When Opeyemi moved from Nigeria to Bradford in 2022 to pursue her masters in Digital Marketing Strategy, she knew it meant starting from scratch.
Her husband and two children supported her fully, even though the move meant leaving most of their belongings behind. When they arrived in the UK, their new flat was almost empty. For weeks, the family ate and slept on the floor.
Starting over felt overwhelming and expensive.
Everything changed when Opeyemi downloaded the Olio app, her local go-to for free food (and more), and searched for free furniture. She requested a table from Kat, who kindly arranged for her husband to deliver it.
The next day, a message arrived.
“I don’t want to intrude, but my husband noticed that your home is virtually empty. Would you mind if my friends and I brought you some things?”
Opeyemi said yes.
Over the following week, Kat and her friends kept returning – with plates, bowls, duvets, pillows, towels, detergent, an airfryer and even a loft bed for the children.
Within days, the flat felt like a home.
“Within 4-5 days, they’d furnished my whole house. They virtually built my home for me. They just kept coming until I was comfortable.”
The airfryer quickly became a family favourite. Opeyemi uses it to make patties for her children’s packed lunches, and it helps them save money on energy by avoiding the oven.
But more than the free household items, it was the kindness that stayed with her.
“I said to them look, we don’t know these people, we’ve never seen them before and yet they are doing all of this for us – so anywhere you go, try and be kind to everybody you meet”
Today, Opeyemi and her husband still use the Olio app every day. They look out for free food and free household items near them – and for ways to help others too. She has helped friends find a sofa and even a washing machine through the app.
What started as a search for free furniture near me became something much bigger: friendship, community and a reminder that generosity still exists.
For Opeyemi, Olio isn’t just a money-saving app. It’s proof that small acts of sharing can change everything.
“We might not see each other that often but we chat a lot. If I’m in need of anything now, they’re the ones I’d call first”
Favourite thing about Olio:
“The surprise of finding out how kind people are, and the lengths they will go to give. It really, really touched me.”
Favourite Olio item:
“Everything I’ve got on Olio is my favourite! All the items are so wonderful to me.”
Why this story matters
Finding free furniture locally helped Opeyemi furnish her home without the financial strain of buying everything new.
The Olio app makes it easy to find free food and free household items near you, helping families save money while reducing waste.
Sometimes it starts with a table.