Anyone dumpster dive?

**mom2natalie** · 10-15-2001, 10:14 AM

I am wondering if anyone here "dumpster dives"? If so, what types of things have you found?

Carrie

**MicheleMomof3** · 11-08-2001, 12:44 AM

Carrie, I do! I go every Sunday night and the things I find...well...too many to list. All nice stuff, no junk Lots of clothing, furniture and anything else you can think of!
~Michele~

walletgirl · 11-09-2001, 08:54 AM

I haven't gone dumpster diving, but I have found a lot of curbside finds.

Mostly 50's patio furniture. They just needed to be repainted and are pretty collectible now.

Walletgirl

**MicheleMomof3** · 11-09-2001, 04:38 PM

Walletgirl,
I do better with what I call the "Curbside Mall" than Dumpster diving. Though I must admit that almost 90% of the clothing for me I find (Liz Claiborne mostly) is in the dumpster of the Goodwill. Why they throw these donations away is beyond me. I once found a whole bag of baby Carter clothes right after I had my daughter. Must have been 60 extremely nice outfits in there. I have collected so many girls clothes (I have a 3 yo girl and 3 month old girl) that Ive had to divide them by size and store them in Rubbermaid containers. I have about 9 containers and counting. And I need to buy aleast 2 more for things that need to be stored away! I keep only the things that arent stained, torn or missing something (buttons I can replace, zippers I cant lol).
My house is mostly furnished with things I found along side of the road. And no I dont have a Harvest yellow recliner and a plaid couch LOL I actually have a less than 2 year old Broyhill couch that was tossed out due to some nasty ink stains on the 2 seat cushions. I turned them over and its fixed!! I also have a beautiful huge hunter green/natural top farm table that seats 8. Plus the matching chairs. The problem was a leg came off the table. I had my Dh put the leg back on and with 2 small screws (they left the orginal bolt to it so it was an easy fix, he just bolted it back in ) to double secure it I have a beautiful table & chairs! I also have a yard full of Little Tikes toys that was tossed. Example: 2 country cottage playhouses and a 2 story Little Tikes Castle with slide (retails for $450 at Toys R Us!!). I could list forever the things Ive found!
~Michele~

**pat123123** · 11-22-2001, 07:23 AM

I don't extensively dumpster dive (dh is against it) but I won't pass up a great deal if I find it...I mean, seriously, if you were passing by, and saw a $100 bill sitting on top of the junk in the dumpster wouldn't you grab it??? what about a a $20? okay, now, a $5? a $1??? Now, would you bother with a quarter? LOL...it's all a matter of decided how "good" it has to be to grab it...

A couple of my "bargains"

two large wooden outdoor chairs (perfect for my yard and I NEEDED outdoor chairs too...just had one white plastic one that kept blowing away, lol)

a dollie (for moving furniture) broken badly but still sold it for $10 (duh, it wasn't easily repairable...but if they had welding tools maybe...) It was not a heavy duty one, just a cheapie...

an antique quilt (hand made) Damaged and stained...but it still sold locally for enough to have been worth the trouble, the same with a plant stand I found...

A nice bathroom rug, quilted bed pad, and sheet set the other day...all on top of the dumspter...washed it with LOTS of pine sol (needed some "boyish" sheets for my son's bed too! though he hasn't complained about flowers yet...)

Saw a little tykes basketball set but couldn't get it...too much stuff on top of it and I'm not strong...saw a NICE bed frame too, but had no way to haul it, sigh....

**MicheleMomof3** · 11-23-2001, 03:41 AM

My Dh at first was against it. Until I hauled home a lawn mower LOL He is just as hooked as I am I sat down about 4 months into my trash picking venture and figured we saved over $1500 from it! I replace things that in my house really need replacing (like microwave, couch, TV stand etc.) this way. I rarely buy anything to do with furniture new anymore ! I agree with what you said Patricia about passing up money, cause thats its exactly what it is!
~Michele~

**mom2jessandem** · 11-23-2001, 08:58 AM

My dh introduced me to it 10 years ago when we first got married. One day he brings home this vacuum cleaner...it was a little old, but all it needed was a new bag!! Worked great. (he worked for an apartment complex at the time and people would just leave stuff sitting by the compactor) Well, that hooked me!! Also, people moving out of apartments would leave stuff....clothes, furniture, household stuff....you wouldn't believe what people just leave!!!

Our latest find.....at the landfill.....an antique school desk!! Saw one just like it at the local antique store for $75!!

**MicheleMomof3** · 11-29-2001, 03:57 PM

Ladies (And any doubters out there)..........give me a bit of time maybe by tonight I can post some pictures of my "finds". And see if you would pass these things up? Im a one woman campaign to make all frugal mamas avid dumpster or curbside shoppers!

~Michele~

**MicheleMomof3** · 12-03-2001, 06:14 AM

Ok better late than never LOL Heres some pictures. This is my living room, the couch , large painting, lamps and area rug were all trash picked! I have more picture!
~Michele~

**MicheleMomof3** · 12-03-2001, 06:16 AM

Another pic, the TV stand was trash picked
~Michele~

**MicheleMomof3** · 12-03-2001, 06:21 AM

Last one for now....the chair was trashpicked. It is a Futon chair. I had never seen one before. The frame is pine and beautiful (and heavy lol). I made the cover out of a twin sheet from Wal Mart that cost $2.89. The cushion was in great shape! I just covered so my kids wouldnt destroy it
~Michele~