Hi everyone!

Just a reminder that the next RRFM is coming up in a couple days - March 7th!

Don't forget to bring a reusable bag for all your found goodies. Saturday morning is looking to be sunny, but cold so don't forget to bundle up!

See you there,
Nicole

Hello and welcome to the RRFM blog!

My name is Nicole and I’m the newest addition to the wonderful team of volunteers that helps run this market. I’m very excited to be a part of this and get to know all of you that make the market so special!

A bit about me: I study Food and Nutrition at Ryerson, so of course I’m always cooking and baking. I haven’t had a functional oven for the last two years, but my apartment recently go an upgrade so I have been making so many fun dishes. From lasagne, to eggplant parmesan, to carrot cake loaf, the possibilities feel endless. I truly didn’t know how much good food I was missing out on (or, maybe, I just didn’t want to think about it.) I like to be active so in the summer months you can catch me hiking almost every single weekend and as many weeknights as I can, and in the winter I like to keep things inside so I do a lot of yoga. Buuuut I did get a pair of hockey skates as a present recently so you just might catch me doing laps before and after the market at Campbell Park rink.

I heard about the RRFM through a former-roommate but still very good friend of mine. She was new to the city and so was actively exploring what it had to offer more than I was, and stumbled upon it online! She thought “cool! I love free stuff” and went to it. When I came home later that night, I opened up the freezer to grab some pierogies and there was a baseball cap in there. After some laughing, she explained that she had gotten it from a market and it was a method she read about online to kill any germs or bacteria it might be harbouring. This seemed questionable (fact-check this before you rely on this method!!) but she went on to tell me all about the market and the cool things she found there! I went next month, found some great items and loved it.

If YOU are interested in coming – the next market will be on March 7^th! It’s always the first Saturday of every month, but just in case you forget, I’ll be putting out a reminder here on the blog a couple of days before.

All the best, and if you see me (or any other volunteers) don’t be shy to say hi!

-Nicole

Really Really Free Market change of hours due to space constraints during skating season

IMPORTANT: TIME CHANGE
Reduced Hours

December | January | February 2020

10 am - 1 pm

Visit time limit: ½ hour

Please bring your contributions *before* noon. 

We cannot accept any after 12:00.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Please tell others about the time change. 

Thank you, and see you soon!

Treasure Hunting

Treasure Hunting 

Now that summer has come to a bitter end, the cold nights marked clearly with crisp autumn air and school season starting with a hectic rush, the Really Really Free Market continues to do good.

The Really Really Free Market in September provides items to those who are looking for some treasures.

I brought my little dog Leo with me, and discussed the items some of the market goers found as they were looking about the space.

My observation brought me to a young boy who found a slinky; the joy on his face upon discovering this relic of a toy, brought a smile to my face. What joy in the world of kinaesthetic discovery!

Another joyous occasion as a father and his daughters filled their bags. The girls told me about the numerous stuffies they found.

I asked about their favourite find, which instinctually I knew was the giant monkey stuffed animal, so large its face could be seen through the white plastic bag. When she pointed at the bag and said this one I asked if it was in fact the giant monkey, they both nodded, subtly saying it was a joint favouritism.

Next, a young man walking around for some time, I stopped him to ask what he found and he said

I found my fiancee’s favourite book* and pulled out a copy of *love you forever* which is a classic and absolutely a keepsake.

My whole being was filled with joy for this young couple, knowing that someone who didn’t need that book in their life anymore had donated it and they had miraculously found it.

They told me that wasn’t the only item they found, along with some dental items, still in the package, a Costco size bottle of cetaphil face wash, and a very nice shirt for him, they were happy with their market finds.

The market is good for everyone, whether you're donating items you haven't used in too long, or you're hunting for a nice shirt while on a tight budget, there is something for everyone.

My favourite part about the market is seeing the look on market goer's faces when they pull out the items they found. The best feeling is when the items is something I donated.

I always find something for myself as well. This time I found a sealed can of whipped frosting! You'd probably be surprised, but I really enjoyed this sweet treat on some brownies later that night.

Join us for the next Free Market on October 5th, 2019.

I hope to see you there an interview you for my next post!

Blessings,

Kristina




If you enjoyed this piece you'll love checking out my personal blog and instagram page for more inspirational writing.

@philosopherontherun
www.philosopherontherun.com

Summer At the Really Really Free Market!

This is my first year attending the Really Really Free Market as a volunteer, and so it's the first summer Market I've ever been to!

I love the summer Market! There is A LOT more space, everyone is browsing and crowded tables are less so than the winter Markets.

The next Summer Market takes place on Saturday August 3rd, 2019

The first thing you'll see when entering the Market is the Volunteer Table and the information signs. The friendly volunteers are happy to help with any questions about the Market, and will surely make your experience wonderful!

The next sign is a simplified version of the rules:

One Ikea size bag, or one hour spent at the market. It's important to respect the one hour rule, as loitering for better items is not fair to other market-goers. Be sure to follow the rules!

This is the jewelry table, where you will find a volunteer to greet you. The jewelry table is a special place, with beautiful items. These items work with a token system, where you ask a volunteer for two tokens, and exchange the tokens for any piece from the table. There is usually one jewelry item per person. 

One young market go-er found this beautiful necklace! You truly never know what you will find!

Take a look at some of the other items!

A bike seat. some reflectors, and a camera battery charger!

Plenty of books for the avid reader! 

Some home items for those looking for pieces on a free budget! Best deal you could ask for!

VHS's and DVD's!

One Market goer found this really cool hat! She loved it after trying it on!

This really RAD sweater found by another market goer stars Santa and a Unicorn! It even has fur all around the hood! Super cozy!

The children's clothing section has plenty to look at, including a beautiful black and floral patterned skirt! 

 And of course, my favorite find at the Market! Though, this find, was just for pets and scratches, not to take home.

The King of the Really Really Free Market! SANDY! 

I hope you enjoyed looking through the photos, if you didn't find anything in the photos that sparked interest, I hope you found inspiration to come take a look at the next Market! Every market is different and you truly never know what you will find!

With light and love,

Kristina Leis

Grateful Mindset at the Market

                                               Grateful Mindset 

By: Kristina Leis 

Ever wonder if a place exists where no money is exchanged, capitalism is removed and everything being sold is free? Well, the Really Really Free Market Campbell Park has this exact event! It occurs on the first Saturday of each month and they take donations throughout the day. Those donations then get organized into categories and placed on tables. “Customers” are then able to fill their bags with anything they see and like until an Ikea sized bag is full. This sounds amazing, and it is! 

If you’re curious as to whether the market is as crazy as BestBuy on Boxing Day, you can be assured that there is some competition for the nicer items. That being said, the dedicated and hardworking volunteers would appreciate it if everyone waited their turn and chose carefully what items to take. We urge the market goers to choose a grateful mindset over a greedy one. 

The first time I went, I had no idea what to expect. It’s not glamorous or aesthetically pleasing as most capitalist stores are. The event takes place inside of a community building and is quite tight when filled with people, donations, and volunteers. Though the market utilizes the space inside and outside of the building in order to showcase all the donated goods. 

Donation categories include; houseware items, books, movies and DVDs, personal care items, fitness, pet items, clothing, and many more! The left over items then get donated to a charity or church that is willing to accept them. 

With the start of Spring, I urge everyone to do some gratitude thinking and ask themselves if all of the items in their closet, bathroom, and house in general bring joy and spark happiness. The Really Really Free Market is a wonderful place to bring your donations if you aren’t interested in a store gaining profit off your items that are no longer of use to you. It is absolutely wonderful to know that someone will find a dress you haven’t worn in two years and it will spark so much joy for them! Or that coat of yours will keep someone warm during the rest of the winter season.  

If you’re interested in donating to the Market, the next one is happening April 6th, 2019 at Campbell Park! Donations are accepted from 9am to 3pm. Be sure to check out the market, as you never know what you will find. As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

                 

We are looking for a volunteer Blogger!

We need someone to write once a month--or less, or more, but on the average about once a month. The posts can be a few lines or many paragraphs (and photos).

The posts can be about stuff found at the market, about your experiences, interviews with visitors, unusual finds, how the market works, or tips for frugal living and waste reduction. The only requirement is updating the market dates once a month and putting up announcements for changes in the market when necessary.

We also welcome once-only blog contributions. 

Interested? Write to us at rrfmarket@gmail.com