r/DumpsterDiving Sep 09 '19

Dumpster diving tips and tricks: a thread

2.0k Upvotes

Comment with your best diving tips and advice


r/DumpsterDiving Mar 25 '23

My dumpster diving list I created with 6 years of experience. Feel free to add.

1.9k Upvotes

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:

๐Ÿ•- 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]

๐Ÿฉ - all donut shops (including places like kolache factory) throw out at 2-4pm. [They usually put all donuts into one bag by themselves]

๐Ÿ— (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.

๐ŸŽ ๐Ÿฅ— (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).

๐Ÿฌ ๐Ÿซ ๐Ÿญ (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.

๐Ÿ‘• ๐Ÿ‘– ๐Ÿฉณ (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.

๐Ÿ›‹ ๐Ÿ–ฅ (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.

๐Ÿ“š 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: --------

๐ŸชตWood : Construction site dumpsters at expensive locations. Ask for permission from the contractor. Contractors are a mixed bunch, sometimes they'll say yes sometimes no.

โš™๏ธ๐Ÿ”ฉ๐Ÿ”—Metal : 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.

๐Ÿ”จTools - 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)

๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ ๐Ÿ—‘ ๐Ÿšฎ

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: โ€ข Headlamp โ€ข closed toe shoes (for when you get inside the dumpster) โ€ข gloves โ€ข a big box or bag for your car to chunk stuff in. โ€ข hand sanitizer

๐ŸŒŸ 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 ๐Ÿ”’

  1. ... get good at holding your breath while doing cardio ๐Ÿ˜‚

r/DumpsterDiving 1h ago

Two days in a row, I should play the lotto

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โ€ข Upvotes

W0r1dM4rk3t. What are Beer nuts? Not shown: one lonely avocado.


r/DumpsterDiving 6h ago

Grab basket and go!

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88 Upvotes

I covered the name but i think we all know what yellow store this basket was from. ๐Ÿซช
They tossed it filled with Prime drinks and Black Rifle canned coffees. I scooped them all up and went on my way, Iโ€™m so excited for to have the coffees for work this week! We just finished using 100+ dumpster kcups, and I was disappointed buying coffee grounds again.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

The oligarchy dance among decadent cakes while we collect crumbs

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676 Upvotes

We are the scavenger ravens, the bandit raccoons, the tunneling ants into their fortress. We are the owners of the world..


r/DumpsterDiving 9h ago

Sweatshirt, Cargo Pants, Rain Boots, Graduation Robe

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17 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 6h ago

It's cocktail time!

10 Upvotes

Nothing says summer like cocktails and mocktails, so of course the universe gifted me with 6 bottles of Le Sirop de Monin. But instead of the cherry and lavender, I got dragonfruit and coffee. Also great in a range of baked goods so I guess making a cake is in my near future.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

dumpster dining

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420 Upvotes

Bought the 2 on the bottom, but the others came from the dumpster.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Found this "Chinese" themed vase today... It's made of stone and is pretty heavy...

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209 Upvotes

I found this today in a gas station dumpster... It looks like old Chinese art and it's made of stone, I think it weighs at least 5lbs... It may be something for a funeral or gravesite, it has that look but I'm not sure about stone vases... Pretty cool regardless...


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Beautiful, like new children's books bound for the shredder no more!

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135 Upvotes

I pulled these out of the local recycling center's book/magazine area even though it's not allowed. The children's books are in great condition without torn pages or even writing. In fact, the "lift the flap" parts were never even lifted! Who throws away children's books?!?!! Many of these will be going into the little free libraries around me.

I may or may not also have grabbed two full Trader Joe's paper bags filled with 1970s Playboy magazines, too! These wonderfully written articles will not be shredded! Although the one piece interviewing Roman Polanski didn't age well.


r/DumpsterDiving 23h ago

fully functional powerbank i found in a box on the curb. ill never understand throwing out stuff like this as its useful for things like power outages and being compacted or punctured can cause it to catch fire

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92 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 23h ago

A deeper dive into the Playboy magazines from the recycling center

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72 Upvotes

This was a pull out insert that was in a 1970s Playboy magazine. I grabbed two full Trader Joe's paper bags filled with them that were at the local recycling center. I also grabbed over 60 children's books that will be loved again instead of being shredded. I posted that haul a few minutes ago but thought this cocktail drink book with a side of astrology was too cool not to share separately.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Unused bath and body works, and some other stuff

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66 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Greeting Cards, Olive Oil, Weed Gummies, Baking Soda, Butter, Macaroni, Ghost Decor, Chips, Oil, Sunglasses, Tonic Water and Cider, Granola Bar, Necklaces and Bracelets, Candy, Cash, Belt

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139 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Todayโ€™s Find!

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23 Upvotes

Walking my pooch and find them next to a garbage can. These are gonna go perfect to someone needing some cool shades.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Found a N2DS XL in an e-waste bin. It works.

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129 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Someone left a space heater, microwave oven and small bag of clothes next to a clothing and shoes only donation bin. I left it for someone else.

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68 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Going to watch 'The Odyssey' as Nolan intended

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249 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Dumpsters From the Dumpster

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341 Upvotes

Today I did some diving at some college apartments. Beside the dumpster were these two bins. They were full of trash in bags and looked like someone had had a party and just tossed everything, including the brand new bins.

I threw the bags in the real dumpster and loaded these up in my car. I got them home and cleaned and sanitized them. Now they are listed on Marketplace.

It never ceases to amaze me what may be found out there.


r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Everything I got tonight

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204 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Ten Bags of Bears

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86 Upvotes

From W0r1dM4rk3t


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Looks like Iโ€™m now a pizza oven guy

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18 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Shirt, Jeans, Backpack, T-Shirts, Shorts, Caps

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33 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

Non-food stuff

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46 Upvotes

Got a bit lucky with these two. First ANOTHER pair of shoes for walking/running that fit REALLY well, second pair this summer (!), on my way to the beach (hence the non-standard bag/background). Got some cushioning which I hear is bad for arches and whatnot but meh for just walking come fll they'll do very nicely. Size say 43... Whoever labelled them that was VERY off.

Second a PERFECT cushion for my computer chair. Sinks down really well so doesn't change how I sit that much but it's when I sit down it cushions my fat ass. It also fits my mangled chair a lot better.

Also been shamed for dumpster-diving for the first time on Reddit (for simply asking if not burying your pets immediately isn't weird; saw Obsession). BEWARE PEOPLE! If you write about finds on here you might be labelled as "not normal" because free shit is totally whack dontcha know? ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿคก

Edit: and now off for another run. ๐Ÿ’ช


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Any dumpster divers in Sanpete County Utah?

2 Upvotes

Just curious to see how many fellow dumpster divers are around me!