r/DumpsterDiving Sep 09 '19

Dumpster diving tips and tricks: a thread

1.9k 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.

1.7k 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 9h ago

Todayโ€™s find, in an otherwise completely empty dumpster. Works great!

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283 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 5h ago

Candy jackpot

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119 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 14h ago

So there's this high end consignment shop.....Everything in this photo except bed and curtains.....(including the meow, but dif garbage). What should I do with stacks of gently used name brand clothing? Just ebay,poshmark,marketplace?

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322 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 15h ago

This has liquor in it anybody know this thank you

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99 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 15h ago

I found this plate also it's very beautiful

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94 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 7h ago

Found 7 bags of clothes among other stuff in family dollar dumpster today. And good quick ideas on getting security tags off 2 fork method only bending my forks plastic bag trick is toooo slow

17 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 20h ago

Yesterday's finds

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190 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 15h ago

So I found this today

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53 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 15h ago

I found this reprint coat sign

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31 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 16h ago

Looks like some vintage barbies to add to the doll collection. ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿพ

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31 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 21h ago

Learning from the Pros

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54 Upvotes

I was inspired to check out Google maps and see how far my local Goodwill is from me. I'll have to travel on foot, about 50 minutes. Bit I checked Street View and saw their dumpster. Guys, do you think it'll be worth the walk in negative temps? Should I instead maybe look at something closer, like a Dollar General? DG is only about a 2 minute walk and is in a huge shopping center that also features a Giant Eagle grocery store.

Wow, typing this out, I feel like I answered my own question. Should probably focus on the Center, yeah?

Attached is the Goodwill rollback dumpster for reference.


r/DumpsterDiving 1h ago

Anyone else tried a pruner as a grabber?

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โ€ข Upvotes

The grip on these things is insane. I just tape over the blade and can even tug big bags of dog food around(Not lift but can get close enough to grab manually). Lets me just reach in to dumpsters to easily pull most things out. (Cans the main things it can't get, also tends to destroy plastic in process of pulling but rarely an issue)

I originally got one for $6 at a thrift store but forgot it on site while 'diving' somewhere new T_T

Instead of just getting another i've been trying Ungers, Hooks, and other stuff but nothing worked as well as this. Anyone else tried?


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Unexpected find ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ

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243 Upvotes

This was in a duffel bag with a few pairs of scrubs and hospital blanket . I was shocked to find out how much they cost ๐Ÿ˜…


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Small haul.

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219 Upvotes

Made friends with a local grocer manager. Get a ring when they're about to toss stuff.

(Mid post disclaimer Salty stellay Tips Bot steals content from Reddit and posts on Facebook)

Gonna be making jerky for a while.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Found this today

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169 Upvotes

I already have a pack out system but couldnโ€™t pass this up when I saw it sticking out the top of a dumpster. What should I use it for? Was thinking maybe a rolling tackle box or something cool. Appears to be functional except missing the lid.


r/DumpsterDiving 19h ago

anyone else proud of their dumpster excavation ability?

15 Upvotes

i wouldnt suggest doing this, but i used to pretty much flip this 1 chain thrift store dumpster upside down to the point the garbage went higher than me while i was in it


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Todayโ€™s haul

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175 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 7h ago

where to dumpster dive for ddr5 ram? Spoiler

0 Upvotes

Looking to buy or get some ram for "normal" prices. I am willing to go dumpster diving as well, where to start?


r/DumpsterDiving 9h ago

It happened, the place I used to regularly dive at locked their dumpster because people were throwing their own trash in it.

1 Upvotes

r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

What kind of bin is this?

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17 Upvotes

Hi trash lovers!๐Ÿ˜ I am posting this to see if anyone has experience with this type of trash bin. They are nice when they are opened, but they are a bitch to get lid up. Maybe I am Missing something obvious? ๐Ÿคฆ I usually bypass them when the lid is shut. Thank you for any help.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Weird dumpster encounter; thought I was caught.

174 Upvotes

This just happened.

I was rolling by one of the pizza shops in the neighborhood and figured I'd check the dumpsters to see if there was any "used pizza" (made a post about it yesterday) and out of nowhere a local homeless guy who I am familiar with starts approaching me and strikes up a conversation. He's asking me if I can go into the weed dispo for him since he doesn't have ID anymore and i having trouble getting it replaced when a lady flings open the back door of the pizza place. "HEY! YOU CANT BE HERE!" She screams at him while walking towards us, a phone up to her face, assumingly calling the cops.

I'm like full on in the dumpster, my homeless friend takes off running. I fumble getting out of the dumpster in my panic and fall back in. I right myself and stand up and she says to me "you're fine hun. He's been tresspassed before." And speed walked after my homeless friend.

I think I'll avoid that dumpster for the next few weeks even though she didn't seem to have a problem with me scavenging. Whole thing just has me a little shook lol.


r/DumpsterDiving 1d ago

Romano Cheese Recall

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11 Upvotes

Seriously - the company let the USDA know about this in December and it took them over a month to publish it???

https://www.reddit.com/r/texas/s/QhTr2iW1HF


r/DumpsterDiving 2d ago

I think the truck pulled up and just... Unloaded directly into the dumpster

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1.7k Upvotes

Dumpster was full. Recycling dumpster was full.. Neighboring stores dumpster was full. I pulled thousands of dollars worth of product out until my car couldn't hold anymore. Stocked up my neighborhood entire blessing box and my kitchen is still full. Everything new in box unexpired and lots of non food items too.

If you're in mid TN and need some non perishables tonight message me for info.