Any "dumpster divers" out there?

Hey, I'm always looking for a bargain and usually reserve my cheap furniture purchases for Goodwill or Big Lots, but there have been some times I had to endulge and take something off the curb. Most recently, I grabbed a great wooden microwave stand with a drawer. I needed something for my printer and scanner and this will work out great. It was in the garbage pile but it really only needed new screws in the hinges and new knobs. I cleaned it up in less than an hour and it was free!

The funny thing is, in our new neighborhood the garbage pick up is later in the afternoon and when I went to get the furniture piece, I saw two other cars driving up and down trolling for treasures. Maybe I should try it more often!

The last time I did this was about two years ago when I went with my mom to pick up a solid oak end table that was on the curb. We just walked down the street with our dolly. We actually had a confrontation with another woman who wanted it, but we had gotten to it first! It was a thrill, actually.

Anyone else out there unopposed to getting great deals at the curb?

My mother use to do this but I don't. Especially furniture because you never know if they had mice or other insects in their home. Funny you should mention this. I just got a new couch and I got it from Goodwheel.. funny thing is that doesn't stop any mice or insects does it...lol. I just feel weird taking something out of peoples trash. The couch I put at the curb is still there but someone took the pillows. I cannot fathom someone having worse pillows than those.. maybe they will sew some new fabric for it or something.

I recently "rescued" an all wood end table and three metal folding chairs in good condition from a trash pile near a friend's house, then gave them away to a couple of people who had posted on Freecycle that they were looking for exactly those items.

I don't "dumpster dive" but I will occasionally rescue things that I think are still usable.

The guys in the warehouse regularly go into our dumpster and find treasures. They have gotten almost new cell phones, telephones, bicycles, clothes with money in the pockets. You name it they have gotten it out of the dumpster!

I used to do this as a kid- me and my brother spent a day taking paper from a dumpster which was ace, proper graphic artists paper
These days I wouldn't even buy anything let alone take free stuff- Epona and I have a spare room full of junk which should go down the charity shop

LOL! I am too girlie to go dumpster diving although my little cousins used to do it.

Not really dumpster diving as such, but when I was unemployed and very poor I used to go round markets after they'd packed up but before the street cleaners came and salvage peelable fruit or veg from the roadside

My hubby is a dumpster diver. He brings home more 'treasures' than I do kitty cats. I have to remind him of that every once in awhile.

I convinced him to get rid of his salvage vacuum cleaner collection and just get one new Hoover.

He brought home an old pulpit and turned it into a table...that actually turned out pretty well.

I do sometimes. I live in an apartment building and sometimes when people move they throw out really good things or if they are evicted leave things behind which then gets thrown out. We have 2 garbage pickups. One for regular trash and another for larger items....this one is monthly I think.

I've found a great glass and brass touch lamp a couple months ago. Not a thing wrong with it and it looks great in my living room.

I have also found 2 matching chairs to my dining room set which I snapped up and put into storage. All they need is new upholstery, but then again so do my own, lol

There was a really great TV wall unit a week or so ago, but it was too big for me to bring in by myself and I didn't have anyone to help me. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to find someone. There wasn't a thing wrong with it.

I'm sure I've found other things too, but off the top of my head those are the ones that immediately come to mind.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I do sometimes. I live in an apartment building and sometimes when people move they throw out really good things or if they are evicted leave things behind which then gets thrown out. We have 2 garbage pickups. One for regular trash and another for larger items....this one is monthly I think.

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The desk I am using right now is from a woman that was evicted last year. She was actually an ok woman. It was her stupid bf that got her evicted.

Living out in the country the pickin's are slim!!
But we will put stuff out for garbage and people stop and pick up-thats ok by me!! Saves going to landfill
My dad on the other hand cruises for stuff all the time!!
He salvages alot of metal from building sites and commercial business's. Before copper shot up in price be picked up lots of that.
He brings up his finds-a never used set of lawnmower blades-ours is a commercial mower too!! A 8-9 ft fiberglass stepladder that must have fallen off a truck. Heavy duty commercial extension cords that just needed the ends replaced. We have a lifetime supply of nuts and bolts and stuff like that.

My next door neighbor goes 'curb-side shopping'. He's found some really great stuff, like lawnmowers, etc. that he's fixed up for pennies and sold and made a few bucks on. I don't do it, but if I have things that are still fairly nice, I will set them out a little seperately from the regular trash so that someone who is so inclined might notice them and take them!

Pookie & the girls

I have a friend who has done that in the better Chicago neighborhoods.

My Dad has salvaged items from the dump (carpet he used on a cart) and my grandfather did it ages ago. Our house is largely built of buildings that he salvaged for the wood.

well I've gone to good will to drop off donations and ended up spending $ on brand new espirit galoshes and a kenneth cole bag that were "donated" by a store called Urban Outfitters..... I like yard sales....does that count?

I live in an appartment and somtimes when people move out they can't fit everything in their car/truck and end up chucking some really good stuff. I found a beautiful metal framed chair with rattan seat the only thing wrong with it was it was missing a screw. I replaced the screw and it is my computer chair.

I have picked up a bunch of stuff from beside the dumpster at my apartment. I got a lovely plannt stand there a couple weeks ago, the glass shelves wern't even broken. Gotta Love it!

A few months ago I was tossing some things in the recycling and noticed some paperback books in there. So I grabbed them (after making sure no one was looking). The next week, same thing. Only this time I was shameless enough to practically climb in the recycling because they were near the bottom, and I didn't bother to look if anyone was around!

I have been known to leave "good" items I no longer need next to the garbage/recycling. Normally they're gone in about 2 hours.

My best curbside find was an old B&W (round tube) RCA cabinet television in solid cherry.
I gutted it and refinished in and used to keep my 25 inch TV in it.
I so loved it, I could close the door on it and no one could tell it was there.
It fit in so well with my 1950s (antique and repro) furnished family room.

Dumpster diving queen here!

I furnished my daughters room out of salvage stores and Pier 1 dumpsters. One one nite at the pier one dumpster in Pensacola Fl, my cousin and I got 4 demin throw pillows, 3 COMPLETE fireplace sets (we gave away two), a wooden rocking horse (still in my daughters room) and a bunch of candles not even burned.

Same nite at the mall there we got a garbage bag of NFL licensed ball caps about 40 of them which i sold on ebay and made a bundle, 12 throws from Things Remembered. Silver picture frames and photo albums from Things Remembered. A twin size wood trundle bed and sets of shelves from an upscale kids furniture store.

Granted all this was after Hurricaine IVan hit the area for the second time that year.

my cousin is an awesome dumpster diver and got me into it. I havent had the guts to go here in Houston (too scared of getting shot or arrested) but there is alocal group that goes dumpster diving here! i need to join!

I rent so I do the recycle furniture thing too.

Otherwise you won't see me near garbage. I gag when I'm near it.

My friends and I call it *junkin*. I paint/refinish old furniture in my spare time. We usually get our items at estate/garage/thrift sales. The regular Goodwill stores are usually too pricey for resale, but the ones we refer to as *Dumpster Dives* have some good bargains. I don't know what you refer to them as....they sell by the pound. (except furniture)

Anyway...junkin with your buds is alot of fun!