The circle admin
Creates the circle, chooses joining options and helps people find their way in.
For housing associations and local groups
Behind every door,
something worth
sharing.
Your building already has a community. A circle gives it a place to lend, borrow and pass things on, with a little help getting started.
Bring your building together Want to talk it through first?A small start is enough
Open a circle.
See who joins in.
You don’t need to gather a whole building at once. Begin with a few interested neighbours and some useful items.
- 01
Give your group a home
Create a circle for your housing association. Add a name and description that neighbours will recognise.
- 02
Decide how people join
Choose the joining options that suit your group: requests, a key or invitations, according to the circle’s settings.
- 03
Add the first few items
Ask a few neighbours to add things they’re happy to lend. Each person selects the circles for their own items.
- 04
Let everyone know
Use the printable flyer and tell neighbours about the circle. A conversation in the stairwell can be a good beginning.
A shared place, personal choices
You start the circle.
Neighbours choose what to share.
The item owner
Selects the circles for each item and decides which borrowing requests to accept.
The people exchanging
Arrange collection, return and practical details in the request conversation.
People may be able to find a circle without having access to its items. Items are only shown to people with access to the circles they are shared in.
An idea for your first week
Three neighbours.
A reason to say hello.
One person offers a waffle iron. Another adds a sewing machine. A third has a board game to lend for the weekend.
It’s an example, not a target to hit. A few different items can give the next neighbour a reason to take a look.
See how a borrowing exchange worksLinnea
“Our waffle iron mostly lives in the cupboard.”
Something for a Sunday breakfastOmar
“Happy to lend my sewing machine.”
For a repair instead of a replacementElin
“Who fancies a different game this weekend?”
A new evening from an old favouriteFictional neighbours and illustrative contributions
Start without a big commitment
Room for your
first exchanges.
You can send requests without paid membership if a shared circle containing the item has 20 or fewer members or 30 or fewer items.
Understand free access and membershipKeep the invitation simple.
Tell neighbours what the circle is for, how to join and what they could offer. Use the printable flyer from the app to help spread the word.
Each person needs an email address and a Swedish phone number to create an account.
Before you invite everyone
A few questions
you might have.
Does this have to be a housing association?
No. A circle can also bring together neighbours or another local group. Use a name and description that make its purpose clear.
Does everything become visible to everyone?
No. Item owners choose the circles they share each item with. Circle discoverability is separate from access to its items.
Do we need to buy things for a shared store?
You can start with items people already have and choose to lend. A circle does not require a shared inventory purchase.
How do we help people join?
Choose the circle’s joining options, explain them to neighbours and use invitations or the printable flyer where appropriate.
Let’s talk
Have a group in mind?
Tell us about your housing association or community and what you’d like to do. We can discuss a sensible way to begin.
Write to support@cirklr.comReady to take the first step?
Open Cirklr, create an account if needed, then choose to start a circle.
You need to be 16 or older and have an email address and a Swedish phone number to create an account.