Chicago sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Wicker Park's subdivision grew around a 4-acre park laid out in 1870, Logan Square keeps a 1918 monument topped by an eagle, and Rogers Park meets Evanston along Howard Street. When Zelbi opens in Chicago, one photo is enough to offer a bookshelf, and a neighbor nearby can claim it.
Skip the donation drop-off in Chicago
The Chicago Furniture Bank asks donors to complete its Furniture Pickup Request Form to schedule a donation pickup.
Zelbi writes the listing from your photo, and you pick the day and time. Then you either meet the claimer or leave the item outside for collection.
Free furniture pickup in Chicago
Chicago bungalows are typically built with one-and-a-half stories and a full basement, and a raised one typically has a foyer halfway between the first floor and the basement. On Zelbi, the giver chooses whether to meet the claimer or leave the item outside.
At O'Hare, the 1991-2020 normals give 38.4 inches of snow and 37.86 inches of precipitation a year. A curbside handoff starts with the giver choosing when the item goes out, and the claimer confirms that time in the app.
Free stuff near you in Chicago
People in the Chicago metro search for "donation centers near me" and "free things near me", each 1K-10K times a month. Zelbi's map shows a neighborhood area, never a street address, so a lamp listed in Lakeview would show Lakeview rather than the giver's home.
When Zelbi opens in Chicago, listings could start in Pilsen, where Thalia Hall and the National Museum of Mexican Art stand, in Lincoln Park beside the zoo, or in Rogers Park near Loyola University Chicago.
Items on Zelbi are free. The only charge is a $2 platform fee, paid by the person who claims an item; giving something away costs nothing.
A simpler alternative to Craigslist free, Freecycle, Buy Nothing and Trash Nothing
Craigslist's Chicago area page lists a city-of-chicago subarea alongside several regional ones. A free group for the city counts thousands of members, and Buy Nothing groups cover Logan Square and the Humboldt Park, Wicker Park and West Town area. On Zelbi, the claimer pays the $2 fee, and cancelling is free until two hours before pickup.
One photo, one listing
Zelbi drafts the description from your picture, so a dresser needs no typing.
Accounts behind claims
Each claim sits behind a Zelbi account and an authorized payment.
Times set by you
The giver picks the day and time, and your exact address goes only to the person who claimed.
Zelbi is an independent app. It is not affiliated with Craigslist, The Freecycle Network, the Buy Nothing Project or Trash Nothing. Their names belong to their owners.
Moving or decluttering in Chicago?
UChicago's housing page lists noon on May 29, 2027, for students who aren't graduating and noon on June 6, 2027, for graduating students. Loyola University Chicago's calendar sets noon on May 10, 2027, unless a student has an approved extended stay.
WBEZ's Curious City reported in May 2025 that about a century ago people only moved on May 1 and sometimes on October 1, and that today people move any time of year. CMAP's analysis of the 2000 and 2020 census counts found Chicago was the only area in the region to add fewer housing units than households.
Bring Zelbi to Chicago
In Rogers Park near the Howard station, or in Lincoln Park beside the zoo, once Zelbi opens in Chicago, what you no longer need can find a new home with one photo.
Join the waitlist