Your best Dumpster Dive Finds

**suebeehoney** · 12-07-2009, 08:04 AM

Ok, I realize not everyone does the Dumpster Dive thing...but being raised by a family that didn't have much, I learned that things other people cast off can be repaired, reused, recycled by our family!

On a recent trip to the dump to get rid of our household trash, I saw some furniture and stuff out by their dumpsters. Of course I asked first - and was told it was up for grabs.

I got:

-4 very nice wooden dining chairs with 4" thick vinyl covered cushions. They will be refinished and re-upholstered over the winter by my son. Good winter project, and we needed chairs.

-1 yellow ladies' golf bag WITH 3 CLUBS! I'm going to clean it up and put it on Ebay.

-2 lawnchairs - the long chaise type.

I passed up some of the other furniture that was there, though it was really nice. It had been rained on and had apparently been sitting out for a long time. Looked like some critters had taken up residence in it.

So what's your best roadside, curbside, dumpster dive, or other "free" find?

**frugalwarrior2** · 12-07-2009, 08:09 AM

I guess I am more of a curb grabber. OUr neighbor has a sm. business that sells gifty things online. I always grab her boxes. She leaves out laundry baskets of hangers. The kind that are 12/2.00 now. I also find batteries (new) attached to the cardboard.
In our neighborhood it is common practice to leave things laying on top of trash cans for junkers to find.
I guess a jvc tv was prob. the best find I can think of.

**hotprincesscm** · 12-07-2009, 08:37 AM

Wow, you girls are lucky! I don't make it regular practice to check out dumpsters. I live in a low income community, so most things thrown out are really trash. If I saw something on the side of the road worth grabbing I would though, but to this day haven't seen anything worth grabbing! Must be the area I live in I guess!

**Nana2two** · 12-07-2009, 12:18 PM

Lets see this was around 7 years ago. I found 5 cases of apple juice. Not expired, was all sticky so a bottle or 2 must have broke and they didnt want to clean them. Brought them home, cleaned with soap, bleach and water rinsed and stored in my pantry. I also found 4 5o lb bags of bird seed, Not sure why it was thrown out.A vcr with a cut cord, was easy to fix.

**Peaches** · 12-07-2009, 12:26 PM

A bread machine and a stick blender, both with all their attachments and in their original boxes.

**TigerGirl1226** · 12-07-2009, 12:39 PM

A lawn mower that just need a new oil filter. It was on the side of the road.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 12-07-2009, 01:09 PM

Just yesterday we got a four-drawer dresser that was sitting on the curb. It will go in the nursery once we paint it.

The thing is NICE and solid wood! I have no idea why anybody would think to get rid of it! We left a note at the house and they called and told us we could take it away.

**ramblin' rose** · 12-18-2009, 10:49 PM

Wonderful finds!! My best curbside find was 2 very nice metal rocking lawn chairs. Great condition, just needed new cushions. I picked up a couple of cushions for them at Big Lots and viola!!! Beautiful new chairs!

**Debbie-cat** · 12-19-2009, 12:42 AM

Wow you guys are lucky! I have never found any finds like that!

**ladytoysdream** · 12-19-2009, 07:20 AM

I think my best find was years ago at a garage sale.
It was a older lady who was getting ready to move into a retirement home. Half of her garage was set up neatly with 2 rows of stuff on the tables. I remember getting a nice big box of yarn and several small things.
Got to looking at the other half of the garage and noticed a messy pile of stuff. I asked her if that was getting thrown out and she said yes. I asked her if I could go through it and got a yes. I found some old dolls and kept digging for the rest of the pieces and parts for them. Asked her if she meant for them to be in the trash and she said yes. Also another lady helping her also said yes. They were just old dolls. I was not sure of the value but I remember giving her some money for them. Got them home, cleaned up, researched, etc. Ended up putting them up on ebay in several auctions. I ended up with about $ 440 .... for 4 vintage GI Joe dolls and their clothing in played with condition. I was happy

**Jetruth** · 12-20-2009, 03:48 PM

You have truly hit the mother load. Happy Diving.

**Luckybustert** · 12-20-2009, 06:26 PM

Several of you have made some great finds! Around where I live if you put something out on the curb it will just sit there. If you put a sign on it that says "For Sale $5.00", someone will "steal" it....it's the strangest thing! So now we always put a for sale sign on the junk we set out so someone will be sure to carry it away.

**ladytoysdream** · 12-20-2009, 06:47 PM

Years ago, when I was with my first husband, he had this real big fear of letting me go to the town dump when it was open on saturdays. I had this bad habit of bringing home more than I took. Or so I was accused of. One of my better finds was a real nice sewing cabinet for my sewing machine. I still have it after all these years. Nothing wrong with it, just somebody did not want it. One of my son's good finds at this same dump, was a like new lawnmower. I think it was just low on oil. Something really simple. I no longer can use that one because I don't live in that town now.

My second husband,( current one ) also has this fear of letting me go to this town dump. It's been a few years since I been to it. It's called a landfill and VERY big machines move the stuff around, and it's not safe to try to rescue anything. My best deal years ago, was bringing home a pickup truck full of rolled up room size rugs. I had enough to do all 5 bedrooms, and the living room in the old farm house. I still drive a big pick up truck. You just never know when something will be sitting at the curb or a garage sale with the word free on it........