Why do some people think that the wheelie bin fairies actually exist?

My nephew parks my full bin outside my gate the night before collection. The bin men leave the empties mostly together in a group on one side of the cul de sac. Even though they can see I am elderly and disabled none of my neighbours has ever brought mine back to the gate. I just move theirs out of the way and retrieve my empty one - usually immediately after the bin men have been past. Some will be still there 3 days later.

Try laying the empty bin across the entrance to their property. They might get it then.

I put mine out every week and my immediate neighbour leaves his right up by his back gate …about 20 yards from road , so I pull his forward with mine. Then after they’ve been emptied I pulled them both back and leave his by the gate …if I’m out when they call …he always retrieves his bin and leaves mine sitting at kerbside. It’s gone on since they moved in ( 2 years) . I’m going to stop pulling his forward to get emptied now and if the bin men don’t fetch it then that’s lesson learned! I wouldn’t mind but I’m 72 with arthritis and he’s about 45 and looks reasonably fit.

Sometimes one of our neighbours will kindly move our empty bin to the front of the house as the refuse collectors tend to leave them on the road.

We’re also in a cul de sac but no one would dream of putting out someone else’s bins or taking them in,either. Not unfriendly, just not something anyone would do. Suits me.

They don't exist here. TBH I wouldn't want someone putting my bin back. Have you considered it's annoying for MrP to put all the bins back? If I am going to be away then I ask a neighbour.

In our Close, whoever is up and about first does the majority of the bins.
Lovely bunch of neighbours, no animosity. If we are out early etc, bins always back on the drive when we return.
Works both ways. Just being neighbourly.
Only too happy to do our bit.

We have a fair amount of space between houses in this road; there is plenty of room for bins to be in back gardens, and brought out easily on collection day, but one neighbour decided to keep her bins out on the pavement. Someone must have told her that she shouldn't do that - I think there is a by law - so she has moved them into her front garden where other neighbours can see them but she can't. How thoughtful!

I live in a cul-de-sac. Our binmen come really early and it might be a couple of hours before I bring my bins back in. My neighbours bins are usually left in front of my drive by the binmen - I just move them to in front of their drive. They won’t be brought in til my neighbour comes back from work. Some neighbours leave theirs out for days. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

I am a wheelie bin fairy, as is my lovely neighbour. Our arrangement suits us both. I assumed it was part of being a good neighbour.

My immediate neighbour brings the bin in as do I if I am around first. Only one near me, both adults at home all day and a teenager comes in from school yet bin can be left out for days. They back out of driveway passing the thing.

I know the refuse collectors are working to time but since we are ordered to leave our bins at the edge of our property, then that's where they should be returned to, in my opinion. Our bin is usually left in the middle of the pavement. If I'm out till after dark and a visually impaired person falls over my bin, am I liable? Almost as bad, when the 'thoughtful' crew are on our round they tuck my bin into a tiny gravelled space off the pavement but on next door's garden!

We don't have this problem at all, as our wheelie bins are put back by the binmen in the place they took them from - the grass verge between our fence and the pavement and so are the neighbours.

To me the obvious answer is: put back your own bins, and if others are in your way move them enough to get in and out of your own property, but don't run around putting them back for your neighbours.

My neighbour never puts hers back she’s 30 years younger than me. I did it a few times but never got any acknowledgement so I don’t do it now.
They expect it now because you’ve been doing it for so long.

We are quite rural and have an abundance of helpful fairies. They will actually stop their cars if they see a wayward bin on the side of the road. They are always on hand to shovel and grit snow and ice. They are all adorable. I am eternally grateful and would be a fairy myself but the fairies are all early birds and beats me to it.

You're the Wheelie Bin fairy or good Samaritan. Don't do it just move the obstructing ones
We don't have bins now just blue plastic bags two per week that the lovely refuse men tie into a knot and aim into your garden. My neighbours are often there for a week. I have seen people pick it up when it had fallen short even a postman, but they still don't bother.

I take it turns with a neighbour to be the bin fairy but we both leave the bins of our 40 yr old neighbours for them to retrieve. Used to take them nearly all week but they have got the message now.

I am so lucky, I have a wheelie bin Fairy. If they are there he usually brings my bin into the gate where I can collect and move to the garden. It saves it blocking the pathway for people walking by with prams, children etc. As I know this could be very annoying. I would always bring my bin in shortly after they have been but sometimes it's very early when they empty bins.

On faeries:
My DS used to have socks/undies faeries
DH currently uses services of puddin faeries also for washing gardening dusting anywhere not immediately obvious.and general faeries who can unscramble his IT issues unlock his phone(!) And manage to buy lots but spend little! I do believe she's also fabulous to behold too.......

Cheryl1959
Your story is a reminder to ‘thank’ as we go. We never know when it’s going to be too late to give our appreciation.
BUT please tell us about the new neighbours.

I only tidy nextu doors bins if they're in their driveway as our cuk de sac arrangement is so awks they both worked and would've meant them getting out of cars in dark etc to move and blah blah. Now hubby works from home so I don't bother. They're naturally tidy good neighbors

Ours tend to disappear if left out too long, fortunately my next door neighbour used to return my bin to the backyard when I was working .... had to pay for replacements on 2 or 3 occasions before they moved in.

Someone in our area brings bins in, sweeps leaves and picks up litter, I assume he wants to keep busy.

I have a bin fairy next door to me, who is also a leaf-sweeping, patio washing fairy.

When I was a struggling single Mum , & put my bins out before going to work 9/10 on returning after a gruelling NHS shift , my bins had been returned to their usual spot. I never knew who the kind neighbour was until years later when another neighbour told me my neighbour opposite had done the bins . Sadly i never said thank you to that kind neighbour as they had moved & then sadly died . It was with real heartfelt thanks I felt for his act of kindness & selflessness that leaves a warm spot .

In contrast to the new neighbour opposite was a complete nightmare drugs prostitution etc. that is a different story !