I can now say I have dumpster dived!

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I do a little selling on ebay and finding shipping materials is always something I am on the look out for. I can get boxes at the P.O. for priorty mail and I buy the little poly mailers for small items, but every now and then I have an unusual size item that requires a size box that I can't get at the P.O. So, there is a Rite Aid drug store near me that has tons of cardboard boxes from stocking the shelves each week or so. I asked them one day if I could have some and they told me they had already taken them to the dumpster out back and I was welcome to go back there and get any I wanted. I did and found the area to be very neat and clean with basically nothing in it except broken down cardboard. Today I needed a large size box so I went there to check out what they might have, and on top of this nice clean cardboard were lots, (probably hundreds), of greeting cards, (some as much as $9.99 per card!), that had been pulled and dumped there. They were clean, not even bent or wrinkled in the slightest. At first I wasn't going to take any, then I thought "but when the truck comes to clear this out they will just be loaded up and crushed", so I took a few handfuls! I had so much fun looking through them. There was even packages of stickers that children like, and so I thought of some I could share this with. Wow! Now I want to dumpster dive again somewhere. My question now is: have you ever dumpster dived; where and was it for anything specific? Would love to hear any stories anyone might like to share.:~)

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Or should that be "dumpster dove"? lol!

[iris lily]

Diving is great! I've been weaning myself off the lure of the dumpsters the last few years because I don't want to accumulate more "stuff" but it can be hard when they pile the cool stuff right next to a dumpster. I mean, really! Tempt me much!!!???

Our current favorite thing is to pull something form the alley, clean it up, and donate it to the annual sale to benefit our local Park. A group of us watched in anticipation while a neighbor looked over and then ultimately purchased a piece that that had actually sat in his very own alley. There is no better entertainment! The last big thing I dived for was when a neighbor mentioned to me that she was looking for an old washtub and 3 days later--voila--a pristine old washtub sat in the alley, so I picked it up and I dropped it off at her house.

Oh girl I have dumpster stories galore. The kids on Mr. Money Mustache are talking about food diving--now that's a place I've not gone.

Diving in this city with its huge dumpster is one of the advantages of living here. I am increasingly saddened at the cheapness of furniture showing up in the alleys. That crap from Ikea etc--ugh. Future generations will have nothing to dive for.

[Kestrel]

Liquor stores are a great source for boxes.

Back in the olden days, when we actually had to take our own garbage to the dump, there was one place set aside for "good" stuff that people could take if they wanted/needed -- clothes, magazines, dishes, utensils, tools, etc. -- but of course you could pick through all the other stuff there as well. It was cool! In time, our small town had a thrift shop people could donate "good" stuff to, and the proceeds went to a local group that did "good things" for the community.

[Tiam]

I did back in the day when really poor. And hungry. Not so much now. But I'd have loved to get those cards!

[ToomuchStuff]

Just make sure you have permission, because being in the dumpster, is NOT the same thing as being on the curb.
I've dumpster dove for computer parts (screws, cables, floppy drives, etc), back before all the recycling started. Received a few calls over the years, (I have had a truck) curb diving (swingset, patio table, etc). Never had the reason to, but a local flower supply shop, gave a few of us permission to dumpster dive there (think valentines day if one could arrange ones own).

Certainly haven't done probably as much as I should have, about the only time I really remember it as a kid, was with my grandmother, at the cemetery, grabbing the plastic flowers they were going to pitch.
Two that I would like to dumpster dive: A book store (remember getting a free book once that had the cover removed from someone that worked there), and a auto scrap yard. (seen some welded car part art, like end tables, etc. that I would love to learn welding, creating).

[happystuff]

My diving also occurred years ago. Towns in my area used to have "dump days" where folks could put whatever items they wanted - large or small - out on the curbs for free pick-up. I managed a couple nice finds, but it was the "looking" and hanging out with friends that made it most fun.

[fidgiegirl]

You have given me a good idea to peruse the dumpster at the local pharmacy now! I had a girlfriend once whose mom worked for one of the card distributors and it killed her that she was required to dump all that stuff. She would sometimes give some of the stickers to her daughter (a teacher) but doing so was taking the fate of her job in her own hands. Crazy!

We've done a bit of diving, usually dumpsters that are in front of houses being cleaned out. Have scored some good items and simply rescued others that we then put on CL for free. In our area there are lots of items that get placed at the curb for free, so have secured lots of things through that route, too, and parted with many as well.

[razz]

I don't see that curb trolling is quite the same as dumpster diving.
We have put things on the curb that we no longer want or need and they are usually gone in a couple of hours. They are clean and well taken care of, just no longer needed - golf clubs, computer desk, old lawnmower. It was not worth the effort to advertise and hang around for someone to show up to haggle about the price and hard to donate these items.

Dumpsters include so much more of a mix but the finds are just as valuable.

[Selah]

Oh, yes I have dumpster "diven," and I love it! Not for food, yet, but that's because I've never been around grocery restaurant dumpsters, but I wouldn't be at all opposed if I saw something nice and unspoiled. I honestly can't tell you how many things I've found in dumpsters and next to dumpsters, and on the side of the road. Iris Lily, I love what you're doing...fixing up alleyway finds and selling them to benefit a good cause.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yea, but I don't know finding a used condom among the food your diving leaves you squeamish forever after (sorry if I wasn't supposed to see that while being all enthused about dumpster diving - although some dumpsters are much better than others as the food is pretty fresh - so the likelihood of finding a used condom considerably lower :)). As for non-food well I rescue it when I see it in my apartment dumpster and it's worse than that, if someone throws out electronic waste I sometimes rescue even though I know I'll need to take it along with all my own electronic waste for proper disposal, if someone throws out something that can be recycled (that is already clean ok) I sometimes rescue it, if someone throws out something that can be donated somewhere I sometimes rescue it. But this is not going out of my way, this is just I need to take the trash out anyway right, and I notice stuff.

[happystuff]

I don't see that curb trolling is quite the same as dumpster diving.


I agree that there is a difference in the method, but the result - free stuff -is the same. My best dumpster dive was behind a craft store. Quite a nice haul :)

[Packy]

Latest dumpster acquisition: A fingernail parlor nearby was remodeling, and they threw a small counter/cabinet away. It is a little rough, but made of plywood, not particle board. I will rehab it into a compact work bench that fits in the corner, to replace one that occupies too much space.