She was going to throw out what?

So, the apt. complex I live in is great and people "recycle" items that they don't want by leaving them - in great condition - where the garbage bins are. I go in to drop off the garbage and there is a bag of clean clothes with a sign that they don't fit. Mostly pants, a couple of skirts and a killer black dress. All in my size - 6 or 8 petite. So, I just got about a dozen new pairs of pants. And that killer black dress.

I found out who the neighbor is and she is very happy that someone could use them.

This place is hysterical with their recycle tendencies but maybe I think so because it is the first apt. I ever had on my own. Is this common? Oh, since we are in CA the weather is not the issue.

It's sort of a big thing in parts of NYC. Sort of fun in the ritzy parts. I have friends who live in a very nice building on W. 82nd Street. They found a painting by the recycling. My friend Carol brought it upstairs, described it to me, said that they'd keep it, but they don't have any room on their walls. The very fact that they wanted to keep it made me go up to see it. I now have it on my wall. It's the only piece of original art I have - beautiful colors, and sort of looks like a Rothko.

And, congrats on the additions to your wardrobe!! That's very cool!

We live close to two college towns and the stuff those kids throw away at the end of the year! I know people who drive from block to block, picking up computers, tvs, stereos, fairly nice furniture, and even clothes, etc. All kinds of stuff and it's in good shape; it's not junk. Most of those students are spoiled; they don't know what it's like to really be in need of something. (I said "most", not all.) But it's really a shame.

Originally Posted by Winchester

We live close to two college towns and the stuff those kids throw away at the end of the year! I know people who drive from block to block, picking up computers, tvs, stereos, fairly nice furniture, and even clothes, etc. All kinds of stuff and it's in good shape; it's not junk. Most of those students are spoiled; they don't know what it's like to really be in need of something. (I said "most", not all.) But it's really a shame.

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I totally agree. When the kids leave our local university the giant dumpsters are parked all over campus. One of my brothers worked doing clean up a long time ago and he was appalled by the stuff kids just toss out. (of course, their parents probably paid for it, so what do the kids care?)
DH thinks the university should open a thrift store; incoming students' (and their parents) could save a ton.

Congratulations on the great wardrobe finds!

Cool way to increase the wardrobe.

If I have stuff that is unwanted I usually use freecycle but sometimes I will put out by end of driveway with a "free stuff" sign. Some stuff get picked up and some does not.

A couple of years ago while driving to a clients house I saw a potting bench at the end of the driveway. I stopped and they said they were moving and didn't want it. Since I had the car I went back th next day and got it in the back of the truck. I few minuted putting in some new screws firmed it up nicely and low I have a handy cedar potting bench behind my garden shed.

Isn't free stuff great!

Originally Posted by Winchester

We live close to two college towns and the stuff those kids throw away at the end of the year! I know people who drive from block to block, picking up computers, tvs, stereos, fairly nice furniture, and even clothes, etc. All kinds of stuff and it's in good shape; it's not junk. Most of those students are spoiled; they don't know what it's like to really be in need of something. (I said "most", not all.) But it's really a shame.

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Unfortunately in the college town near my stateside home, the students also tend to throw out their cats with the trash! I used to work downtown and you'd always see an increase in the # of cats wandering around in May. I just looked at the local HS website and they're full of cats found May-something-or-other downtown near the colleges. No wonder they only adopt out to over 21year olds.

On a positive note I think I remember that a few years back one of the schools finally hooked up with a local charity and they park trucks on campus where the students can place items hopefully of some use to go to a local charity like the salvation army.

Originally Posted by GailC

A couple of years ago while driving to a clients house I saw a potting bench at the end of the driveway. I stopped and they said they were moving and didn't want it. Since I had the car I went back th next day and got it in the back of the truck. I few minuted putting in some new screws firmed it up nicely and low I have a handy cedar potting bench behind my garden shed.

Isn't free stuff great!

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Wow! I would kill for a nice potting bench! Great find!

IMO some are just too lazy to take what they don't want to wear to the local Goodwill and donate it. We have a bag and when we don't want a piece of clothing or it doesn't fit, its put in the bag. When the bag is full, we take it to Goodwill or a Thrift Store - we don't toss it in the regular trash unless its torn or worn too much.

Good deal!! I haven't ever lived in an area like that where people put out their unwanted stuff for neighbors. I love that idea! I mean, sometimes I see something or things on the curb in front of a house, either with a FREE sign or maybe next to the trash bin for pickup, but nothing like what your complex does. I'm jealous!

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

IMO some are just too lazy to take what they don't want to wear to the local Goodwill and donate it. We have a bag and when we don't want a piece of clothing or it doesn't fit, its put in the bag. When the bag is full, we take it to Goodwill or a Thrift Store - we don't toss it in the regular trash unless its torn or worn too much.

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I absolutely agree with you. There were a few things I do not want. I put them in a bag in the trunk of my car so when I am in the neighborhood I take them to Goodwill.

I also got a dish rack (just had one of those drying towels - stainless steel and an expandable flat wear rack. I really made out. I just wished the neighbor liked some more colors than brown and black.

^You can always wear other colors with browns and blacks - green and pink both work with brown.
I don't know why the person would just toss out 6's and 8's, either, it's a very common size that a lot of women would like to find nice used clothes in. I could understand them not wanting to bother if it were worn out clothes or very large sizes.

Originally Posted by Lyrajean

Unfortunately in the college town near my stateside home, the students also tend to throw out their cats with the trash!

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Around ten years ago I found a litter of kittens at an illegal dump outside of town. It had just gotten dark and we saw their eye shines in the headlights. They would have been coyote snacks if we hadn't found them - sad that anyone could do that to kittens.
We brought them into town and stopped at a friend's house because we knew they had a large appliance box.. and gave one of the kittens away to a wonderful home in less than 10 minutes.

And as for kids tossing out computers. Are they leaving the pc's out with the hard drives in them? Even a once reformatted drive is easy to lift data off of. Which is why you don't give away or put that sort of thing in the trash.

Nice finds!

At our first apt we got a solid wood table for free. And a few beat living room chairs cars got. Nothing wrong but older and worn. I have picked up dog crates,desk,bowls back when I had about 1/2 the cats I got now and they used to use bowls. I love driving after garage sales end so many ppl would rather drag items out to the curb and have trash pick up a good majority of it then get it to a thrift store. I always am on look out for crib matress as the cats love them and they are usually wipeable.

Originally Posted by nanner

It's sort of a big thing in parts of NYC. Sort of fun in the ritzy parts. I have friends who live in a very nice building on W. 82nd Street. They found a painting by the recycling. My friend Carol brought it upstairs, described it to me, said that they'd keep it, but they don't have any room on their walls. The very fact that they wanted to keep it made me go up to see it. I now have it on my wall. It's the only piece of original art I have - beautiful colors, and sort of looks like a Rothko.

And, congrats on the additions to your wardrobe!! That's very cool!

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I heard about someone in NYC that scarfed up a painting like that, and it turned out to be a stolen original worth millions! Ya never know!

That's awesome! We used to go "trashing" in NJ at least once a month, I know it sounds gross but we've found lots of good TV's that my DH was able to repair, a 500$ cat condo/tree thing (that was heavily washed before we brought it in the house) and a few other good items that DH was able to repair and sell

Okay, I think that this takes the cake. I went to throw out the cat litter and there was, on an end table that someone left there to get rid of, a Cuisinart coffee maker/grinder. Seriously. It was spotless. I took it. Me? I don't like coffee but my new beau does. My idea of caffeine at breakfast is a Coke Zerol

I cannot believe how great this unit looks, all parts intact. I ask my neighbor, who saw it, what about it? She said that she would have taken it except for the fact that the ex got theirs in the divorce and she just bought the exact same model for $100.00. I then asked if she could tell me how to use it to test it. Honestly, I make gourmet meals but I don't make coffee. We tried it and it worked! Who would put a $100.00 clean coffee maker in the "recycle" (the clean area where people leave stuff) area? I cannot believe it. I may have to start drinking coffee. Wait. New man in my life does that. I emailed him and he wants to put in an order for what he can get from my garbage.

Geez, I'd love to live in your neighborhood!

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

Good deal!! I haven't ever lived in an area like that where people put out their unwanted stuff for neighbors. I love that idea! I mean, sometimes I see something or things on the curb in front of a house, either with a FREE sign or maybe next to the trash bin for pickup, but nothing like what your complex does. I'm jealous!

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Same here! However at work people sometimes bring in clothing and a variety of smaller items and put them on a table with a free sign.

Originally Posted by Winchester

We live close to two college towns and the stuff those kids throw away at the end of the year! I know people who drive from block to block, picking up computers, tvs, stereos, fairly nice furniture, and even clothes, etc. All kinds of stuff and it's in good shape; it's not junk. Most of those students are spoiled; they don't know what it's like to really be in need of something. (I said "most", not all.) But it's really a shame.

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LMAO!!! Garbage picking days in "The Grove" and "The Burg"....I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I used to live about 4 blocks from S.U. and you would not believe how many people would get their trucks out and cruise down thru town, especially Orange St (where all the college kids apts were). I used to sit in my moms front room and just watch people going thru everything. There were some really good finds though. My mom would walk down the street looking for antiquey type stuff for when she remodeled her kitchen.

OK, I'll admit I usually cruise the nearby alleys on Monday morning, which is our big "trash" day. Just for starters, I have a bicycle, a very nice bookcase, a pet cage (big one), a drill, and four boxes full of sports cards out in the garage.

There are people in the area who make a living at it. If I put out something that works (such as a TV), I put a note on it that it works.