Despite having a 200-foot-long driveway, we have porch pirates. This week three different people took things from my porch. I know this because I saw them through my Ring doorbell.
This has been a regular occurrence over the past 2 years. It’s happened so much that I’ve become a porch pirate too.
I’ve acquired a surprising amount of loot this way: a pool floaty leaning against the outside of a house, a stack of Pokémon cards sitting unassumingly in a cardboard box, an empty picture frame on a stoop, a discarded dining room table sitting in a driveway, and more.
I’m addicted to this porch pirate lifestyle and I have no intention of stopping.
Once, I jumped out of my car to grab a rug that was rolled up at the top of a driveway and I noticed a woman inside watching me from her living room window. I quickly made my way up her driveway, avoiding eye contact, hoisted the rug over my shoulder, and raced back to my car. She didn’t come out to talk to me but it was very awkward.
The more I take from people’s porches, the better I get at it: better at deciding what to go after, better at navigating neighborhoods, and better at the graceful grab-and-go.
A bag of toddler-sized clothing? Pass. My kids have outgrown those sizes.
A large armoire? Nope. Too unwieldy to move by myself.
A sprouted potato? That could be a nice addition to my son’s garden.
A potentially functioning Roomba? Definitely worth snagging.
The best part about this porch pilfering is that not only is it completely legal but it’s encouraged. There’s even a whole Facebook group dedicated to it: the Buy Nothing Project.
How is this possible? Because I’m not actually stealing anything and no one is stealing from me.
The Buy Nothing Project in no way condones porch pirating. Instead, it’s an amazing, nationwide project organized into local chapters among neighborhoods to promote giving and receiving among neighbors. It’s a gift economy focused on sharing, lending, asking, and expressing gratitude between neighbors. People post things they no longer need that still have life in them that they want to pass along to someone else.
It’s neighbors sharing with neighbors and it’s wonderful.
Getting items from neighbors is great, but giving things away might be even better. When someone is interested in an item I have, I put it outside on my porch for them to pick up whenever they’re able.
This week the three things people took from my porch were a pair of baseball cleats my son outgrew, two Paw Patrol toys, and a Duplo airplane building kit.
It’s an amazingly convenient way to get rid of things that no longer serve a purpose for me but could be great for someone else. It allows me to clear the clutter from my house without having to throw things away.
That’s why when the woman spotted me walking up her driveway to grab the rug, she wasn’t concerned. She was expecting me to come and was happy to see her rug be put to good use in someone else’s house… and free up space in her own.
P.S. If you enjoyed this, check out my other hot take: Steal from your Airbnb
Thanks for helping me make this POP!
As a proponent of reuse & recycle, I applaud ideas that extend the shelf life of so many products. I'm going to have to become a porch pirate now! I know I have a lot to "offer" to the local community from my porch!
Love this idea. Am now trying to figure out how to porch pirate in apartment-form :)