I have stuff – a lot of stuff. I am a mom to two toddlers living in a small Brooklyn apartment that always feels crammed full of stuff. Toys, books, clothes, baby paraphernalia, you name it. It’s easy to accumulate too much stuff (and equally hard to find places to keep it)!
A lot of my stuff is good stuff…and hardly used…things that I would love to give to a friend or neighbor – if only I knew that they had a need for something I was looking to get out of my apartment. Oftentimes I even find myself needing something that we don’t already have, and especially with baby gear and shoes and other child-related ephemera.
I’ve used every swap site in the past with varying degrees of success 
(Craigslist, Brooklyn Free Cycle, PSP) but I found a new one…Yerdle (a new site devoted to facilitating sharing). So far I’ve found the difference is that you know who you are sharing your stuff with or where you are getting your new gear because it uses your Facebook contacts to swap, share or find new items. I think this is perhaps the next revolution in recycling, repurposing and reusing. Have 2 copies of “Barnyard Dance” and want to get rid of one? Post it on yerdle, using your smartphone to take a photo; write a quick description (“one of Sandra Boynton’s catchiest board books!”); and share it immediately with everyone else on yerdle who is in your social network. Then when someone is interested in your book/baby swing/snowsuit they can “nab” it, and you can arrange the exchange. Because yerdle is connected with Facebook you’re working within your social network, so you generally will know or have a close connection with everyone you exchange with – it feels safer than Craigslist posts. The best part is everything is free!
So far, I’ve only been using yerdle for a few weeks, but have been able to give away some great things – to people who really want them. I’ve also scored an adorable dress for my daughter, got free passes to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and learned that my neighbor has a drill to lend should I ever have need of one (you can post things up for loan on yerdle as well). I like this concept because it makes me feel like I am doing my part for the environment, it promotes a close-knit neighborhood vibe, and it is less anonymous than Craigslist.
Yerdle’s founders include Adam Werbach, a former president of the Sierra Club and Andy Ruben, former Chief Sustainability Officer at WalMart. The concept for yerdle was inspired by sharing circles in India where communities are based around the age-old concept of contributing what you no longer need with those who do. While at his daughter’s soccer game, Andy noticed all of the new equipment that was being bought each year. His immediate thought was instead of making more eco-friendly goods, a more sustainable solution would be to facilitate the sharing of his daughter’s shinguards both saving the environment and pocketbooks.
I think this is going to help with my spring cleaning and help cut my budget on new kids’ gear I was planning on buying.