Second Hand Sunday is on again on 29 November 2009. Details are on the TAMS website.
I must say, I’m getting more and more annoyed with the concept. When I lived in Melbourne, we had hard waste day a few times a year. You could put all your junk (old furniture, broken toasters and TVs, pretty much anything you could Freecycle) on the footpath and it would disappear within a few days. If the neighbours didn’t take it, the hard waste collection truck would.
The rules for Second Hand Sunday make it much more administrative effort for the giver. You have to register with TAMS, print out a poster to display with the stuff on your nature strip or driveway, supervise the site to ensure that only the stuff you’re giving away is taken, and after the event it’s your job to do a tip run (or put back in the garage) anything that wasn’t taken. Apart from the convenience for collectors of being able to check the TAMS website for addresses where stuff is being given away, this seems like more work than it needs to be. I often see old furniture etc on nature strips with a “FREE – TAKE ME!” sign on it, and Freecycle in Canberra is quite a busy group. Still, it’s a good opportunity for people to de-clutter – hope it results in some clean and tidy garages and sheds.