Dumpster Diving: Who, What, When, Where and Why?
Posted: Wednesday, May 05, 2010
by Nikki Willhite
Nikki Willhite
Dumpster Diving is not for everyone. However, Dumpster Diving has become very popular, and is considered a great resource by many people. We live in a time of excess and waste, and I don't think we should look down on those who find a way to use that "waste".
When we moved a few years ago, we found a store that didn't crush all their boxes, and spent a month checking their dumpster every day for boxes that we could use in our move. That dumpster served us well!
Definition
Dumpster Divers are people who search for things that other people have thrown out that are still useful, can be recycled, and have value. Dumpster Divers will not only pick up discarded items left at the curbside of people's homes, but they will climb into dumpsters at apartment buildings and behind shopping centers.
However! Most don't actually get in the bins. Most people have some sort of long pole which allows them to just lean over the dumpster and pull the items up to them. People enjoy this hobby. It's like a Treasure Hunt.
If you think about it, at one time or another we've all been lazy and thrown away something that we could have given to Goodwill or recycled. If we've done it, think about the people who don't watch their finances carefully. They are throwing away things right and left!
Dumpster Diving can also be profitable. You can make money with everything from aluminum cans to items that can be resold at garage sales. People have been known to give up their day jobs to do this!
Common Finds
Many interesting and unexpected items can be found when diving. Here are some of the more common:
Furniture Food Products, such as Meat, Fruit, Vegetables, & Pastry Things that get outdated, and are not worth the store's time to return - everything from dishes to greeting cards.
Great Finds
Computers & Accessories, VCR's, Televisions, Radios, Lawn Mowers, Vacuum Cleaners, Power Tools, telephones, answering machines, and bicycles.
Equipment
If you are going in the evening, you are going to need something to light up the dumpster. Some people carry a small flashlight. They attach a cord to it, and then hold it in their teeth to keep their hands free. Others wear a headlamp! You can find them at reasonable prices in the bike area of discount stores.
You need something to pull the stuff to you- some kind of pole with a hook at the end. A hoe works. You can also buy long poles that will pick up a quarter in the corner of an empty dumpster.
A stepping stool will help you reach over the top.
Bags- Trash Bags, Plastic Bags, etc., and duct tape in case your bag splits open.
Wet wipes to clean up with, and anti-bacterial lotion for afterwards.
A basic first aid kit, in case you hurt yourself.
Potential Hazards
Never climb into a Dumpster with Medical and Hazardous Waste. Anyone can throw out a needle that could jab you. Wear protective clothing.
Lids that suddenly slam shut when windy.
Sharp Objects
Icky stuff- like dead animals.
Legal Implications- Make sure that there are no ordinances that make this activity illegal in your area.
Favorite Spots
Apartment buildings where people move often and leave stuff behind.
Dumpsters behind stores that sell merchandise you are interested in, like bakeries, florists, toy stores, bookstores, etc.
Dumpster Etiquette & Rules
Don't go behind a closed fence to reach a dumpster.
Don't leave a mess. Leave the dumpster better than you found it so those who enjoy this hobby can continue.
Don't take paperwork with people's confidential records.
Take only what you can use, and leave the rest for someone else.
Other Resources
Here is a website by a real pro: The Dumpster Lady
Maybe next time you go by someone engaged in this hobby, instead of looking the other way, you might ask them if they found anything good today?
About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money! Article first published at www.allthingsfrugal.com
This Article has been viewed 672 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)It is interesting article, Nikki. Thank you for your sharing. I was born in Japan, and over package and package decorations are always waste problems there. I heard there is someone who made himself a millionaire by waste processing plant built next to semiconductor factory, despite the fact that the factory gave up the idea of waste processing due to too much cost. It all depends how you see the value to it. Somebody's waste may be my treasure. Thanks, again!
Yes, I often see these people diving into dumpsters and pulling out things you wouldn't even dream would be in there. They usually have a shopping cart nearby and they are out early in the morning shopping...Got to Love it!
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.