For most people, when they need to get rid of things around the house — from clothes and children’s toys to furniture and appliances — it’s not uncommon for them to hold a garage sale or donate the items to a local thrift shop.

They can clear out the clutter and can make a little bit of cash or earn a tax refund in some cases. But one group in Redmond is giving members something else in return for their things: a sense of community.

Buy Nothing Redmond (BNR) is a group on Facebook that allows members to give away, lend or share things with their neighbors.

“Ask for anything you’d like to receive for free or borrow,” the Facebook group page states. “Keep it legal. Keep it civil. No buying or selling, no trades or bartering, no soliciting for cash, we’re an adult-only, hyper-local gift economy.”

Merel de Jonge, one of the site’s administrators, said BNR started in October and is almost at 1,000 members.

The way it works, de Jonge said, is people post pictures of items they want to get rid of on the page. Anyone in the group can respond by posting in the comments section. The owner will select someone to be the item’s new owner among the commenters. Contact information will be exchanged — through a direct personal message — and the item will be either picked up or delivered, depending on what the two parties arrange.

Corey Burgess, another administrator for the site, said it works the other way around as well and people can post requests for items to the community to see who has what they need. For example, she said, she recently posted, saying she needed a paella pan. She received multiple replies from people who said they had one for her.

Rachel King, a member of the group, added that people will also sometimes help find items for others.

The items people lend and ask for are all over the map. Some of the things the women have seen include corkscrews, air hockey tables, kids’ toys, a grand piano, clothes and even a toilet. And as strange and random as the items may seem, there always seem to be takers.

“There’s always some hot item,” King said.

De Jonge added that they also have “wacky Wednesdays” in which people can post their odd items for the group to see and possibly take.

In addition to giving away items, BNR also has a “lending library” in which people can post items they would like to lend out to the community, she said.

King said one of the things she really enjoys about BNR is how it brings people together.

“I like the sense of community,” she said.

Alba Rempel agreed, saying she enjoys the friendships she’s made through BNR.

“It’s a good way of getting to know everyone else,” she said.

Burgess, who is originally from Redmond but moved away and just recently moved back, added, “It’s been fun for me to get to know my neighbors.”

De Jonge said people will also post messages of gratitude, thanking people for whatever items they were given. These posts sometimes also come with photos of the item being used or worn.

While the focus of BNR is people giving, lending and sharing things with their neighbors, other good has come out of it.

Rempel said a few months ago, the group collected donations of blankets, food and other items for the Oso mudslide relief efforts and they are currently in the process of organizing similar efforts for the wildfire relief in central Washington.

Burgess said BNR members will also organize meal trains if they hear if someone is sick or has just had a baby. She said they will set up a calendar schedule for people to drop off meals.

BNR will be holding a community potluck picnic beginning at 4 p.m. on Aug. 9 at Farrel-McWhirter Park at 19545 N.E. Redmond Road in Redmond. The event is open to the public and will give people the opportunity to meet each other face to face. There is also a backyard baby shower event planned for Aug. 27 for those expecting as well as new parents with newborns 1 year old or younger.

For more information or to join BNR, visit facebook.com and search “Buy Nothing Redmond.”