The Upside of Craigslist

As regular and long-term readers know, I have a love-hate relationship with craigslist. It can be frustrating to deal with people that make the process difficult, people whose sensibilities are easily offended, and people that don't pay attention to details.

However, there are good things to be said about craigslist. For one, it's so much more convenient to be able to list an item for sale or free from the comfort of your own home at any time of day or night as opposed to slogging down to the newspaper office, filling out their form, and forking over the ad fee. With my penchant for privacy, I also am grateful I don't have to list my phone number out there for the world to see, something unavoidable with print ads.

As one who likes to observe human behavior and talk to an assortment of people, the best part can be meeting folks. As mentioned in the posts linked above, some folks are not destined to make it to the greatest hits list, but, for the most part, the people we've met have at least been nice. It helps that I am getting better at winnowing through the responses to what I put on craigslist, too.

For instance, when I listed the yarn, I got several responses and chose the lady who wanted it because she knits for charity. The velcro I got rid of yesterday went to a woman who makes warm capes with easy fastening velcro strips for the patients at the nursing home where she works. I am more likely to respond to people such as these two ladies than the person who just writes, "I NEED that widget you're getting rid of."

I want our things to go on to have useful lives in the hands of people who will take care of them. Of course, we can't be picky every time but I'm doing my best. I made sure that the treadle sewing machine that we parted with was going to be used for sewing rather than displayed solely as an antique. One of my sweetie's tools went to a jewelery-maker who was thinking of his students' perpetual need for tools of their own. The railing from the deck will have a new life as trellis "fencing" bordering a big garden. And our fencing materials are now keeping a couple of Boston Terriers contained in a bigger yard.

One nice gal that picked up some early materials from the deck destruction has been back several times since to get more materials. We've struck up a bit of a friendship and I'm happy to pass along things that will help her increase her garden efforts. In fact, she's coming by this morning to take the rest of the huge pile of composted chicken bedding and sawdust. Some of the plywood from the deck is destined to be turned into tables for her seedlings. Her plants will be shaded by our solar screen and protected by our bird netting.

Through a couple of sales, we've rubbed noses with folks that travel in tangential circles - not the exact circles that we are in but ones that closely touch. My sweetie worked in the bike industry for a while but had never personally met one of Tucson's resident bike builders until he came for our frame-building jig - the one my sweetie used to build my Xtracycle bike. Our shed and water tanks ended up going to someone involved with the sustainable living movement in this area.

Sometimes folks have a bit of time to chat when we meet and that can be very interesting, too. I've met several people who've lived, or are currently living, the fifth wheel life. Their observations have been helpful. The best came from the gentleman who bought our bike trailer for his dog. After I told him why we were getting rid of it, he said, "Good. You don't own things; they own YOU!" When you live in a small space, you have to figure out your priorities.

Sometimes life changes require a closer look at priorities, too. A couple that picked up some of our tools had to get rid of much of what they owned to pay for medical expenses. They both concurred that while it was painful, in the end it helped them define what they loved and how they wanted to spend their time. Clarity, and a more fulfilling life, came out of crisis.

So while I may keep whining, I also do understand and appreciate that this change - even though it feels forced upon us - may have positive results. It certainly is having positive results for all the folks picking up our goodies through craigslist!