Toronto Instagram account is helping people find free curbside stuff
One resident's stoop trash can be another person's free furniture find, thanks to a new Instagram account called Stooping Toronto.
The social media page, inspired by the New York original, is helping to connect people searching for free stuff with curbsides that might have just what they're looking for.
A couple working and living in downtown Toronto started the account in December. They've asked to be anonymous for this article.
"We live in a very small apartment so when COVID-19 hit we started taking walks to get some exercise and fresh air and to see new parts of the city," they said.
"While walking we would see a lot of furniture and other items being given away on the curb. It was a bit sad to think about everything being thrown out."
Many of the items posted are ones they stumble on themselves, like real-time curb alerts. But as of late, they've been getting more submissions from followers, which has allowed them to expand Stooping Toronto's reach out of downtown.
"Stooping works better with more people involved and we’ve been lucky to have some great and supportive followers," they said.
Stooping, which has become more far more popular with the launch of Stooping NYC (one of the founders is also from Toronto) and a slew of spinoffs, allows for the upcycling of used stuff within a neighbourhood.
It helps to direct furniture from the landfill, and most importantly, it's free.
It's not the same as donating directly to a charitable organizations like the Furniture Bank or Habitat Humanity, who can arrange a pick-up of your lightly used furniture and distribute it to people from marginalized communities.
But stooping is sustainable all around, so long as you exercise a little bit of caution (in Toronto, the threat of bed bugs ever-looms).
"Stooping can be like a fun treasure hunt even if you don't take the items because it feels great to get a message that somebody picked up an item you submitted," said Stooping Toronto.
"It's shocking to see how much great stuff gets thrown out every day and it's amazing to know that some of these items will have a second life in someone else’s home."
Stooping Toronto
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