What is a curb alert?
Also called: free at the curb, curbside freebies · Used in United States and Canada (slang)
A curb alert is an online post saying free items have been left at the curb for anyone to take, usually with a photo and a street or nearby cross street. It is common in local social media groups and classifieds. Nothing is sold: whoever arrives first takes the item home.
What it actually means in practice
The etiquette is simple. Take only what you will use, leave the rest tidy, never go onto the property or knock on the door, and post an update when something is gone so others do not make a wasted trip. Posters should mark items clearly as free and take back anything left unclaimed.
Leaving things at the curb counts as setting out waste in most places, so local bulk-trash and curbside rules still apply: which days items may go out, what is accepted and how long it may stay. Check your city's waste rules before you post a curb alert.
Related terms
Find one near you
Every curb alert posted nearby is on one map, sorted by distance, with dates, hours and photos. Hosting one yourself? Posting is free and takes about two minutes.
Need the rules rather than the words? Permits and signage by state. Back to the full glossary.