You there with all that stuff cluttering your place. Yes, that includes me. Salvation is at hand.
Giveaway Weekend is coming up May 11 and 12, our opportunity to divest ourselves of things that we no longer want or need, but are too valuable to just send to the dump.
No, you cannot include people in this offering.
You can give away Ralph’s stinky old recliner, but you can’t give away stinky old Ralph. Hey, he might choose to leave with it!
I guess the first thing we should do, courtesy of the City of Winnipeg water and waste website, is check the rules for the big giveaway.
What to do: place unwanted, reusable household items at the curb on your front street. Label each item with a "free" sticker or sign. Keep all items you don’t want gone stored away and out of sight. Remove leftover items from the curb by dusk on Sunday.
What to give? I won’t give you the list, but pretty much anything from books and DVDs to furniture, yard tools and equipment, small appliances, construction materials and, of course, clothing. Come to think of it, I could use a "new" suit...
What not to give/take starts off with a very important warning!
Do not take items that may be harbouring bedbugs (e.g. mattresses, furniture or bedding). It is suggested you give such items an intense scrutinizing before putting them in your vehicle, as taking bedbugs home totally cancels the "free" thrill.
Of course, by the time you realize you’ve found bedbugs in something, you’re probably already infested. You do not want to get back in your vehicle sporting those, so the protocol is, immediately strip naked right where you are, and scream "HEEEEEELP!"
That isn’t their suggestion, it’s mine.
I don’t know what to do about the bedbugs you’ve just adopted, maybe there’s a bedbug remover you can carry with you for just such an occasion. That part’s up to you. Just consider yourself warned.
Also from the not-give-away column: "Toilets with a flush volume of 13 litres or more."
Is that really fair? I mean, I get the green theme being addressed here, but there are some people out there who need 13 litres of water to deal... not only with their capacity... but attitude as well. Is not reducing their litre allowance increasing the risk of causing an ugly backfire somewhere in the system? Just sayin’... safety first.
A couple of other things they ask you not to put out are baby walkers and lawn darts. Proven risks. Lawn darts? Yes, they can be dangerous. But baby walkers? Come on! Repurpose! They are perfect for hauling a heavy bag of groceries home, just don’t use them for babies anymore. Common sense.
So what do you do with leftover stuff you don’t want back? Check the city’s Giveaway Weekend site. It tells you everything you need to know.
What am I giving away?
Sure, I have stuff, clutter even, but it’s all extremely valuable, and uh, an essential part of my "authentic self." You don’t just hand over your soul. Sell? Sure. We’ll talk.
I suppose I could haul that old front door/windows unit I rescued to the curb. I’ve given it away twice over five years, but it’s never been picked up. I’m sure it’ll go any day now.
Perhaps I could part with a couple of my three (scrounged) trampolines. I mean, who needs three trampolines? My grandkids, that’s who, so nope.
Bottom line, I’m not giving away anything. End of story. But if you have an old trampoline or four you’re going to chuck, that would be excellent. Have truck, will travel.
Comments or feedback, love to hear from you at lmustard1948@gmail.com.
