Every Amsterdam flat has three things that need to leave: a stroller nobody sits in, a wardrobe that does not fit the new place, and a coat that was a mistake. You can get rid of all three with one message each to ツamsterdam. You say what you have, you get one name back, and the two of you sort out the rest.
First the honest part. Goods are new in ツamsterdam. We have no numbers on them: no counts, no prices, no list of what went fastest. So we cannot tell you what Amsterdam really wants gone. What follows is a practical guide, with a few lines from our own ads to keep it light.
Why these three?
Because they are the classic problems of a small home.
The stroller takes up the whole hallway and the neighbours have opinions about it. The wardrobe came up the stairs in pieces and has to go down the same way. The coat hangs there every winter and never goes outside.
None of them is rubbish. Someone in the city is looking for exactly this. They just do not know you have it.
What do you say about a stroller?
From our ad: "Stroller. The kid outgrew it."
That is a fine start. Add what a parent wants to know.
- The kind. A pram for a newborn, a buggy for a toddler, a double one.
- What comes with it. Rain cover, bassinet, adapters for a car seat.
- Whether it folds, and how small. Half the city lives up a narrow staircase.
- The state it is in. Wheels, brake, fabric. A stain is not a problem if you mention it.
- Your neighbourhood and when someone can come.
A message that works: "Hi ツamsterdam, I have a stroller to get rid of in De Pijp. Folds flat, rain cover included, one wheel squeaks. Pick up this week."
What do you say about a wardrobe?
From our ad: "Wardrobe. Already in pieces. Good luck."
Funny, and also the most useful thing you can say. With a wardrobe the questions are always the same.
Is it taken apart or still standing. In pieces means it fits in a car or on a cargo bike. Standing means someone has to bring tools and time.
The measurements. Height, width and depth, in centimetres. Old Amsterdam ceilings are generous. Staircases are not.
Which floor, and is there a lift. Carrying a wardrobe down a steep staircase is a job for two people. Say so before they arrive alone.
Whether the screws are still there. A bag of screws taped to a door is a gift. So are the instructions.
What do you say about a winter coat?
From our ad: "Winter coat. My ex loved it. I don't."
A coat is the easy one. It needs no stairs and no van. It does need facts.
The size on the label, and how it fits. "Says medium, wears large" saves a trip across town.
For whom it was made. Men, women, children.
How warm it is. A coat for a wet walk to the tram is a different thing from a coat for a January bike ride over the Amstel.
Whether the zip works. Be honest. The zip is always the question.
Sell it or give it away?
That is up to you. Say which one in the message. If you want money for it, name your price, so nobody cycles over for something they thought was free. You agree on the amount together and you get paid directly. ツamsterdam adds nothing on top and takes nothing off.
What a fair price is, we cannot tell you. We do not see what people pay each other.
How does it go?
You send one message in the chat app you already have. There is no account and nothing to download.
ツamsterdam comes back with one name. Not twenty strangers asking if it is still available.
You arrange the pick up with that person. Day, time, front door. Offering costs nothing, asking costs nothing, and who gets named is not for sale.
What if you are the one looking?
Same thing, the other way round. Say what you need, the size and your neighbourhood. "Looking for a winter coat, women's medium, West" is a complete message.
In short
Say what it is, what state it is in, which floor it is on and when someone can come. Say whether it is free. We have no numbers on goods yet, and we will not make them up.
Read on: Stroller in Amsterdam and Wardrobe in Amsterdam.