Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) — Curbfind

Curbside Sharing & Map Guidelines

What is Curbfind and how does it work?

Curbfind is a free community-driven platform dedicated to circular economy and waste reduction. Neighbours who are decluttering or putting items out for bulk garbage collection can take a quick photo and post an item to our live interactive map. Other community members can browse the map in real time, locate free reusable treasures near them, and pick them up before they are hauled to municipal landfills.

Is Curbfind completely free to use?

Yes! Curbfind is 100% free for everyone. There are no fees to browse the map, post items, or claim finds. All items posted on the platform must be offered completely free of charge — buying, selling, and trading are not permitted. Optional supporter boosts are available for users who want to highlight active posts, earn extra badges, or support our community infrastructure.

Do I need an account to use Curbfind?

You can browse and filter items without an account. However, all other features — including viewing the interactive map, posting items, claiming items, and participating in the leaderboard — require a free account.

How do I post an item on the curb?

Posting an item takes less than 30 seconds! Tap the 'Post an item' camera button in the app, take a clear photo of the item on the curb, verify your detected location or tap the map to adjust it, select a category, and add an optional brief description. Once published, your post appears immediately on the live community map for neighbours to see.

What types of items are best suited to post on Curbfind?

Any clean, safe, and reusable or salvageable item is welcome! Popular items include solid wood furniture, chairs, tables, desks, dressers, operational or repairable small appliances, kitchenware, hand tools, renovation materials like clean lumber or tiles, gardening supplies, flower pots, books, toys, and scrap metal for local recyclers.

What items are strictly prohibited on Curbfind?

For community safety, the following items are strictly forbidden: hazardous chemicals, wet paint, solvents, car batteries, weapons, ammunition, recalled children's car seats or baby cribs, expired safety gear, prescription medications, prohibited substances, and heavily soiled mattresses or items suspected of bedbug contamination. Broken plate glass and sharp uncovered items must also never be posted.

What safety guidelines should I follow during pickups?

Always prioritize personal safety: conduct pickups during daylight hours whenever possible, wear protective work gloves when handling timber or scrap metal, lift heavy furniture using proper technique with a partner, and park your vehicle safely with hazard lights on without blocking street traffic, fire hydrants, or private driveways.

How do I respect homeowners and neighbours while curb hunting?

Be a respectful treasure hunter: do not rummage through household garbage bags or scatter items across sidewalks. If you take parts from a multi-item set, leave the remaining items neatly stacked. Keep noise down early in the morning and late at night, and always leave the curb cleaner than you found it.

How long do items stay active on the live map?

Items may stay active on the live map for up to 14 days depending on their status and community reports. The owner who posted the item can remove it or mark it as picked up at any time from their My Posts page. Other community members can flag an item as 'Not there' if it is gone; doing so immediately removes the item from that user's view and displays a visible warning flag for others, allowing flagged items to be removed quicker by the system.

What should I do if I arrive and an item is already gone?

Curbside items move fast! If you arrive at a curb and the item has already been taken by someone else or removed by municipal waste trucks, tap the item pin on the map and click the 'Not there' button. The item will be hidden for you, a visible flag will alert other community members, and flagged items will be removed quicker by the system.

Can I edit or delete my post after publishing?

Yes. Navigate to 'My Posts' from the main menu or profile. From there, you can edit your item's title, description, and category, mark it as collected, or delete the post entirely if the item is no longer available.

How does Curbfind prevent spam and inappropriate posts?

Curbfind employs automated AI image analysis to detect and reject inappropriate photos before they are published, combined with real-time text profanity filters and rate limiting. Additionally, community members can flag suspicious posts, which triggers an immediate review by our moderation team.

Is my personal information or exact address visible to others?

Your privacy is our priority. Your email address, exact account details, and private profile information are never disclosed to other users. Posts only display your chosen public display name and the geographic location of the curb find. We never publish your home address or link your personal identity to map pins.

How do nearby notifications and curb alerts work?

You can customize push notifications to get alerted whenever a new item is posted within your chosen radius (e.g., 2 km, 5 km, or 10 km from your current or home location). You can adjust notification settings, frequency, and alert preferences at any time under Settings.

How do points, medals, and community leaderboard rankings work?

Curbfind celebrates environmental stewardship through gamification! You earn points every time you post an item, verify a pickup, or help maintain map accuracy with accurate reports. As your score grows, you unlock bronze, silver, and gold community medals and climb our regional leaderboard.