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Dumpster diving

I love free things, there is nothing better. A few weeks ago my apartment complex rented dumpsters for move out day. That night me an my girlfriend went dumpster diving and found some cool stuff. I found a cool desk lamp, a table, stools, a subwoofer that works, and a 55 gallon tank with a small crack. People throw away so much stuff, last year I found an awesome ping pong table and a few years ago I found a 16' boat. I have also found so many aquariums in the trash. What have you found?
-Nick
 
When I was in ohio, I use to find aquariums beside the road on trash day. Everytime I found one, it was an excuse to get a new pet.
 
This may not technically count, but I was working for a temp agency a few years ago and one of the jobs was to help a small company throw out all their stuff so they could move out of the office immediately. I left a lot of stuff beside the dumpster so I could pick it up after I was done.

So out of the deal I got: a large computer desk (L-shaped), a nice leather computer chair, a ton of network cable, some computer speakers and mice, a wastebasket or two, and a few other things I don't remember now.
 
I sure did a lot as a kid and teenager! I had found a huge telescope all it needed was a new eyepiece and my uncle (who's big into that) gave me one. Fishingpoles with the old fashioned style reels, tackle of all kinds, wood for building skateboard ramps, Old broken skateboards with good trucks and wheels, unopened (previously frozen) beer behind the gas station (yes we drank it)... and eh, lots of old porn!
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Lately we've been the one making poeples DD dreams come true. In the last weeks we've thrown out: 29 gallon terrarium with full custom lighting hood and false bottom, bags of hardly ever worn clothes, countless silk flower arrangements and crafty sort of interior design stuff, wildlife art prints in frames, etc. I'm even giving away my skateboard deck printing setup. Not to the dumpster though. I ain't got time to do it now with my sculpting comissions and my pals band (http://www.ripsnorter.com) was gonna build one using my plans so I'm just handing it off to them to do some decks to sell at shows along with their shirts.
 
Okay, my trips to the dumpster has mostly been fulfilling my husbandly duty. However, unlike my packrat clan, my motto is, "When in doubt, throw it out". The trouble with those dynamics is that many things I toss, which seemed to have no earhly value to whomever - all of a sudden become important to my family members. Hence, the dumpster and I are on a first name basis.

Having said all that, 3 out of 4 of my hanging baskets, that I use for my Neps, have come from the dumpster.
 
not so sure i'd use used porn.....
 
He said old,not used.LOL
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Jerry
 
Well, its not exactly DD, but I found two cute children's Adirondack chairs by a trash can in an alley. I snapped them up, took them home...used them for flower pot holders for a while. Recently I slapped some milk paint on them, put them in my antique bay and sold them for $50. Not bad for free trash chairs. lol
 
lmao, i thought you said "two cute childen"

lmao

you KNOW it was used porn lmao
 
  • #11
I found an old desk in pieces that I reassembled in a different way to make a stand for water and my recycling bins. I also found an Incredible Hulk Popcorn tin. I always keep my eyes open for those nice finds like you guys have!

I never have understood why people throw all of those good things away. Why not take a quick trip down to the local good will store and let other make use out of them. Lots of these good things that people throw out are not found by others before they go to the landfill.
 
  • #12
The best thing I found was a HUGE pair of whitetail deer antlers in the garbage. Big nine point with a 24 inch inside spread. Which was really cool, as I kind of collect deer antlers. I just like them, and I don't know why.

I think the 2nd best thing I found put out for the garbage was an antique garden bench.

I've gotten a lot of stuff from free-cycle, too. My drapes, my couch, some corn for squirrels, glass block windows, a bale of hay to use for mulch.....and I have been able to give away lots of stuff, too.
 
  • #13
wow! I really need to go garbage hunting!
I want some aquariums!
My mom brings leftovers from where she works often. They would have thrown them out so she brings huge containers of parmesan chicken, pasta, salads, popcorn, etc.
roflmao... used porn
 
  • #14
oh god i love pasta.....

but i can't eat it or else i'll get fat.

but it's soooo good!
 
  • #15
Women (and some men) love to check the dumpsters on campus when the students at Michigan State University move out. They find all kinds of things!
 
  • #16
To go dumpster diving, you must live in a big enough town where there are such things as "alleys" and "dumpsters"...


but when our local capus closed down, there wee lotsa computer parts left behind. too bad i dont know what id do with them.
 
  • #17
I live in a townhouse, so I get to see good garbage!
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  • #18
LOL lucky u!

I dunno emotional attatchments to objects is fine, unless its to a point to wich there is a emotional attatchemt to wayyy to many things.
 
  • #19
Husband and I live in an apartment, so we tend to keep an eye on the dumpsters around here. Free stuff we've gotten over the years:

3 large oriental rugs, one needed only minor cleaning the others were perfectly fine
2 huge stuffed animals, brand new, perfect gifts for my little nieces
1 couch (long since replaced)
1 desk lamp, needed a new bulb
1 fax/phone/answering machine that only needed a new ink cartridge for the fax to be fully functional
1 starving cat (happy and healthy now)
Many other small things I can't recall at the moment

I try not to throw away useable things, I give a lot of second-hand things to Goodwill or St Vincent de Paul, and recycle what I can otherwise. No sense to sending useable/recyclable things to a landfill.
 
  • #20
Dumpster diving?!

You people are crazy I would never take something from the TRASH and use it!!!

That is messed up, if someone threw it away what makes you think I'm going to want it. Used porn? disgusting! ....EDIT...


Wow....
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Sorry I just didn't know non homless people did that. Infact I say leave it there a nice homeless man might need the stuff
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EDIT: Ummmmm...a little too much detailed information!
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