Excuse me?!?! Dumpster Diving

[Hylas]

So here is that fake leather chair I said I would post.  What a find.  Definitely worth picking up.  I had to use a shop vac to clean the rain from it, but it didn't mold at all!

http://heather.homelinux.org/dumpster-diving-and-scavenging

[staciart]

Wow, what a marvelous find! That leather piece is grrrreat!!    Another tip: even regular trash days are good, - really, the night before trash day pick up. *sigh* 

When we moved out, I put out over a dozen wallpaper sample books with a sign above that they were FREE. I hated to let them go, but y'know...moving stinks.

[Hylas]

You know, the funny thing is that looked at that picture again.  I didn't pay for anything in it!  The plants were from starts, the pillow is handmade by a friend, I made the blanket, and the tables were from free boxes.  I got the lamp for $1 at a sale.  Some things ARE free in life.  Yippee.

[whitestar]

That chair looks so comfy!
I have been considering this for awhile and a friend of mine who's done it before strongly urged me to hit our local college in the near future, since it's Spring Break and folks will be going home & possibly throwing out their stuff.

[jadco123]

So who do you call at the universities to find out when "move out" day is?  I live in a big university town!!!

[Gwydion]

So who do you call at the universities to find out when "move out" day is?  I live in a big university town!!!

Pull up the university website and look for a link for "academic calendar" or "semester schedule"--this will usually note the end of term. 

The website should also usually have a "housing" link that might have more specific information about move-out dates, and will also have a phone number for a Director of Housing or housing coordinator, if you want to ask about their dumpster-shopping and/or tag sale policies. 

[hooksforfeet]

I'm sorry to bump the thread, but I just wanted to share a little knowledge I learned in my days of working at McDonald's. (LOL @ me <--------former McLoser.)

Anyways. Some stores will let you go through their recycling bins or dumpsters so long as you clean up your mess and ask them nicley (just say you're looking for boxes.)

You can get a fine (in most places) if you get caught dumpster diving. But if it's not in the dumpster (like say, big pieces that are outside on the street) its litter and it's up for grabs. I think that technically you're doing a service for the city if you take old chairs and stuff. Weird.

And don't do it in any big cities or near the downtown areas. It's garbage for a reason. I only have one word left: Syringes.

[samann1121]

Check out my blog for a record of my last 3 weeks of curb shopping.  It's "Spring Clean Up" time in my little town, and that means awesome free stuff for me! 

http://samann1121.blogspot.com

[meanderingartist]

I work in construction  and I find all kinds of stuff in the jobsite dumpsters- better yet, I can usually scout out what is in there from the window in the house I am painting- birds eye view.
Some of the guys know the kinds of materials I like and will often offer it to me before they trash it.

The construction sites frown upon dumpster diving that is done by folks who do not belong on the site, but they do not often make a big deal out of it.  Those of us from the job who dive don't really care, after all, we get first dibs and elevated views

[Leoreai]

In my city there are drop boxes for donated clothing only /recycling /etc. often times left outside are other msc junk and often a few finds. Id never take the stuff out of the boxes. they are for a great cause... but the stuff outside they are gonna trash anyway!  If your area has any of those kind of dropoff facilities take a look, Ive found wicker chairs, neat bags and alot if different stuff outside of those bins. Better used than thrown away.