# Pet Peeve #73. That "I'll take it" person in the office... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2020, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110 "2020-01-08T05:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110/21 "2020-12-08T21:22:45Z")
For over a year I would grab the 1/4” X 3-3/4” X 3’ rough sawn boards that divided the layers on pallet of a product we use. Nobody wanted them and at the beginning I would wait until they were in the garbage before taking them. A few months ago a co-worker finally asked what I was doing with all them boards and I showed them a picture of the accent wall I made with the boards as the wall covering. Now they argue over who gets the scrap boards. Luckily I have enough to do another wall and really don’t need any more. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110/22 "2020-12-08T21:31:53Z")
Not Dustbin - but [SWEEPER…](http://indohoy.com/tips/10-convoy-tips-on-a-road-trip/#:~:text=Normally%20on%20a%20convoy%20there,the%20rest%20of%20the%20members.&text=A%20sweeper%20usually%20stays%20at,makes%20sure%20nobody's%20left%20behind.)… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110/23 "2020-12-08T21:36:52Z")
Where I work, they used to have a swap table set up every year around the time of Earth Day. Departments always have extra or unused office stuff (inbaskets, monitor stands, extra toner for an old printer, three-ring binders, etc). So people leave out this stuff and anyone who needs it for their department or their office or probably even for home is free to take it. It saves money because all of those desk accessories are way overpriced. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110/24 "2020-12-08T23:47:57Z")
Milk crates are useful, no doubt about that. If they have the name of a dairy on them, though, they belong to that dairy. They want them back. The same goes for those soft white baskets with “US Postal Service” printed on the side. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110/25 "2020-12-08T23:52:51Z")
Similarly, many or most all blue-painted pallets are owned by an Australian company called [CHEP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHEP) and they expect to get paid for them. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110/26 "2020-12-10T21:11:24Z")
Those blue pallets cost more to return than it costs to buy, or so says the company shipping receiving clerk. I have a few of them under my firewood. There are about 25 more in the parking lot. Last week I checked to see if the company that owns them, not CHEP, wants them back. Once they figured out the shipping costs, they sent me a one word e-mail. It said in font size 48 or so… **NO!!** Heck, I may build a storage shed out of them. I would not have to use much paint on it. As far as taking free stuff, I am known to be willing to take home all kinds of metal stuff. The scrap yards all know me. I figure that if the company wants to give me a bonus, who am I to complain? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-73-that-ill-take-it-person-in-the-office/846110.md?page=1)