Talking Trash
July 10, 2008 > 23 Comments
Summer is here on the military base and that means many families are moving. Moving means there are great finds at the dumpster and the curb on bulk pick up day. We have been “dumpster diving” for several years and have a picked up a few tips along the way.
Bulk Trash Day
An easy way to find great discards without picking through the garbage, is to drive or walk your neighborhood the night before bulk pick up day and see what your neighbors have left at the curb. At this point you can pick up the item of interest and go home. If you are uncomfortable with taking the item you could ask the homeowner if you could have the item, I have never had someone say no. Summer is a great time for curbside finds since many people move in the summer months.
Apartment Complexes
Apartment dumpsters are also good places to find treasures. Apartments have a high turnover and people often leave good items behind.
Dumpsters
Visiting the actual dumpster is my last choice. Usually we see stuff lying beside the dumpster or right on top so it is within reach. If you pull things out of a dumpster make sure you don’t leave a mess when you are finished. I recently read that people use long poles to hunt around in dumpsters, that way you avoid getting in the dumpster, which personally I think can be dangerous. If you must go in the dumpster, please wear close toed shoes as well as gloves. Remember you are walking on garbage!
There is actually someone on the internet named “The Dumpster Lady” why this surprises me I don’t know, but anyway, she has written a great article explaining the ins and outs of dumpster diving. While I prefer shopping at the curb, there are people out there who even dumpster dive for food. I am not endorsing this or condoning it, rather just passing the information on to you all.
During a recent trip to the dumpster my husband found this little princess scooter. It just needed a little cleaning and my daughter now has a scooter!
On our morning walk, we found this brand new crib piece. Our neighbors were throwing it out because it had a small scratch on one side, and the company was replacing it.
I didn’t need a crib piece, but I realized that the side of a crib is the exact same size as the width of a double bed. My daughter now has a beautiful headboard (the scratched side is turned towards the wall).
My husband also pulled out 3 nice fishing poles, a battery operated car, another scooter, little girls bike, tandem bike, and a vacuum from the trash in the last few weeks. Some of the finds we are keeping, but we are giving other items to people who need them. I am excited to be able to share our finds with other families! Remember to be on the look out for things not just for yourself, but for others.
For more Frugal Friday visit Biblical Womanhood.
Comments
23 Responses to “Talking Trash”
Post your response
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffivejs.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2008%2F11%2Ftwitter.gif)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi533.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee336%2Fanderbach%2Fitchtopitchbutton.jpg)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi533.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee336%2Fanderbach%2Fback-to-basics-small-1.jpg)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themomblogs.com%2Fmbbutton.jpg)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fhappytobeathome.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2008%2F07%2F3moms_ebook_purchase_button.jpg)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fthehappyhousewife.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2008%2F05%2Fcouponsfortroops.jpg)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fi533.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee336%2Fanderbach%2F984d.jpg)
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
Great finds! I remember seeing a news piece on “Free-gans” people who eat vegetarian from dumpsters behind grocery stores. It was crazy what they found. Crazy what people throw away everyday. I love ‘curbside shopping’ for household items, but I don’t think I could take the food . . .
~Erin
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:19 pm
Our dumpster diving started many years ago. I remember partially furnishing our daughters college apartment from the dumpster. Great diving when college is over and kids are going home. They throw everything away… even computers! Mom and Dad will buy them all new next year.
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
Good grief!
I need to move to your neighborhood!
Great finds!
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
We trash pick quite a bit of stuff. Usually just off the curb, and only occasionally directly out of a dumpster. We’ve found a lot of great toys, shelving, and housewares that way.
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
Great finds! We did this curbside shopping when we lived in a college town, they do throw just about everything out when they move out, it’s amazing what you can find!!
-Laura
July 10th, 2008 @ 10:57 pm
wow…around here it is tough to find stuff curbside…this area has so many scrap mental hunters and junk collectors that stuff gets snatched up instantly!
good finds for you
July 10th, 2008 @ 11:27 pm
Great blog – great post! I LOVE the headboard. You are so creative, I would have never thought of that!
July 10th, 2008 @ 11:46 pm
Gorgeous headboard! What a great find!
July 11th, 2008 @ 12:05 am
I run an ebay business and when I have things that I am not going to sell and are not worth donating to charity, I will place them beside the dumpster instead of inside of it (commercial dumpster). I have never seen anything stay there for more than a day. I am glad that stuff is going to someone who will use it or earn a few nickels recycling it instead of in the landfill.
On the flip side, we are in need of new dining room chairs. I was on my way to pick up my oldest son from a friend’s house and I saw 6 dining room chairs out in someone’s trash. I decided to pick up my son first and get the chairs on the way back. Of course, when I returned no more than 10 minutes later, they were gone. DOH!
July 11th, 2008 @ 6:38 am
COOL! I’ve been keeping silent about the boxes (and I DO mean mulitple BOXES) of stuff DaHubby brings home from a particular house on his way to and from work.
This woman must be on a serious purging adventure because about every two weeks there are boxes lining the side of the road filled with clothes marked FREE.
The stuff STILL WITH TAGS, I Ebay. The stuff that would fit DaHubby, Vikings, and me I wash. And, most everything else has become part of my “material pile” in the sewing room where I’ve made several dresses and several pairs of shorts for the Vikings.
The last box he brought home had THREE tags still on em pairs of shorts in EXACTLY my size! *big grin* Guess what I wore grocery shopping yesterday!? LOL
July 11th, 2008 @ 9:53 am
Wow…you have found some GREAT trash!! I LOVE the headboard! It’s beautiful!
July 11th, 2008 @ 11:10 am
Wow! That crib piece was a GREAT find!!!
July 11th, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Hubby and I furnished our first home together with dumpster treasures. Around here you have to get up pretty early to beat the trucks that drive around to resell at the flea markets. You can’t even put the recycling bins out over night without said trucks picking out of them. I wouldn’t mind so much if they didn’t just strew the stuff all over the street.
I wish they were strewing trash like you found!
July 11th, 2008 @ 11:58 am
Your home is gorgeous! ( I caught a peek of the corner in the fishing rod post) We live on base at Vandenberg and our houses are awful! Lucky you!
July 11th, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
After four years of living overseas we are back in the states living on post. I was ABSOLUTELY APPALLED to see how much stuff military families throw away. We try to sell our extras first, then offer them for free, then take them to the thrift store. And I’m just loving Freecycle here in the states!
July 11th, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
I LOVE summer on base. This base not so much, but the one back in Mountain Home AFB, that was just awesome. Every weekend we went to the recycle center and found so many good things. As a matter of fact the washer I have right now, was left there and it has been working perfectly for 5 years now.
July 11th, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
Great finds! I love how the crib side piece works beautifully for the headboard!
July 11th, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
Wow – you know I dont think I ever would have thought of that. The crib piece looks great!! What fun a new scooter.
July 11th, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
I love that headboard! And such a great price!
July 11th, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
Cool! I love to find things we could use especially when they are free! We like to go alley walking…it’s amazing what people throw away. But like they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
When you are on a tight budget you have to be creative and I think her bed looks amazing!
July 11th, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
I love the Headboard! Great Job!!
July 11th, 2008 @ 9:04 pm
oh how i love the base in the summer lol!! we go out looking starting Friday and do so until the trash is gone on Monday lol i have gotten some cool things and i actually just did a post about this the other day lol!!
July 12th, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
Amazing. I’ve blogged about getting two cat carriers and a nandina from my neighbor’s trash. My husband and I once found a cedar chest at a condo dumpster, but when we returned to get it, it had been taken.
I don’t understand why people throw away useable items. Take them to Goodwill.