Scavengers | Imamother

louche

Sun, May 17 2009, 5:08 pm

From a dumpster, no, b/c there's all kinds of foul stuff in there, but from the basement of my building, you bet! Of course I wash it before use. I wouldn't take anything upholstered or otherwise not washable, though I once picked up a lovely velvet box that had obviously been deposited in the basement very recently, maybe only minutes before. It was pristine. No lint, even.

I never got anything quite as valuable as a Lenox challah board, but hope springs eternal.

Twizzlers

Mon, May 18 2009, 12:04 pm

thought of this thread today when I passed a dumpster and saw a cute kids plastic chair sitting right on top! it was in perfect condition, just want to hose it down.

Roche

Mon, May 18 2009, 2:48 pm

I also thought about it today when someone told me that her mother found two american girl dolls on top of a garbage can, in great condition- thats about 100 bucks a pop right there!

bubs

Sun, May 24 2009, 4:44 am

Next to the dumpster is fine as long as it is in good shape and cleanable. I've picked up little tykes stuff- a doll stroller, a car, etc. things people no longer need for their kids and can be disinfected easily.

sequoia

Thu, Jun 11 2009, 3:55 am

I go dumpster diving with the freegans now and then (note that I don't actually share the philosophy of the freegans). Have no problem getting food from the trash that the grocery store threw out ten minutes before because the expiration date is *that day*.

ruthla

Thu, Jun 11 2009, 11:54 am

Only if it's something I actually have a use for.

My ex was a compulsive hoarder- if he saw something put out for the trash, and he thought he might have some way of using it, he'd bring it home. Our house was absolutely cluttered (to the point where it was unsafe for DS when he was first learning to crawl) and it drove me absolutely insane! Not to mention the FULL storage unit he was paying rent on every month, that was mostly full of junk.

It took a long time to clear out all his stuff after we split up. I'm now VERY careful about what I'll allow into my house- whether it's brand new, from a thrift store, a hand-me-down from somebody I know, or found on the street. If it's bulky and I don't need it, it's NOT coming into my house!

I have nothing against taking things from the "trash pile" in principal- but in actuality I've never done it because I never saw anything we needed.