Woman Plans Sweet Revenge On “Eco” Friend Who Keeps “Gifting” Her Broken Stuff At Every Visit

Have you ever had that one friend who’s a little too enthusiastic about decluttering, and it somehow always ends up in your living room? They’re basically the type that are saving the planet one broken appliance at a time, and somehow your home becomes their landfill.

Today’s Original Poster (OP) kept receiving unsolicited deliveries from a friend, and despite repeated refusals and polite protests, the “gifts” kept coming. How did it all escalate, and why would someone persist in turning someone else’s home into a dumping ground? The answer might be as surprising as the items themselves.

More info: Mumsnet

For some friends, leaving unwanted items on your doorstep is their way of decluttering, helping the planet, or just “sharing the love”

Woman holding two gift boxes, symbolizing a situation involving gifting broken items and a disagreement over it.

Image credits: Curated Lifestyle / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

The author repeatedly receives unwanted items from a friend, including broken appliances, moldy baby gear, and clothes for the wrong age

Friend upset as lady tries being green by gifting broken stuff, friend disagrees and wants her to stop unwanted junk.

Text about a lady struggling to manage taking care of a 1-year-old while dealing with gifting broken items.

Woman frustrated as friend gifts broken items thinking she is being environmentally green and sustainable.

Text showing examples of broken and moldy gifts including a bread maker, bouncy chair, clothes, and rusty pans.

Text on white background describing a broken mini fridge with a faulty door linked to gifting broken stuff as a green practice.

Image credits: MyameVyce

Small white fridge with broken shelves and a single water bottle seen through the glass door inside a sparse room.

Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Despite politely refusing and explaining the difficulty of taking items to charity or the tip, the friend continues leaving items at her home

Text showing a disagreement about gifting broken stuff as a green practice, with one friend wanting it to stop.

Text excerpt discussing a lady gifting broken items under the guise of being green, causing disagreement with her friend.

Text message complaint about living in a small space and being frustrated with disposing of a broken fridge.

Woman discusses gifting broken stuff to friend, sparking disagreement over being green and eco-friendly habits.

Text update about gifting broken items early in the morning causing disagreement between friends.

Image credits: MyameVyce

Woman with folded arms looking out window, illustrating disagreement about gifting broken stuff to a friend.

Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Frustrated, she packed up the fridge, pans, and returned them to the friend early one morning

Text about a lady thinking she’s being green by gifting broken items, while her friend disagrees and wants her to stop.

Text about lady gifting broken stuff to friend and causing disagreement over being green and eco-friendly choices.

Text message discussing a lady gifting broken items, thinking she's being green, and the friend wanting her to stop.

Text from a message discussing annoyance about receiving broken gifts, with mention of charity shops and dumping.

Text message discussing a charity shop refusing broken items as a gift from a lady trying to be green.

Image credits: MyameVyce

Interestingly, the friend was casual about it, mentioning that her husband was running a charity shop run anyway

The OP is a single parent with limited storage and zero spare time, and has been on the receiving end of some truly questionable gifts from her friend. These include a broken bread maker, a moldy bouncy chair, newborn clothes for a toddler who’s now one, a set of rusty pans, and the latest addition was a mini fridge that refused to close properly.

Every attempt to refuse the gifts, politely asking the friend to take the items back or donate them herself, was ignored. Instead, her friend would double down by telling her to take it to charity or just pass it on to someone else.

Whenever the OP would tell her that it would involve getting a toddler into the car, hauling heavy and awkward objects, and navigating a trip to the tip or charity shop that’s 10 miles away, her friend would leave things behind anyway. This left her wondering if she would be unreasonable to take all the things back to her friend’s place.

However, in an update, the OP shared that she packed up the fridge, pans, and miscellaneous items and returned them to the friend at 7 a.m. Interestingly, her friend was casual about it, and mentioned her partner was doing a charity shop run anyway.

Two women browsing items at a garage sale, highlighting gifting broken stuff and green living concerns.

Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The OP being overwhelmed by their friend’s relentless “freecycling” highlights both the benefits and pitfalls of passing on unwanted items. Carenet Consultants explain that freecycling can be an effective way to support local communities and promote environmental sustainability. However, hygiene and safety are critical considerations.

They note that personal or baby items should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent infections, and tools, furniture, or appliances must be in good working order to avoid accidents. When handled responsibly, freecycling can benefit both people and the planet but, as this story shows, it can also create stress when responsibility isn’t shared.

Greater Good points out that people sometimes give unwanted items to others to feel altruistic without doing the full work of helping. This self-interested form of giving allows the giver to reduce their own clutter while gaining satisfaction from appearing generous. In the story, the gifting illustrate how freecycling can sometimes serve more as a way to relieve personal burden than to genuinely support someone else.

Navigating such situations like then requires clear and respectful boundaries. Helpguide emphasizes that establishing boundaries is essential for maintaining healthy relationships and involves understanding one’s own needs and articulating them clearly, setting realistic expectations, highlighting mutual benefits, and remaining open to negotiation can make these conversations constructive rather than confrontational.

Netizens were firmly on the side of the OP and applauded her for setting boundaries and refusing to tolerate the friend’s repeated dumping of unwanted items. They emphasized that since she had already said no and didn’t need to continue accommodating her friend’s “eco-friendly” excuses.

What do you think about this situation? Is it better to be polite and accept the items, or be blunt and return them? We would love to know your thoughts!

Netizens applauded the author for standing firm and returning the unwanted items her friend kept leaving at her doorstep

Text post discussing stopping a friend from gifting broken items to avoid clutter and useless possessions.

Comment from user TicTac80 advising to refuse gifts and return broken items despite conflict with the friend about being green.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a lady gifting broken stuff and her friend wanting her to stop the behavior.

Comment suggesting returning broken gifts to stop lady from gifting unwanted items, reflecting the green gifting disagreement.

Text message discussing stopping invitations due to a friend gifting broken items, reflecting a disagreement over green gifting.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing a dispute over gifting broken items and refusing to pick up rubbish.

Text post on a forum where a user asks to return a broken fridge to send a clear message about gifting broken stuff.

Screenshot of online comment about gifting broken stuff, discussing friendship and unwanted green gifts, highlighting disagreement and advice.

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