we use less resources? We create less pollution. Ultimately, freecycling does its part in protecting our environment and making an impact on climate change. And you can be part of that!

How You Can Get Your Freecycling On

If you’re interested in getting involved in freecycling, there are a number of ways to do so. 
One way is to donate items to local charities or thrift stores. In Korea, you may want to consider giving to the Beautiful Store which has locations nationwide. They are a non-profit foundation that takes donated items. Donations can be made at select locations in person or by mail. The best part? Their proceeds contribute to ecological and eco-friendly changes and help underprivileged people in Korea and abroad. You can also look into sponsorships and volunteering.

Another way you can get involved is by joining a freecycling group online. Group members will post items they no longer need for free. Others can browse items that are being given away. If you’re freecycling in Korea, MONA provides its members with a safe space online to share. 
With MONA, giving and receiving free items has never been easier. Aside from posting and browsing free items, there’s also a “Free Friday” rule where members make posts requesting items they’re looking for. It’s a great way to find items that you need for free while also connecting with people in your community. There’s even a translation function to make sure communication is as smooth as can be. 
An added bonus to MONA is the variety of free stuff you’ll find. The site is not limited to physical items like furniture, books, and food. You’ll also come across services. For example, some of the free services that have been on MONA are haircuts, consultation services, legal advice, cosmetic procedures, classes, and even tattoos. Whoa, free stuff for the win!

Are you ready to give freecycling a try? Check out MONA's facebook group here!

Follow MONA's Official Instagram for more information about upcoming events and free markets.
Join MONA's Facebook Group to create a more sustainable environment through giving and receiving items for free.