Not everything needs a price tag. Montreal Daily’s Free Stuff category is where Montrealers give away items they no longer need instead of sending them to the curb or the landfill, from moving boxes and leftover renovation materials to furniture, plants, and books. If you’re furnishing a first apartment on a tight budget or just trying to keep good stuff out of the trash, this category is worth checking daily since good items move fast. Posting is free, and so is everything listed, making this one of the simplest categories on the whole site to use. There’s no pricing to figure out and no negotiation required, just a straightforward match between someone who has something and someone who needs it.
What You’ll Find in Free Stuff
Listings here are wide open: moving boxes and packing supplies, leftover paint and building materials, plants and garden cuttings, books, small furniture, and appliances that still work but no longer fit someone’s space. It’s also common to see items with minor flaws, like a chair with a wobbly leg or a shelf missing one screw, given away as-is to whoever can use them. Free items typically go quickly, often within hours of posting, since there’s no price barrier to claiming them. Sellers moving out of an apartment on short notice frequently post a batch of household items all at once, which can be a great opportunity if you’re furnishing a new place from scratch.
Around the start and end of leases, in particular, the volume of free listings tends to spike as people clear out apartments in a hurry. University neighbourhoods in particular see a surge of free listings around the end of each semester, as students moving out leave behind furniture and household items they can’t easily bring with them. Building superintendents and property managers occasionally post free items too, when a former tenant leaves belongings behind after moving out.
Tips for Buyers
- Respond quickly and be specific about when you can pick up, since free items are often claimed within minutes by the first serious reply.
- Bring help and the right vehicle for furniture or bulky items, most people giving things away aren’t able to deliver.
- Ask directly about any damage or missing parts before committing to pick up, especially for electronics or furniture with moving parts.
- Be reliable: if you commit to a pickup time, show up or message promptly to cancel, since flaking is the most common complaint in this category.
- Inspect items on arrival before loading them up, particularly anything that’s been sitting outside like garden tools or patio furniture.
- Have a backup plan if an item is already gone by the time you arrive, since popular free listings can attract more interest than the poster expects.
Tips for Sellers
Be clear about pickup windows and location details in your listing, since free items generate a lot of interest and vague logistics create confusion. Mention any flaws honestly, people claiming free items are usually understanding about minor issues but appreciate knowing upfront. If several people respond, it’s reasonable to give priority to whoever replies with a clear pickup time first, and it’s fine to say so in your listing. Breaking a large giveaway into a few smaller posts (rather than one giant “everything must go” post) sometimes gets faster responses since people can see specifically what’s on offer.
Giving items away is also a fast way to clear space before a move, and it keeps usable items out of the landfill. Setting a firm pickup deadline in your post also helps filter out casual browsers from people who genuinely intend to come get it. If nobody claims an item within your stated window, it’s fine to relist it with an updated pickup time rather than leaving a stale post up indefinitely. Thanking people for their interest, even those who don’t end up picking the item up, helps keep the whole exchange pleasant for everyone involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have something useful you no longer need? Post it in Free Stuff on Montreal Daily and give it a second life with someone nearby, free to list, free to claim. It takes only a minute to post, and it’s one of the easiest ways to help something useful find its next home.