dumpster diving...

[prprincess]

I have never done it and don't think I would. But my aunt and her boyfriend do it all the time. In fact, I'd say that most of the things in their home were found in dumpster dives. I recall her telling me about the best times to go, the best places to go to, and she even said that after dumpster diving for a while, you bump into the same people all the time so they are now pretty much a community and help each other out in finding stuff. I had no idea!

 

[kymom99]

In these times of so much waste, I see nothing wrong in reusing what we can and salvaging what others discard. When we put trash out in our baughborhood, there are a couple pickup trucks that drive around looking for items that can be salvaged. I think they are mostly looking for scrap metal. After my parents passed and we cleaned out the garage, my husband waited on the pitch and waved down one of the guys. He told him to drive around back and look through the stuff we were getting rid of. The man took a lot if it, saving us having to haul it all to the curb ourselves. We also had a kitchen range that we left and watched for the guys to come around. We told them what was wrong with it in case they wanted to try to repair it. My husband actually shamed me into wiping off the drips so we wouldn't be embarrassed to put it out there.

 

[hoffman1]

Not really "dumpster diving," but I have listed larger items (furniture, Christmas trees, etc) as free on Craig's List and left them on the curb. They are usually gone within an hour.
I think it is great if someone can use something I no longer need.

 

[QueenIsabella]

In our neighborhood, everyone puts things that they don't want, but think might still be useful out on the curb a day or two before the garbage man. Generally, it's gone by garbage day. If it really is a piece of junk, it's still there. I got a breakfast table and chairs from curbside recycling once and then 5 years later, put it out for curbside recycling! (It was gone in an hour.) I guess that's dumpster diving in a suburban sort of way.

Anything that doesn't make it to the landfill but continues to be used is good in my books.

When we lived in NH, the dump had a special building for "too good to trash" stuff, like outgrown toys. Sort of like a freecycle building. It was a good system--you could get rid of your stuff, maybe find something you can use. DH was a dump regular, one lady who worked there even passed him bags of clothes that her son had outgrown, for our son.

 

[ellie05]

I think mostly everywhere people put things in good shape they don't want anymore at the curb so people take them. I like this idea of less waste more recycling. I done it a couple of times and items are always gone. I also seen some pretty nice stuff out that I just don't had the need for. The only item we have gotten this way was a cat carrier we do rescue and these are always useful. We clean it and disinfected it and still in our garage it was one of this nicer ones in perfect condition we will probably donate once we don't have a use for it anymore.

I wouldn't consider that dumpster diving I would think that is more of picking something out of the the actual trash can/dumpster. I honestly will be kind of grossed out not knowing what else is in it. With furniture I would be terrified of bed bugs. I just don't see the need specially for items we don't really need and are more of a want.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I always keep my eyes open for old clocks with the gears inside them. I haven't looked in actual dumpsters in years but sometimes people put them out.
It's been a year or so, since I've found any and really want to find some. I guess there just aren't as many around anymore.

 

[niffer5150]

In general this is not true. There are areas with ordinances, but that isn't the norm in the US. Call your local police to check before you dive though.

Diving isn't new, but it's a trend on youtube for sure. The makeup stuff grosses me out, but plenty of other places throw out perfectly good stuff for no real reason other than that it's seasonal, not sold anymore, they needed the shelf space, etc. I definitely get my packing supplies that way...you wouldn't believe how much bubble wrap is tossed by stores. Also, colleges at the end of the school year are a place to find insane stuff tossed by kids who don't care because mom and dad will just buy them more.

well my teen brother dumpster dived some broken computer junk out of a dumpster. a classmate who didn't like him saw him taking stuff out of the dumpster and 1 police raid later he was arrested on a bunch of crazy charges. seriously, they rammed open my parents front door and came in shoving guns in everyones faces. it took them months to unravel and prove the stuff had not been stolen, but had been put in the trash. he was still in trouble for taking it out of the trash tho and did quite a bit of community service and my parents paid a small fortune in lawyers fees not to mention the damage the cops did to the house "searching" it. so you know what? YES, check your local laws.

 

[jevs]

It's been going on for years so no, not a new thing. I've never done it as I've never been that desperate for food or any items. If my family were starving, then sure I'd do anything.

A lot of places now lock the dumpsters so people can't do it, I think that was more because they were making a mess.

 

[Disney_traveler]

I don't remember if it was on the news or on an Anthony Boursin/Andrew Zimmern show, but they had a section on "free-gans" that dumpster dive grocery stores for the food that has surpassed its sell by date. Doesn't necessarily mean it is expired, just past the day the store wants to sell it. Personally, I couldn't handle eating the produce I saw them getting just because I know those trash cans aren't immaculate.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Around our neighborhood trash days are mon. and thurs. so if you want anything good you can just ride your bike or car and go past and pick up anything you want.
I put out a bookcase and saw my neighbor pick it up. One time I told another neighbor, you know your old chairs, my kids gave them a new home in our backyard. She was happy. She said she had gotten all new stuff (those cheap plastic summer chairs)
I really wouldnt go into an actual dumpster because of health issues or would my kids

 

[xlxo]

dived some broken computer junk out of a dumpster

a little tip for those finding old computers that don't work with windows anymore.... check out Linux or Ubuntu. https://www.ubuntu.com/

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

There is a difference between dumpster diving and sidewalk shopping. It seems as though sidewalk shopping is what most people are describing.

 

[teller80]

A house across the street from us has one of those little tykes outside play structures in a huge dumpster along the alley. I'm working up the nerve to ask if I can dig it out.

Many years ago, when my kids were little, my neighbor had Little Tykes structure on her treelawn. I asked if I could have it and she said said of course. She helped me drag it down to my house. Fast forward 10-12 years later when my kids outgrew it, and she now had grand kids, I dragged it back to her house and they now enjoyed it. Those things last a long time!

 

[Aliceacc]

Actually go into a dumpster, with whatever rodents may be calling it home??

EEWWWWWEEEEE!!!!

No, thanks. I'll do without whatever finds may be waiting there. I'm fortunate enough that we can feed our family without needing to resort to this.

"Sidewalk shopping" doesn't have the same ick factor. We've put lots of stuff out with the hopes that someone would pick it up, and someone always has.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

well my teen brother dumpster dived some broken computer junk out of a dumpster. a classmate who didn't like him saw him taking stuff out of the dumpster and 1 police raid later he was arrested on a bunch of crazy charges. seriously, they rammed open my parents front door and came in shoving guns in everyones faces. it took them months to unravel and prove the stuff had not been stolen, but had been put in the trash. he was still in trouble for taking it out of the trash tho and did quite a bit of community service and my parents paid a small fortune in lawyers fees not to mention the damage the cops did to the house "searching" it. so you know what? YES, check your local laws.

That is a very interesting story. Perhaps your area is one of the few that has an ordinance that goes around the supreme court ruling that items in dumpsters are now abandoned property. More than likely, there is more to the story and wherever he was diving wasn't legal. He could have been tresspassing, it could have been a recycling bin that was actually owned by someone who was recycling those old computer parts, etc. Maybe it was a construction site where those materials were out for recycling. Anecdotal stories like this always have more to them, and I'm sure there is a reason that the cops took a tip from a teenager and rammed through a door as a result lol. Don't forget the search warrant that would have been necessary, and the probable cause to get said search warrant...more to the story for sure. Interesting that the thousands of people showing their faces in youtube dumpster dives haven't had this issue, nor the ones pulled over by cops in said videos.

Funny story...I was getting my packing material out of a dumpster once when a cop pulled up and asked me what I was doing. Now, dumping stuff in is illegal, so maybe he thought I was doing that. When I explained that I was getting bubble wrap and boxes for packing material, he actually told me that a bunch of the firefighters were dumpster divers and told me other good places to look lol. Like I said, call the police in your area first if you're not sure it's legal.

 

[Earstou]

DD does sidewalk shopping all the time. She used to live in a university town and would drive around on "move-out day" and find lots of good stuff left behind by students.
Last week she found an antique pressed back chair out by the curb. She needs additional chairs for her dining room so she grabbed it!

 

[texasroni75]

I am pretty frugal, but taking something in or sitting next to a dumpster, is not something I'd ever consider. My main concern would be roaches. Even if you don't see a live bug, there is a decent chance there could be eggs in/on/around that item you are grabbing. Not to mention any other number of critters, mold, bacteria.

 

[niffer5150]

That is a very interesting story. Perhaps your area is one of the few that has an ordinance that goes around the supreme court ruling that items in dumpsters are now abandoned property. More than likely, there is more to the story and wherever he was diving wasn't legal. He could have been tresspassing, it could have been a recycling bin that was actually owned by someone who was recycling those old computer parts, etc. Maybe it was a construction site where those materials were out for recycling. Anecdotal stories like this always have more to them, and I'm sure there is a reason that the cops took a tip from a teenager and rammed through a door as a result lol. Don't forget the search warrant that would have been necessary, and the probable cause to get said search warrant...more to the story for sure. Interesting that the thousands of people showing their faces in youtube dumpster dives haven't had this issue, nor the ones pulled over by cops in said videos.

Funny story...I was getting my packing material out of a dumpster once when a cop pulled up and asked me what I was doing. Now, dumping stuff in is illegal, so maybe he thought I was doing that. When I explained that I was getting bubble wrap and boxes for packing material, he actually told me that a bunch of the firefighters were dumpster divers and told me other good places to look lol. Like I said, call the police in your area first if you're not sure it's legal.

feel free to do all the mental gymnastics you'd like to not believe me. i don't really care. OP can either take my advice and spend 5 minutes on google to cover their behind OR can decide that it's all made up and would never happen to them. no, there's not really a whole lot more to the story thus why they couldn't prove my 14 yo brother was some computer theft ring mastermind. it really was that stupid.

 

[Brittni__duh]

DD does sidewalk shopping all the time. She used to live in a university town and would drive around on "move-out day" and find lots of good stuff left behind by students.
Last week she found an antique pressed back chair out by the curb. She needs additional chairs for her dining room so she grabbed it!

I did this at the end of every semester with my roommate. Especially around the apartment complexes the exchange students favored. Many of them bought furniture (nice stuff too!) and just threw it out before they moved back home. My roommate would climb into the dumpster. I preferred to stay outside and pick through what I could see around it. We never grabbed food or cosmetics. Furniture, books, or seemingly fine electronics, of course. In fact, years later, I'm still using the full length mirror I found in a dumpster. It was in perfect condition when I found it.

 

[sunshine1178]

I don't remember if it was on the news or on an Anthony Boursin/Andrew Zimmern show, but they had a section on "free-gans" that dumpster dive grocery stores for the food that has surpassed its sell by date. Doesn't necessarily mean it is expired, just past the day the store wants to sell it. Personally, I couldn't handle eating the produce I saw them getting just because I know those trash cans aren't immaculate.

I volunteer st a Food Pantry, and many of the items that we distribute are things that stores have given us. There are guidelines on what we can put out (expiration dates, open packages), but most things are still good. As an example, we had dozens of boxes of Star Wars mac and cheese a few weeks ago. I suppose that it was produced to tie in with a movie, and the promotional period ended? The boxes were in great shape, and it wasn't near expiration. I'm so glad that it came to the food pantry instead of a dumpster. It's a much safer way to get food to people who are challenged to afford it.