The bulk rubbish day got so bad round here with kerb-crawlers that the council cancelled them and we now have a “Valet Service”, where we have to phone the council and book an individual pick up if needed. Or course, people still pile up crap on the kerb if they are moving house or whatever - then the council comes and sticks tape around it and tries to find out who dumped it and fine them for dumping!
The solution sounds worse than the problem! I sometimes rue the “anything goes” attitude that prevails in my town, but it very rarely becomes an issue. That said, years ago we built a very tall trellis on the side of our yard simply because we didn’t want to look at the crappy RV our neighbor had parked in their yard.
My son has recently bought an old house down the road from us which they will renovate to live in. They have a plan in at the council which includes a trellis and the neighbour objected to the plans due to the greenery potentially blocking their morning light 🤯😂
My husband always makes fun of me for picking up furniture off the side of the road, but we have a dining chair and a laundry basket that have stood the test of time. I would definitely stop for this haul!
Very interesting. What is HOA? Where I live, in the UK, leaving stuff by the side of the road falls into two categories: stuff like rubbish and mattresses that people can't be bothered to either take to the council dummp/recycling centre or phone the council to have it collected, and potentially useful stuff that others can use. For example, last week we passed a bench where someone had left a couple of virtually new books that anyone could pick up; sometimes we leave small things on our wall that we no longer have a use for but others might. It's never occurred to me to take pictures.
HOA = Home Owner’s Association = Tom’s idea of hell, where your neighbors monitor your compliance with the rules that you willingly signed up for when you bought your house and agreed to pay homeowner’s dues in perpetuity. In an HOA community, there would be no stuff left out for others, except on once-yearly designated days. I’m not one of those “Don’t Tread on Me” Americans, but I’ve never wanted those limits. On the other hand, it does leave you at the mercy of your neighbors’ taste …
AFAK, the only places that have rules are some high-end apartment blocks and housing estates and villages. In the latter, for example, people are allowed to only use one particular colour for their front door. A HOA would be my idea of hell too.
This project is going to be fun! Looking forward to future entries. I nearly snorted out my coffee when I read the turn, that this was yours 😂 the sign is gold!
We find roadside things that have escaped their ride fairly undamaged. My friend calls this “shoulder shopping”. I have gotten some great tools, and she found a whole patio furniture set! Chairs and sofa.
I'm always curious, a rubber neck, when I see someone else's junk, or a tag sale. This post is encouraging me to write about an orange chair no one wanted. It sat on a NYC corner for days. It was an awful piece of furniture hubby grew up with.
Funny but true story… my neighbor put an old sink and vanity on the curb with a “Free” sign. Sat there for a couple of days but no movement. So then he put a $25 sign on it and it was “stolen” in a matter of hours.
I look forward to this series. The subject matter taps into my inherent will to recycle/repurpose. I'm fascinated by the sociological aspect of stuff at the curb--the assumptions made by the givers and by the takers. I have been both. I once left a small sofa by the curb--I had been using it for years and thought it might serve someone else's needs. I even called Salvation Army to have a look. Alas, I found a small note attached to my sofa that read--not worth moving. Ha!
Oh Tom! You have captured my attention. I love things found by the side of the road. Very much looking forward to the series!
Thanks so much. It’s certainly got me scrutinizing the world more carefully as I drive and walk!
While out walking the dogs on “bulk trash” day, when our HOA allows big junk outside for pickup, we spied a piano. Not making this up.
Did you push it home? That’s pretty funny!
A friend of mine was moving a barbeque into his back yard.
Unloaded it from the truck and went to open the side gate.
Luckily he left a mate out the front with the barbecue because, in those 2 minutes, someone driving by stopped with intent to load it up and take!
“We thought it was set out for free,” the thieves told police. 😀
The bulk rubbish day got so bad round here with kerb-crawlers that the council cancelled them and we now have a “Valet Service”, where we have to phone the council and book an individual pick up if needed. Or course, people still pile up crap on the kerb if they are moving house or whatever - then the council comes and sticks tape around it and tries to find out who dumped it and fine them for dumping!
The solution sounds worse than the problem! I sometimes rue the “anything goes” attitude that prevails in my town, but it very rarely becomes an issue. That said, years ago we built a very tall trellis on the side of our yard simply because we didn’t want to look at the crappy RV our neighbor had parked in their yard.
My son has recently bought an old house down the road from us which they will renovate to live in. They have a plan in at the council which includes a trellis and the neighbour objected to the plans due to the greenery potentially blocking their morning light 🤯😂
My husband always makes fun of me for picking up furniture off the side of the road, but we have a dining chair and a laundry basket that have stood the test of time. I would definitely stop for this haul!
We still have this chair my wife calls “the $5 chair.” I get it.
Very interesting. What is HOA? Where I live, in the UK, leaving stuff by the side of the road falls into two categories: stuff like rubbish and mattresses that people can't be bothered to either take to the council dummp/recycling centre or phone the council to have it collected, and potentially useful stuff that others can use. For example, last week we passed a bench where someone had left a couple of virtually new books that anyone could pick up; sometimes we leave small things on our wall that we no longer have a use for but others might. It's never occurred to me to take pictures.
HOA = Home Owner’s Association = Tom’s idea of hell, where your neighbors monitor your compliance with the rules that you willingly signed up for when you bought your house and agreed to pay homeowner’s dues in perpetuity. In an HOA community, there would be no stuff left out for others, except on once-yearly designated days. I’m not one of those “Don’t Tread on Me” Americans, but I’ve never wanted those limits. On the other hand, it does leave you at the mercy of your neighbors’ taste …
AFAK, the only places that have rules are some high-end apartment blocks and housing estates and villages. In the latter, for example, people are allowed to only use one particular colour for their front door. A HOA would be my idea of hell too.
This project is going to be fun! Looking forward to future entries. I nearly snorted out my coffee when I read the turn, that this was yours 😂 the sign is gold!
We’ve got more that’s going out soon too. I’m going to have to get creative with the signs!
We find roadside things that have escaped their ride fairly undamaged. My friend calls this “shoulder shopping”. I have gotten some great tools, and she found a whole patio furniture set! Chairs and sofa.
THE OTTOMAN! I need that!!!!
We made that ourselves because we had this very specific use case, but the tassels were a mess! Somebody got it.
You have a few classic pieces of furniture there! Such a beautiful dresser on the left, someone will treasure it.
I love this Tom! Lots of fun opportunities to wonder at the stories behind what appears by the side of the road!
Glad you liked it; more coming
I'm always curious, a rubber neck, when I see someone else's junk, or a tag sale. This post is encouraging me to write about an orange chair no one wanted. It sat on a NYC corner for days. It was an awful piece of furniture hubby grew up with.
I’m going to start a chat thread on this, hope you’ll share your picture there too.
Funny but true story… my neighbor put an old sink and vanity on the curb with a “Free” sign. Sat there for a couple of days but no movement. So then he put a $25 sign on it and it was “stolen” in a matter of hours.
Great story … I want a picture!
I look forward to this series. The subject matter taps into my inherent will to recycle/repurpose. I'm fascinated by the sociological aspect of stuff at the curb--the assumptions made by the givers and by the takers. I have been both. I once left a small sofa by the curb--I had been using it for years and thought it might serve someone else's needs. I even called Salvation Army to have a look. Alas, I found a small note attached to my sofa that read--not worth moving. Ha!
I never know whether I’m being altruistic or I just don’t want to bother to borrow a pickup truck and haul it off. Love your story.
Looking forward to these reports/observations/sightings Tom!
Haha - I have been known to pick stuff up myself, but sadly, you are the other side of the pond ;-)
The funny part is, I will NOT go to yard sales nor host one myself.
God, I love this sort of post. People and curbs. What’s better?!