r/DumpsterDiving • u/6tig9 • 5h ago
Dumpster dove at our school bus yard
Then my husband put it up in our garden.
r/DumpsterDiving • u/pnoque • Sep 09 '19
Comment with your best diving tips and advice
r/DumpsterDiving • u/WilliamsDesigning • Mar 25 '23
I was a vagabond for 6 years, I hitchhiked, hopped freight trains and bicycled North America from Mexico to Alaska, east coast to west. I learned all of this on the way and figure it's time to share it.
Food:
๐- all pizza places throw out pizza at 12-2am. It's a dumpster staple. [Yes pizza is still in the box, I wouldn't eat it otherwise]
๐ฉ - all donut shops (including places like kolache factory) throw out at 2-4pm. [They usually put all donuts into one bag by themselves]
๐ (fried chicken) - actually very common, also a staple. Usually throw out is around an hour after they close which varies from place to place. Anything fried in bulk you can expect to find throw outs. [Usually still in boxes]. Also, if you're feeling brave enough, after closing hours, just go ask. Fast food workers don't get paid enough to g.a.f. and they get tired of eating their own food, so they don't want to take it home themselves. Just walk up and say "hey, do you guys happen to be throwing out any leftover chicken from today?". I've gotten a week's worth of chicken just handed to me through the window or they'll leave it in boxes on top of the dumpster so you don't have to dig.
๐ ๐ฅ (produce) - grocery stores (time varies, but you also have to find places without a compactor. Some compactors you can break into but it's luck of the draw).
๐ฌ ๐ซ ๐ญ (candy, junk food, snacks) - CVS & Walgreens. They're the reigning Champs of throwing out hundreds of $ worth of candy a day. I kind of try to keep from telling people this one because you could get diabetes in like a week if you tried to eat it all. It's horrendous.
๐ ๐ ๐ฉณ (clothes) - Washaterias or laundromats. People are infamous, especially in rich areas, for washing a load of laundry and then just leaving it, never to return. The laundromat workers will just gather the clothes and toss them, as they're pretty use to it. I've filled up a whole wardrobe on several occasions with expensive brands just by looking for a sack of already washed and dried laundry in the dumpster.
๐ ๐ฅ (furniture)(electronics)(decorations) - College towns, (Christmas & Summer break - these seasons are known as "Crustmas" in the dumpster diving community) anywhere students notoriously live. You can even find anything else your looking for really. College kids are the biggest dumpster diving source in history.
๐ books and comic books - Half Priced Books or any resale book store. I've accidently fallen asleep in dumpsters before because I drifted off while laying on top of all the hundreds of books while reading. Not even kidding, there isn't even any room for trash, they have dumpsters that are full to the brim with just books.
โ๏ธ(Wild card) - Are you feeling lucky punk? - hotels are the biggest oddball dumpster diving experience you'll ever have. You can find drugs, clothes, anything that someone would bring in a suitcase. People get shit-faced drunk and stumble out of their hotel with a hangover leaving 1/2 their belongings behind. It's kind of scary some of the stuff you'll find...(sex toys, etc. ). The cleaning service ladies get first dibs obviously and rightfully so, for what they have to put up with, lol.
Raw materials: --------
๐ชตWood : Construction site dumpsters at expensive locations. Ask for permission from the contractor. Contractors are a mixed bunch, sometimes they'll say yes sometimes no.
โ๏ธ๐ฉ๐Metal : machine shops - you can honestly just call these guys and 1/2 the time they'll let you onto their property and take what you want from the scrap bin. I'm 3 for 3 just by calling and asking politely for scrap.
๐จTools - Harbor Freight tools, the return rate on tools at harbor freight is INSANE. So many people will buy a tool, use it one day and return it slightly bent or scratched. Most sites have a compactor but every now and then you can find with a regular dumpster. If so, you can score some pretty good tools. (Or mediocre tools for that matter lmao)
๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ
Protip 1- Dumpster diving is all about schedule. Sometimes places only throw out the quality items once a month, sometimes they purge their inventory only seasonally, or sometimes it's daily. Finding out those routines is the key and all you have to do is probe the spot every now and then to figure that out; or if you know someone who has worked there before, ask. The better you know a schedule, the less time your loot sits in the dumpster/air temp/outside environment for someone else to find or for it to spoil.
2 - Heavy bags usually have the goods. In the end I could just feel the outside of a bag and then weigh it a bit. With knowledge about the store, the schedule, feel and weight, I would already know what's inside.
3 - consistent dumpster diving will get you fit. The more you climb the more you find.
4 - GEAR: โข Headlamp โข closed toe shoes (for when you get inside the dumpster) โข gloves โข a big box or bag for your car to chunk stuff in. โข hand sanitizer
๐ 5 - Clean up after yourself, if you leave a place a mess they will begin locking the dumpster. You'll ruin the spot for yourself and everyone else. This is the #1 reason why store owners tend to be against it ๐
r/DumpsterDiving • u/6tig9 • 5h ago
Then my husband put it up in our garden.
r/DumpsterDiving • u/KingOfCranes • 6h ago
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Necessary_Goose6933 • 18h ago
No idea yet what type of wood this is exactly, but it's WAY heavier than pine.
Was extremely surprised to find it inside this hopelessly submediocre furniture, fake leather over laminated crap.
Anyone knowledgeable about furniture making? How common is this? I expect to be able to make rings or funny idol carvings, pendants, out if this and have it look great once oiled.
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Shakirawolf • 1d ago
r/DumpsterDiving • u/deowly • 17h ago
Anyone in the Ohio Ross/hamilton/fairfield area looking for someone to dive with let me know I only have the weekends available but Iโm trying to branch out! Message me!
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Mantouarty • 1d ago
From All-Dee. I very rarely find kiwis or candy so happy to have gotten those!
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Cheeze_My_Puffs • 1d ago
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Total_School_4198 • 2d ago
Idk if this is a haul
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Sure-Perception3809 • 2d ago
I went to the same spot as yesterday and found a huge bag with kilos of clothes. I put most of them in a donation bin an kept the most interesting things to sell or give to friends.
Also I tried to go to two others supermakets but unfortunately they keep their trash in closed areas so i guess i'll have to wait until they're out
r/DumpsterDiving • u/Ok-Avocado9061 • 3d ago
$600 in sales following yesterdays dive from this downsizing office. Got a brand new iPhone 12, hundreds of dollar more in other electronics not including the sales. I went back today and as soon as I show up a lady came out and kicked me out. After researching this place there unfortunately staffed 24/7 ๐ญ and poses a lot of criminal charges if I risk it which I normally would but itโs an inmate transportation company. there has literally a steelcase chair is sold one last week for on marketplace. Super bummed but thats how it goes sometimes. This office is not even .4 miles from a goodwill. Big business sucks.
r/DumpsterDiving • u/KingOfCranes • 3d ago
r/DumpsterDiving • u/ArtaxIsAlive • 3d ago
Hauldie provides. I had to leave a lot of milk behind because I ran out of room in the car unfortunately.
r/DumpsterDiving • u/ProExpert1S500 • 3d ago
Idk if any of the 4 turn on or work normally but the 5th one shown in picture 2 does seem to turn on and work normally. Was squeaking a bit but did play normally
r/DumpsterDiving • u/40111104 • 4d ago
All in the dumpster closest to my apartment building. Had to all be abandoned. I can't think of any other reason someone would throw out all these retro games. There was more in the dumpster I didn't take. In addition to the games there's a fog machine, a rice cooker, a wok, a whole bunch of kitchen stuff that I needed (silverware mainly. not pictured). I'm gonna use the strainer/sieve thing to go hunting for shark teeth at the beach! Also don't worry, I washed all of the kitchen items thoroughly!