If you're looking for free stuff in Switzerland, you can hardly avoid Facebook. Almost every city has at least one gifting group, some have several. The problem: finding the groups is tedious, and the names aren't always intuitive.
I've compiled the most important groups -- sorted by city, with tips on how to use them best.
Zurich and Surroundings
Zurich has the largest selection of gifting groups. The most well-known is probably "Gern gscheh -- Tsueri hilft" with over 40,000 members. Everything gets posted here: furniture, clothes, electronics, sometimes even concert tickets.
Other active groups:
- "Gratis in Zuerich" -- classic gifting group
- "Zu verschenken Zuerich" -- similar, slightly smaller
- "Gratis Sachen Region Zuerich" -- also covers Winterthur and surroundings
- "Free Your Stuff Zuerich" -- popular with expats, often English posts
For Winterthur, there are separate groups like "Verschenken Winterthur" and "Gratis Winterthur".
Basel
In Basel, the community is smaller but active. The main resources:
- "Gratis in Basel" -- the main group for giveaways
- "Basel verschenkt" -- often furniture and household items
- "Free Your Stuff Basel" -- international community
Tip: in Basel, it's also worth checking the groups from Basel-Land. Many offerings are in Riehen, Allschwil, or Muttenz.
Bern
The federal capital has several active groups:
- "Gratis in Bern" -- main resource
- "Verschenken statt wegwerfen Bern" -- with a focus on sustainability
- "Bern hilft" -- for those in need, but also general giveaways
In the region, "Gratis Thun" and "Verschenken Berner Oberland" are also relevant.
Western Switzerland (Romandie)
For French-speaking Switzerland:
Lausanne:
- "A donner Lausanne"
- "Gratuit Lausanne et environs"
- "Free Your Stuff Lausanne"
Geneva:
- "Gratuit Geneve"
- "A donner Geneve"
- "Free Your Stuff Geneva" -- very active due to the international community
Fribourg:
- "A donner Fribourg"
- "Gratuit Fribourg / Gratis Freiburg" -- bilingual
Central Switzerland
- "Verschenkkreis Luzern" -- the main group for Lucerne
- "Gratis Zentralschweiz" -- covers Lucerne, Zug, and Schwyz
- "Zuger helfen Zugern" -- very active in Zug
Eastern Switzerland
- "Gratis St. Gallen"
- "Verschenken Ostschweiz"
- "Gratis Thurgau" -- for the Lake Constance region
Ticino
For Italian-speaking Switzerland:
- "Gratis Ticino"
- "Articoli gratis Lugano"
- "Regalo Ticino"
The Ticino groups are smaller, but the community is engaged.
How to Make the Best Use of Facebook Groups
For Searching
- Join multiple groups -- the more, the higher the chances
- Set up notifications -- so you don't miss new posts
- Respond quickly -- for popular items, there are multiple inquiries within minutes
- Write a short, friendly message -- "I'm interested, can pick up today" works better than just "Still available?"
For Giving Away
- Take good photos -- bright images, multiple angles
- Describe the condition honestly -- mention scratches or defects
- Provide the location -- approximate address or neighborhood
- Set a deadline -- "Needs to go by Saturday" creates urgency
The Downsides of Facebook Groups
As practical as they are, Facebook groups also have weaknesses:
No overview: You scroll through a feed and see everything jumbled together. No map, no filtering by distance. Whether something is 500 meters or 20 kilometers away, you don't know until you open the post.
Chaos in the comments: With popular items, comments explode. "Me!", "I'm interested," "Interested" -- and nobody knows who's actually meant.
Time investment: You have to check constantly because the algorithm decides what you see. Sometimes you miss good offers because Facebook didn't show them to you.
Requires an account: Anyone not on Facebook is left out.
The Alternative: PIKITUP
That's why we built PIKITUP. The difference is simple: You see everything on a map.
Instead of scrolling through feeds, you open the map and immediately see what's available near you. Every dot is a free item. You click on it, see photos and the exact address, and can go directly.
What's special: No back-and-forth messaging. First come, first served. That might sound blunt, but it saves an incredible amount of time -- for both the giver and the taker.
And of course: No Facebook account needed.
What I Recommend
Use both in parallel. Facebook groups have the greatest reach, PIKITUP has the better overview.
If you're looking for something specific, join the relevant Facebook groups and turn on notifications.
If you want to spontaneously see what's nearby, open PIKITUP.
And if you want to give something away: post it on both. Double the reach, faster decluttering, less stuff in the apartment.
Know of other Facebook groups that are missing here? Write to me at hello@pikitup.ch and I'll add them.