Who Dumpster Dives - Stories Please

[simple987]

I live back to back with an elementary school, which means easy access to dumpsters approx 50ft from our back fence. I couldn't begin to tell the goldmine treasures that have come out of the brown dumpsters and recycling dumpsters.

When I was little we used to find fun school supply stuff and books to play with that the school had discarded.

Also, the people in my neighborhood will use those dumps for large trash, so I have scored a wide range of goods, including cameras, tools, antiques, kid stuff, and furniture. After years of putting it on ebay I have profited thousands (no exaggeration), and most of the books we find can be taken to Half Price Books for a few dollars here and there.

[Snave]

Originally Posted by sakigt

I certainly dont dumpster dive, but I have stopped and picked up furniture on the street ready to be thrown away. I know others do the same. In my dad's neighborhood anything we put out to be tossed was taken in at least 15 minutes

We were at my in-laws one evening when I helped my father-in-law take an old bench out to the corner for the trash the next day. We noticed it was gone about 30 minutes later. Then, when we pulled out of the neighborhood, we saw the bench down the street on someone elses curb. I guess they had a better piece of trash and the person decided to "trade up" and left my in-laws bench behind.

[m3racer]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

I have never even been tempted to dumpster dive!! ugh!!

What she said.

[Tortoise]

The little girl I use to coparent had to stand in front of her elementary school class and tell about what she did over the summer. She told about how we dumpster dived. The teacher thought her hippie stories were cute.

Long ago, my (now ex) wife had booth in a coop store. She intended to sell beaded jewelry and sold very little of it. What did sell well was wooden furniture and old windows and doors. The furniture was usually bought by people that were going to refinish it. I am told the old windows and doors were used as interior design elements. I never really got that, but it paid the bills.

The best stuff is usually around residential dumpsters. Either it would have been hard to get it into the dumpster or the people intentially left it out so that it would be picked up and reused.

[gambler2075]

I've never dumpster-dived myself but I have always thought about it on moving-out day at the dorms... The amount of stuff that college students throw out is just staggering. Of course they procrastinate trying to sell it, and never end up selling it, but since they have to move out they throw it out.

I am sure that the hardcore divers would probably get mad at me for posting this 'tip' but hehe, it's saving the environment!

g

[briandownie]

This is the whole reason I own a pick up truck.

I never thought of it as dumpster diving but I love a good garbage bin if it's construction waste and that kind of thing, not regular household waste like kitchen trash.

I'm a maintenance mechanic and work in an industrial area. I mostly look for firewood, things like packing crates or old wooden pallets. You never know what you might find that can be fixed and reused.

For the most part the companies pay to have their waste removed and are more than happy to let you have it. Some times they'll just pile it beside the bin so you get a chance at it before it hits the bin.

It's great, I can heat my house most winter evenings with recycled wood, there's a never ending supply if you know where to look.

Brian

[jeffrey]

There is a new movie called Dive! coming out soon about dumpster diving and food waste in the US. This is the movie trailer for the new documentary.

Dive! Trailer on Vimeo

[SnoopyCool]

DH has dumpster dived for nearly all the material to make a new chicken coop. He's pretty amazing that way. Saved us a lot of $$.

There's a show called Junk Raiders - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that was rather interesting.

[nick__45]

I don't dumpster dive but will rescue a bike or toy if they are relatively clean or cleanable for my sister or kid. They don't need either really because we can afford it and my kid wear my sister's stuffs. But I won't stand for a good item being thrown away. I bought 1 bike only for 2 kids and have no plan on getting anymore.

A lot of people dumpster dive for clothes and food. I think yard sale and soup kitchen are better bets. I don't even buy clothes for myself at yard sale because it is cheaper to buy at store on sale.

[cicy33]

Originally Posted by nick__45

I don't dumpster dive but will rescue a bike or toy if they are relatively clean or cleanable for my sister or kid. They don't need either really because we can afford it and my kid wear my sister's stuffs. But I won't stand for a good item being thrown away. I bought 1 bike only for 2 kids and have no plan on getting anymore.

A lot of people dumpster dive for clothes and food. I think yard sale and soup kitchen are better bets. I don't even buy clothes for myself at yard sale because it is cheaper to buy at store on sale.

While I don't dumpster dive I have no problems with those that do. I am just to embarrassed. However, you are going to the wrong yard sales! I have never paid more than a $1 for a shirt and maybe up to $3 for jeans at a yard sale and that was for Levi's with no holes. I pay a fair price for other stuff. But I have never seen those prices even at walmart.

[Breton Wench]

I take stuff regularly from the communal dump in town here. The commune employees are quite happy to help get stuff out for you, as they say it gives them more space - table, lamp, a puppet theatre set, pots for the plants.

But the best throwaway deal was a FULL kitchen - top of the range units, extractor hood and work tops that a friend had been asked to throw away by a house owner who was upgrading. Knowing what I was like, he rang me up and said did I want it. I did, and two hours later swapped the kitchen with a friend of mine, who is a handyman, for a days work fixing up bits and pieces in our house. He installed the kitchen in a cottage he was doing up and we both have a smile now and then at the free kitchen we got.

[LaVicky]

I dont get into dumpsters, but like many others here have said, I have picked up many furniture items out for trash day on the curb. Ive fixed them up or just flat our re sold them on craigslist.

[bjl584]

Never climbed into a dumpster, but I have gone out in the past to collect furniture that people left on the curb for trash pickup. I did this once with a friend who was getting an apartment. We were able to nearly furnish his entire place. It's amazing what people throw away, especially if you "shop" in a more affluent neighborhood.

[Sissta2009]

Originally Posted by sakigt

I certainly dont dumpster dive, but I have stopped and picked up furniture on the street ready to be thrown away. I know others do the same. In my dad's neighborhood anything we put out to be tossed was taken in at least 15 minutes

Yeah one of my friends just got married and I made them a fabulous coffee table for their new house... out of an old one I picked up on the side of the road! Just sanded and painted it and a few extra screws for good luck

[ThePennyHoarder]

I have . I used to dumpster dive on Sunday nights for disposed coupon inserts. I would resell them on Ebay. Ahh...memories.

[SnoopyCool]

Originally Posted by ThePennyHoarder

I have . I used to dumpster dive on Sunday nights for disposed coupon inserts. I would resell them on Ebay. Ahh...memories.

My friend and I used to do this. Then our local newspaper cracked down on us and we were no longer allowed