Top Ten Tips - Going Dumpster Diving
By Tip Diva | Mar 14, 2008
Categories: Activities, Adult, Auto, Automobile, Behavior, Budget, Car, Cheap, City, Collections, College, Craigslist, Free, Freebies, Hiring, Moving, Neighborhood, Outdoors, Recycling, Safety, Tips, University, Websites
Tip Diva enjoys Dumpster diving, which is quite a fine art. She’s found things such as a working sewing machine, furniture, bolts of fabric, computer software, brand new candles, a fan and more. Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so here’s how to go find your own free loot:
- If You’re Not Adventurous, Search Online - For those not keen on picking through someone’s else’s garbage, you can go on to sites like Craigslist and Freecycle to find local people who are getting rid of things for free. Just be careful, as you don’t know who’s behind the computer screen.
- Make Sure To Follow Laws - Some jurisdictions have laws against sifting through others’ garbage, so make sure you know your local laws before hitting the goods. Be especially careful with Dumpsters, because they’re mostly on private property.
- Know Your Town’s Garbage Pickup Days - If your town’s pickup days are Monday and Thursday, make sure to drive around Sunday and Wednesday evenings to see what goods people are tossing out. Tip Diva has found some great furniture that way.
- Wear Protective Clothing If Actually Going In A Dumpster - Long pants, long sleeves, boots or sneakers, heavy-duty gloves and a hat are your best bet. You don’t know what’s crawling around in the Dumpster. And be careful - watch for needles, broken glass, nails and other sharp objects that may hurt you.
- Bring A Flashlight - You can hit every nook and cranny if it’s well-lit, so don’t forget to light up!
- Have A Car, Wagon Or Friend Handy - You may find something big enough that you can’t handle yourself. Tip Diva and Tip Dude once found wrought iron chairs and a table, dragging them home while walking a dog. A car would have been infinitely easier.
- Hit College Towns During Move-Out Days - Many college kids are wasteful, and throw out perfectly good furniture and knick-knacks at the end of the school year, only to buy new for the next. Colleges are jackpots for good diving finds. Also, check out houses where people are about to move out, as well as after garage sales.
- Check Behind Retail Stores - Sometimes stores throw away old or broken merchandise, which you can easily fix yourself.
- Don’t Leave A Mess - If you’re going to go diving, make sure you don’t leave a mess behind. If you opened a bag, tie it up again. Shut the Dumpster lid. Don’t leave random garbage strewn about.
- Wash And Disinfect Your Finds - Don’t use anything without washing and disinfecting it first - again, you never know what’s in the garbage or Dumpster. Also remember to check for mold, fleas and other vermin, because you can potentially introduce these problems into your own home.
Other Tips To Check Out:
One day while meandoring around town my husband and I saw a lady at JoAnne Fabrics tossing out boxes and boxes of candles. The hubby was quite eager to wait and dive into the trash to get them… me, not so much.
We waited it out and in the end got more than 1000 candles, which we still have and use. I must say, it was a very good decision on his part.
Great find, Monique! Considering candles are popular enough to break the budget, you definitely hit a jackpot.
I have a hard time shopping at thrift shops, let alone dumpster diving. I’m all for being frugal, but I think this goes a bit too far. If a retail store has thrown our merchandise and it’s in boxes outside of a dumpster, it’s fair game. Anything inside a dumpster… I’d stay far, far away from. Why not just go to the garbage dump and search for treasure?
Also, if you are that desperate for free stuff, check out Craigslist’s “free” section. There’s always random free things people are giving away and I bet they’re cleaner than what you’d find in a dumpster!
Her Every Cent: I’ve only been inside of a Dumpster once - and the benefits - at least $500 worth of brand new fabric, all of it clean - was worth it. I tend to be a “pick from the top of the pile” type. “Diving” doesn’t necessarily mean going inside - it could be picking up and old chair off the side of the road.
And don’t be sure about getting clean stuff from Craigslist, or anywhere for that matter. I’ve gotten dirty items from eBay, while my father once purchased a fish tank from my neighbor, unaware that under the rim was infested with baby cockroaches. #10 is probably a good idea for whatever you get your hands on.