Attitudes towards "Trash Picking"

[Fairacre]

k0xxx, maybe the lady was giving you eggs she had bought at the store but no longer needed since her hens were now laying in abundance. But you're right, old carpet has lots of great uses, for gardening as well as laying under above-ground pools and play sets.

I wish people used FreeCycle more for items like this, things that may not be good enough to be used for its original purpose but still useful for other applications.

I'm going to try to be less shy about my gleaning, and hope it encourages other folks to do the same. We all admire other folks for finding great treasures among the trash, let's continue to conduct our rescues without shame any more! And of course use courtesy & consideration towards the folks leaving things out, asking permission if you're not sure something was meant to be taken, leaving the pile in as good or better condition than you found it.

And I'm going to especially try to be less shy about gleaning from my neighbors. I'll talk with these new folks & let them know I have people that can put their discards to good use -- including me! -- and that I certainly wouldn't mind if they offer them to me first.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm a dumpster diver from way back! Not a bit ashamed to stop in the broad light of day and hustle something to the truck. If it's large and nice, I always ask. If it's small and obviously with the rest of the trash, that puppy is MINE!

I've gotten the greatest stuff from the trash.......

 

[Farmfresh]

I Freecycle often. I used to dumpster dive ... especially when we used to live in a townhouse. The dumpsters around there were always full of treasure!

By the way Welcome to Sufficient Self Slinkytoys!

 

[SKR8PN]

Back when I was a struggling young auto tech, still working for a dealership, I would get to work EARLY in the morning, and make my rounds of all the other tech's trash cans and sort out any aluminum cans, copper or steel that I could use to supplement my meager(at the time)income. Not exactly dumpster divin', but it worked for me.

 

[sylvie]

To the dumpster divers-are you on the tall side? I can't see into those, much less lean over and snag the goodies.
What are your dumpster diving secrets? Please share and give us dumpster wannabes an instructional, lol!

 

[FarmerChick]

I don't go out looking for stuff. If I happen across it while driving, then I might take something if it is by the side of the road, or sitting off to the side at the landfill etc.

I don't want much "stuff"---LOL

I am trying to downgrade all things I have in this home. Totally declutter and I refuse to bring in anything I might not need.

So if I drive by something free etc. and I need it ---I have no problem stopping and getting it. Not ashamed or anything, just if I see a bargain deal I take advantage.

My area doesn't have an attitude about free stuff on the roadside etc.

Maybe it is location that makes one feel ashamed, or people think you are poor, or needy or whatever. Around my area, we all look for a free bargain whenever we can...LOL

 

[framing fowl]

I used to be shy about it but then I would be frustrated with myself if I missed out on deals by waiting 'til dark... so now, if I have a use for it, I grab it. I don't go around opening lids on cans, just if it's beside the can or on the side of the road. I try to keep an eye out for any kind of metal to take to the scrap yard, any building materials, and any furniture or household items that I think I can fix up and make a few bucks on craigslist.

I also use a free sign when I put stuff on the curb so that others don't have to feel shy, or come knocking on my door to ask.

Ladychef ~I can't imagine if someone actually opened the lid on my trash and looked through there. I would absolutely feel like it is an invasion of privacy and I would be worried about getting sued if they did something dumb and hurt themselves in the process. Luckily it's not a problem here... yet

 

[hikerchick]

I don't see anything wrong with it but my house is full of junk already and I can't in good conscience bring back more.

 

[Beekissed]

Ahhh....you see, it's all in your perspective. If you are looking for junk to bring home, you will only see junk.

If, however, you are looking for just the right thing to build something you need, to repurpose into something you need, to complete something you are building....then it is no longer "junk"!

It then becomes the treasure that you didn't have to spend money upon to complete your project, to build a feeder for your animals, to re-upholster your porch settee, etc.

I don't go out to look for junk to bring to my home....no space for junk. I do look for things that I can use that will keep me from having to buy that particular item.....like apple baskets, a 6 ft. long wicker porch swing that was the perfect thing for my front porch, a set of huge casters to put on the bottom of my wood box to prevent it from scratching my porch floor, etc.

 

[Fairacre]

Hikerchick, I know what you mean, and my husband would certainly agree with you. But my perspective is more like Beekissed, I find lots of useful things to liberate from other folks' discard piles. The problem I need to work on is storing my finds neatly & less noticeably until the day I use them. It's great to have these useful materials on hand at no cost, to construct something for my poultry or garden without having to pay for much of the materials. But not if they collect in piles on the driveway right next to where I parked & unloaded, in a hurry to take care of other chores instead.

The other day I was loading the van with lumber I found stacked in someone's discard pile. My 8-year-old son said, innocently without a trace of irony, "Well Mom, you know what they say, one man's trash is another man's junk!" I replied "Well I know what you meant to say, but I think Dad would agree with what you just said."