Loading ... 04 Feb
11 Rules of the Dumpster Dive
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS blog feed. Also check out more information on how FFL got started. Thanks for visiting!
This message will go away after 3 visits.
I love to dumpster dive and I mean peak inside the big green monster, poke around with a stick and grab what appeals to me. Of course if you prefer the curb crawling only, that is fine as well. Perhaps you are new to all of this and unsure where to start. Here are some rules that I live by:
- Leave the place looking better than when you found it
- NEVER take anything that can cause an identity to be stolen. If you found something, rip it up into tiny pieces.
- Dress the part. Wear grubby clothes, solid shoes or boots, gloves and a flashlight are good and bring a poking stick.
- Make sure you have appropriate transportation. It is hard to bring home the rocking chair on a bicycle.
- If you are handy with fixing stuff, bring it home. If not, leave it there as it will probably just clutter your place up.
- Check for water damage on furniture.
- Have a place in mind for the item. Don’t bring stuff home thinking you might use it.
- Stop by immediately if you see something of interest. Don’t wait, it will be gone. I have learned many a lesson on this
- Don’t dive in business areas during business hours. Even though it may be legal in your area, it makes the business look bad and they may call the cops just to scare you off.
- If you happen to meet up with another diver, be kind. It isn’t anyone’s territory as you both may be looking for different things
- Dumpster diving is only limited by you. Some are ok with diving for food and others are not.
additional reading:
Treasure Hunting (aka. Dumpster diving)
Dumpster Finds- For Keep and Sale
Garbage Dresser Refinishing
Can you be a Freegan?
Digging in the Dumpster
My mom had a couple routes she’d walk every morning. If she found something random she liked (bookcase, dresser, etc), she’d run up to the house, ask them if they could hold it for her while she go the car. She’d then walk back home and drive over to get it.
That’s how she furnished 3 of our bookshelves, my nightstand, and more. We got some really quality stuff, too. The people must have just been throwing it out because they didn’t have space.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:15 pmEr…lugging away a perfectly good sofa while sharing a row house with college friends is one thing, but literally diving into a dumpster as an adult while your two little kids stand by watching daddy rummage through trash is another…haha funny concept though
February 5th, 2008 at 12:40 ameew.
its fine taking the big things like lamps, bookcases, desks, etc. that are on hte curb, but going in the garbage is just gross.
think of the environment, you will have to shower and change all your clothes!
February 5th, 2008 at 9:38 amDumpster diving is great because it can be done in many ways and styles with diferent objectives.
For an different take several “rules” check out http://www.instructables.com/id/Dumpster-Dipping-for-a-small-planet-or-just-for-f/
February 12th, 2008 at 10:26 pm