The last time we moved, we had half of a sectional couch that we wanted to shed. We put it out on the curb on our Northside street only to have the manager of our building scold us.

“You can’t leave that there,” she said.

I assured her we’d get rid of it.

But, I didn’t need to do anything at all. Within a couple of hours, the sorry-looking couch was gone.

And I knew that’s what would happen. We’ve gotten rid of a lot of things in this informal way, including computers and monitors, television sets and other household goods.

Schenectady is a great place to give away stuff. I’m sure you’re not supposed to leave it on the curb, but it’s not like it stays there very long.

We’ve found this especially true in the Stockade section where, one neighbor pointed out the other day, “Our garbage is historical.”

Giving away your stuff is a great way to recycle still useful items of furniture, electronics, plants, bicycles, sporting goods and books, among things.

With landfills clogged and recycling stations often overflowing, this informal way of regifting and reusing items makes a lot of sense to me.

My friend and former colleague Craig Wilson writes about the topic in his current column, the Final Word, in USA Today. You can read it by clicking HERE.

He mentions that May 15 is “Give Your Stuff Away Day,” an event that its Rochester area founder hopes will spread nationwide. You can visit Give Your Stuff Away Day’s Web site by clicking HERE.

As for me, I’m headed for the basement. There’s this perfectly good exercise bike that I think is about to find a new owner.

Irv Dean is the Gazette’s city editor. Reach him by e-mail to dean@dailygazette.com.