Friday, December 9, 2011

How Do I...

How do I get rid of two old sewing machines that don't work?  One is a 1977 Kenmore portable, the other is from 1998 and is connected to a fold-away table. I have instruction manuals and attachments for both.

I could probably put them out for the trash pickup, and some passerby would pick them up before the trash guys ever came (that's how it is on my street). But if nobody picked it up, I'd have to find a way to get rid of it, and the foldaway cabinet won't fit in my car.

Any suggestions? Leave them in the comments or email me.

Thanks.

9 comments:

Helen said...

Yes...

There is a website where you can post...don't know the name of it, but I'll try to find out. You can list your item and make arrangements for someone to pick it up.

Now, this gives me the "willies" a bit because someone comes to your house. I have a friend who uses it all the time and puts her item on the porch, tells the "recipient" that they need to pick it up by a certain time or she will put it out for the trash.

Just found the name, it's FREECYCLE. Just Google it if you are interested.

Good luck.

(Also, maybe Amvets, or another social service in your area would do a pickup.)

Sandra said...

I just had to trash what had been an expensive machine. Charity groups are typically not interested in machines that need repair.

Clare said...

If they are repairable try Freecycle, or donate to a local school perhaps, or try a local guild to see if they know of a source.

If not, then I'm afraid it's the trash can.

Michele Bilyeu said...

It's a sad comment on our disposable society but most places can't afford the exorbitant repair costs to fix broken items of any kind. Equally as sad, you can leave any item with metallic content anywhere on a curb in a town or by the side of a dumpster and the metal 'recyclers' will nab it immediately to cash in for their own nefarious purposes.

Quiltdivajulie said...

I don't use it, but others I know use it often - Craig's List (someone may want the machines for parts or want to fix it themselves).

What about any area Goodwill type centers where staff actually fix things? (Rehab functionality - perhaps through an umbrella service agency).

Again, shoot a note to the quilt shop and guild newsletter folks - one never knows why someone might want an older machine (working or not). Getting the word out is the main part.

Hope you find a good solution!

Michelle said...

Freecycle -- maybe you'll find someone who can fix them or use them for parts.

Terri said...

On my street you need a sign "Free to a good home" ought to do it.
Hugs,

The Selvage Fairy. said...

I have gone with both the leave at the side of the road plan and the Craigslist plan, and both were very successful.
I think the stuff I set out for free was gone by the time I got back up my driveway.
And about 1/2 hour after posting my Craigslist ad I was speaking on the phone to a nice young man who just couldn't wait to haul away my old, gigantic satellite dish.

Anonymous said...

there is a man in our area who fixes machines and he picks up(probably mostly from the curb) machines and fixes them and sells them at a cheap price, Ask around and see if there is a guy who repairs machines in his home. Just a word of caution, be careful who you deal if they are not known to you or recommended by someone whose judgement about people you trust. Here in Ohio, someone on Craig's list murdered several men after luring them with job offers.