It all started with a basin wrench.
Several years ago, in the middle of a kitchen renovation project, I needed a basin wrench–a special tool for tightening the bolts that connect a sink to a countertop. One trip to the hardware store and $25 later, I had my wrench.
A few weeks later I was catching up with a church friend and mentioned my project. He told me he had a basin wrench in his garage that he’d also bought for the one time he’d replaced his sink, and that I could have borrowed it–if only we’d known. To this day, both basin wrenches sit unused in our garages.
Our homes and garages are full of things like this that are rarely used but too valuable to discard: books, tools, furniture, CDs, DVDs, video games, electronics, clothing … The list is endless.
I looked online for someplace that would solve the problem of clearing out or making use of all this stuff. Things that I no longer want but would prefer to lend, give away or sell to people I know and who would put them to good use. No site does what I want.
So my partners and I built a website–a place where people could find things they want or share things with friends and others.
Swampum is that site: a place where you can find things you want and get rid of things you don’t, all while sharing with those closest to you or others in groups you’ve joined. More than that, Swampum will save you money (by getting free and inexpensive things from your community), help the environment (by reducing your consumption of new goods), and simplify your life (by clearing out all that unused stuff).
It’s time to take control of all the stuff in your life. And let me know if you need to borrow a basin wrench …
