When you move, a good wardrobe can suddenly have nowhere to go. There is no room for it in the new flat, and the old one has to be cleared. While its owner is looking for someone to take it, someone else in the same city is looking for a wardrobe for their new home. Sites where people give things away help them find each other. Here is where in Lisbon and Porto you can pick up or give away furniture and appliances, how these sites work, and how to collect an item if you don’t have a car.
On Tuesday we looked at why Lisbon floods when it rains. Our previous Long Read on hidden rivers and drainage tunnels stands on its own.
Where can you find things directly from their owners?
Dar e Receber: offers from all over the country
Dar e Receber (“Give and Receive”) is a Portuguese service for giving things away. Private owners and companies post listings here for furniture, appliances and other household items. In the catalogue of offers you can narrow your search by category, municipality or postcode.
You contact the owner directly. Registration asks for your email address, district and municipality.
Freecycle: give away or ask your neighbours
The international Freecycle network has groups for Lisbon and Porto. Membership is free. Under the network’s rules, items must be given away free of charge.
Signing up takes an email address, a username and a password. Once the account is created, you join your city’s group.
Offer means someone is giving something away; Wanted means they are looking for something. You can also post a request for what you need here: for example, kitchen chairs or a small shelving unit.
How do you search for free things on OLX and Facebook?
OLX is a classifieds site where people sell and give away things, including furniture and appliances. For free offers, try this search for furniture giveaways in Lisbon; you can change the city and the item. For example, mesa para dar Lisboa means a table to give away in Lisbon, and frigorífico para doar Porto means a fridge to donate in Porto.
Messaging an owner through the site requires a free OLX account. Registering by email takes your address and a password.
Paid listings also show up in the search results, so it is best to confirm the terms with the owner.
On Facebook there are groups called Dou-te se vieres buscar — “I’ll give it to you if you come and get it”. For example:
- Dou-te Se Vieres Buscar — Lisboa.
- Dou-te Se Vieres Buscar — Expo, Olivais e Moscavide — for these Lisbon neighbourhoods and the surrounding area.
- Dou-te Se Vieres Buscar — Distrito do Porto — for the Porto district.
You need a Facebook profile and must join the group you choose. In some groups, requests to join are approved by the administrators.
Other Lisbon giveaway groups are listed in the Reuse Map directory. It also includes shops and repair workshops.
A few phrases will come in handy in listings:
| In the listing | What it means |
|---|---|
| Para dar / para doar | Giving away for free |
| Dou a quem vier buscar | Free to whoever collects it |
| Recolha a cargo do interessado | The recipient arranges collection |
| Reservado | The item is reserved |
| Com avaria / para peças | Faulty / for parts |
What can you get through EcoPorto?
Porto has a municipal centre, EcoPorto, where furniture and electrical appliances are repaired and then given away free of charge. Its website also carries listings from residents themselves.
EcoPorto takes tables, chairs, wardrobes, shelving, bed frames without mattresses and various household appliances. Current offers are collected in the EcoPorto catalogue.
Only residents of the municipality of Porto with a Cartão Porto can receive items through EcoPorto. Cartão Porto is a free city card issued to people whose tax address is in Porto. You need its digital version to log in to the EcoPorto website.
The limit is five items from different subcategories per quarter. You have up to two weeks to collect a reserved item. Pick-up is arranged with the person giving the item away; the handover can take place at EcoPorto’s drop-off point at Ecocentro da Prelada.
How do you collect furniture without a car?
Furniture in giveaway listings is often offered on a collection-only basis: you have to pick it up from the owner and bring it home yourself. If you don’t have a car big enough, you can hire someone to move it. Portugal has platforms for finding tradespeople, where you can book transport, dismantling and assembly of furniture.
- Zaask — in the Transporte de Eletrodomésticos/Móveis (moving appliances and furniture) section, you can post a request to move furniture or appliances and receive quotes from providers.
- Fixando — the Transporte de Móveis (furniture removals) section takes requests for moving even a single item, such as a sofa or a wardrobe. The platform lets you compare quotes and reviews.
- Taskrabbit — for dismantling and assembling furniture. The Portuguese service has a Montagem de mobiliário (furniture assembly) category, and Taskrabbit’s description of it also covers dismantling and packing.
How do you give away what you have left?
You can post your own giveaway offer on Dar e Receber, Freecycle and the local groups listed above.
Porto residents can also pass things on through EcoPorto: directly to another participant or to the centre. Cartão Porto holders can book a collection of donated items from home.
