My wish for this summer was simple: a sun lounger. One of those that work for the beach, for the garden, for those May afternoons when the sun already calls. I’m going to use it all summer, starting today.
Today I opened the Givore app without looking for anything specific. And there it was. A few streets from home. At no cost. From a neighbor who wasn’t using it anymore.
This happens more than you’d think
People think that on exchange apps you only find big furniture or basic clothes. Then you log in one ordinary day and you find a sun lounger, a pouf, a kid’s bike, a set of plant pots, a hiking backpack. Specific things you actually needed, arriving at exactly the right moment.
It’s not magic. It’s math: if enough neighbors share what they no longer use, someone has what you’re looking for.
Why it works
The hardest things to find secondhand in shops (seasonal gear, accessories, smaller items) are the ones most often offered between neighbors. People accumulate items in good condition that take up space at home, and eventually give them away before throwing them out.
Meanwhile, someone five streets away is thinking about buying the same thing new for €80.
The trick
Check the app even when you’re not looking for anything specific. That’s the difference between buying and finding. Buying is active, finding is paying attention. And when you pay attention, one day it’s your turn for the sun lounger.
Next stop? Me, that sun lounger, and the sun.