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“I Love Trash Picking In Rich Neighborhoods”: 55 Of The Best Dumpster Diving Finds (New Pics)
Trash is everywhere. And humankind is exceedingly talented in producing mountains of it. But far from everything that gets thrown out actually deserves to be dumped in a landfill. There are tons of valuable things to be found among actual garbage. And we’ve got the proof!
The massively popular ‘Dumpster Diving’ online group has some of the most eco-conscious people online. They regularly share the coolest, most impressive, and useful treasures they find while diving in dumpsters, and we’ve collected their most impressive finds to share with you. Scroll down to check out their pics. You won’t believe what some folks throw out!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I’m Slightly Obsessed With My Latest Dumpster Treasure. Best Thing I’ve Ever Found. 💗
RELATED:
#2
Last Nights Dumpster Deal
Beth Wheeler 3 months ago
Why would anybody throw away a kitchen aid mixer and attachments? Those things cost a fortune!
Tabitha 3 months ago
You would be amazed at what rich people throw out. Take a drive through a rich neighborhood the day before trash day, or check out an expensive college’s dorm trash on move out day. It will absolutely amaze you.
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Philly Bob 3 months ago
I've been wanting to afford one of these for years and someone tossed one. :(
Philly Bob 3 months ago
A lot more than that! The unit itself is like $350... the attachments are insane.
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#3
Two Little Dudes I Saved The Other Night
The amount of waste humankind produces is staggering. As per ‘The World Counts,’ people dump 2.12 billion tons of waste annually. “If all this waste was put on trucks they would go around the world 24 times.” What’s even more shocking is that the absolute majority (99%) of the things people buy end up getting thrown out within a mere 6 months.
Recently, the amount of electronic waste has been growing as technology evolves. Every year, around 50 million tons of e-waste are produced. Most of it is shipped to and dumped in economically poorer countries in Asia as well as Africa. Probably the biggest issue with e-waste is that it is toxic if not treated properly.
#4
Spent Three Hours Last Night, Buried To My Knees, Methodically Sorting Through A Post-Festival Roll Off, For Bottles And Cans. Dropped Them Off At A Redemption Center And Made 83 Bucks :) Feel Even Better About Saving All That Material From The Landfill!
Miss Ann Thrope 3 months ago
This is my neighbor's full time job now. He makes $700 a month. Gets into arguments with other dumpster divers who think the recycling belongs to them.
#5
Harbor Freight
#6
Customer From My Girlfriend’s Work Just Bought A New House And This Was Left Behind And They Were Just Gonna Throw It Away
Beth Wheeler 3 months ago
It's ugly but worth a lot of $$$ My 83 yo cousin still has and uses her 1960 light green kitchen table & chairs every day. She has an antique China cabinet in the living room with her repaired dolls from when she was little. She has another cabinet with years worth of Christmas Barbies that her son's gave her.
The heavy metals and toxic chemicals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, flame retardants, vinyl chloride, dioxins, antimony, etc.) found within this waste can pollute the environment and poison the local population.
These metals and chemicals negatively impact your central nervous system, reproductive system, endocrine system, immune system, as well as your blood, skeleton, digestive system, and respiratory system.
#7
I Love Diving In Rich Residential Areas
G A 3 months ago
So does your cat. Bit of glue and sisal and redo the scratched off scratchy posts and good as new. I would probably spray some anti bacterial and let it air, and hoover it thoroughly just in case of nasties, too.
Tabitha 3 months ago
Looks like the cat’s checking out the scent of the previous feline owners too.
Load More Replies... #8
I Work At A Car Wash And People Throw Away A Lot Or Stuff While Vacuuming. I Always Check Balances On Gift Cards I Find. This One Has $100
Connie Wade 3 months ago
Nope. It's a real place. There is one in Chicago too.
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Huddo's sister 2 months ago
I have a Visa one in my wallet, about 4 years old, about to expire.
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Nuku Nyara 3 months ago
It's sad that they closed the one across the street from the Washington State Convention Center last year 😢. They literally closed it on the first day of Sakura-con when it's building "caught on fire." They even had to evacuate part of the convention. I felt bad for the employees there, they totally could've used all the tip money they would have gotten if they had stayed open that weekend. The fire was the "tea" for the entire weekend at Sak-con between the volunteer employees, it was supposed to officially close sometime during the two weeks after the convention.
#9
I Love Trash Picking In Rich Neighborhoods
UKGrandad 3 months ago
Looks nice but it's a modern clock with a quartz (battery-powered) movement. Mechanical clocks have two holes in the faceplate for winding the clock and chimes.
Robert McClellan 2 months ago
Close but no cigar! the chains are to pull the weight back up to the top. Worked on GF clocks for year. And just a little more info, that is a grandmother clock because of the pinched waist. Still a good find
Load More Replies... According to ‘Business Waste,’ one person generates an average of 1.6 pounds (0.73 kilograms) of waste per day globally. It’s predicted that humankind will generate 3.4 billion tons of waste per year by 2050.
Trash from roughly 4 billion people goes to unregulated or illegal dumpsites, which hold over 40% of global waste. More than 14 billion pounds of garbage ends up being dumped in the world’s oceans each year.
Meanwhile, around a third of food that’s produced globally is wasted, amounting to 1.3 billion tons every year.
#10
Rare Find In A Haul
Ace 3 months ago
Was about to post that it's more expensive than gold, weight for weight, but on checking I find that's not actually the case. Currently it's 'only' $2500 or so per kilo...
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GalPalAl 3 months ago
I cannot stress this enough. Please make sure these are not expired by either date or smell. I bought some from TJ once and used it to make paella only to realize when it was done, that the saffron was expired beacuse the food tasted bad. Did not realize it was old
Lila Allen 3 months ago
This happened to me once too. Very unhappy with the result
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Twidder Sux 3 months ago
Don't care! If it's been in the garbage then it's too tainted to put into your mouth.
#11
Lifetime Supply Of Ferrero Rocher Chocolate
#12
Found In The Dumpster Behind Lowes
Beth Wheeler 3 months ago
Better be careful with places like Lowe's, Home Depot and especially Walmart. They will charge people for taking stuff from the dumpsters. I have a relative that's been at Walmart fir years and the store had somebody arrested for taking half deaad plants out of the dumpster.
nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
And sometimes, Home Depot plants come with free cockroaches.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 2 months ago
My mum would love this! She has to hide new plants she brings home before my stepdad sees them because she has so many. Luckily they have 13 acres now so he doesn't notice. She also spends way too much time on the side of roads or in car parks saving seeds from plants she wants to grow. Her house is covered in jars and envelopes of seeds as well as loose ones all over the tables. Her obsession ramped up around the time we started noticing her ADHD symptoms.
In an earlier interview, Bored Panda reached out to Greenpeace for a chat about eco-friendly decisions, the climate crisis, reducing pollution, and limiting the use of single-use plastics and packaging.
A representative of the organization explained to us that corporations bear the biggest responsibility for changing how plastic is produced and used worldwide.
#13
Was Walking To The Store. Took The Back Way, An Alley Where People Dump Stuff
GlitterPanda 3 months ago
I think Labubus have taken that title at this point
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#14
One Of The Benefits Of Living In A Moderately Wealthy Hoa. Someone Threw Away A $750 55-Inch TV, Working, No Remote. Just As I Was About To Go Buy One
Nuku Nyara 3 months ago
Look up the brand and you should be able to find a replacement online. People's pets occasionally chew up remotes so replacements should be available.
Scott Rackley 3 months ago
You can download an app and turn your phone into the remote
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Colleen Glim 3 months ago
If you can get a 55 inch tv for $250 you best be making sure it’s not stolen first! Where tf are you shopping?
Load More Replies... #15
Went To Take The Trash Out; Came Back With A Year's Supply Of Pasta. 👌
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 3 months ago
They aren't the full meals, just the lasagna noodles. They say "oven-ready" because you don't have to boil them like regular noodles
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Now, that’s not to say that individuals don’t have a role in eco-friendly decisions. They do. Your behavior and habits really do matter. That being said, you have to zoom out and look at the big picture so you can identify where the biggest impact, which helps the world, can be made.
"Though it’s important for individuals to take part in the reuse revolution movement and do their best to reduce their plastic footprints, the responsibility lies on the multinationals that produce single-use plastic packaging in the first place," the representative told Bored Panda earlier.
#16
My Dads Dumpster Find
Midwest Mike 3 months ago
BLESSED ARE THE CHEESE MAKERS!!! Glory to the finder of these riches!!!
#17
Saw An Old Sears Craftsman Toolbox In The Dumpster. This Was The Contents
Sarah M. 3 months ago
Any of those tools with the Craftsman brand can be replaced for free either at Lowe's if they have the same tool in stock or by contacting Craftsman directly. So each Craftsman tool in that pic is essentially a gift card for a brand new tool. The warranty is lifetime and passes down through every owner.
Load More Replies... #18
Who Are These People And Where Do They Come From?
Huddo's sister 2 months ago
This reminds me of starting high school. Found out very early that older kids would throw their change from the canteen on the ground for the 'scabs' (usually younger kids) to fight to pick up and keep. Years later, my sister was one of the scabs 😂
Chich the witch 3 months ago
I remember reading that when Europe was switching to Euros some people thought their old notes were worthless and tossed them out.
"One of the big challenges we are faced with is the corporation's addiction to single-use plastic and their relationship with the fossil fuel industry. As global demand for oil declines, the fossil fuel industry is doubling down on plastic, the new frontier for petrochemical production,” Greenpeace said.
#19
Gonna Turn Blue From All These Blueberries 🫐
#20
I Live In A Resort. You Would Not Belive What Rich People Throw Out
Tabitha 3 months ago
I live near a resort too (used to live in it, but prefer living out of it), so I know what tourists throw out at the end of their vacations—-especially if it’s something they’re not supposed to have, like a barbecue grill at the beach, in the wind, while staying at a wooden beach house or condo building—-as well as what the owners toss at the end of the rental season and when they decide to redecorate their properties.
Chich the witch 3 months ago
Once lived near a major ski resort. Knew some ski instructors and people who worked in hotels. Many had top line gear as rich folks would show up for a ski holiday, buy everything they needed and give it away or abandon it in their rooms/chalets when they left..
#21
My Best Dd Day Yet
“While big brands like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Pepsi claim they are addressing the plastic pollution crisis, they are working hand-in-hand with the fossil fuel industry and making even more plastic. As it stands, plastic production could double within the next 10-15 years, and triple by 2050. This is alarming, especially if we are to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. Plastic is an important part of moving away from fossil fuels, combating climate change, and protecting communities,” the Greenpeace representative said at the time.
#22
~$6,000 (USD) Dumpster Pull. Haven't Posted In A While, But I've Been Steadily Milking This Thing. Holy Grail. I Am The King Of Pop Now
#23
Ran To The Dumpster Right As The Trashmen Were About To Take It Away
Annik Perrot 3 months ago
In France this is called an "Emmanuelle" chair, because of the movie.
#24
Soda For The Next 5 Years (400+ Bottles)
The ‘Dumpster Diving’ subreddit is practically a digital fossil by this point in time. But in a good way. It was first created in early May 2009, which now feels like a million years ago. Since that time, the online community has firmly established itself and continues to boast a huge audience. Currently, 65k people visit the group every single week. What’s more, the sub gets a whopping 1.3k contributions every single week, too.
#25
Netflix & Chill Is Stocked…
G A 3 months ago
Look up the definition of "Netflix and chill"-you may have not understood....
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#26
The Dumpster Gave Me Boxes Of My Favorite Chocolates :)
#27
I Found A Huge Broken TV At Dg, So I Took Off The LCD Panel To Turn It Into A Light Box That's Way More Effective Than The Crappy Lamp In My Dorm
Colleen Glim 3 months ago
Thank you for clarifying. I was thinking dollar general and got really confused
Load More Replies...The moderators who keep the whole community running smoothly stress that you shouldn’t use the sub to sell your things, and you should steer clear of food-shaming. “This is not a health food sub. Unsolicited posts and comments critiquing the supposed unhealthiness of found food will be removed,” they point out, adding that any rudeness won’t be tolerated.
On the other hand, if you’re friendly and willing to share informative resources, you’ll be welcomed with open arms.
#28
Everything Still Cold & Just Thrown Out
Roxy222uk 3 months ago
The milk may be okay, depending on how conservative the date is on it. Maybe just use in cooking? You can see that they tried reducing it before it went out of date.
Load More Replies... Philly Bob 3 months ago
A local Wawa (convienience store) had a power failure that lasted more than 4 hours. They were ordered to toss everything. Still cold and frozen but management said toss it. I would up with milk and eggs for a month or more and frozen waffles to last d**n near a year. (I have 2 big sub-z freezers.) Some packaged lunch meats too.
#29
Why Slash This
sbj 3 months ago
Probably an item returned to a store so they have to slash it so it can't be resold as new
Midwest Mike 3 months ago
1000%. I'm looking at replacing my work chair because its almost as old and wrecked as I am. And I was looking a model similar to this (of course work won't buy me a new chair) and yeah.....they aint cheap....or even affordable. But at least I have my cheap and affordable USA Company Insurance to fix my back...(crys in non-socialized health care that I pay way to much for....cough...INSULIN PRICES....cough)......
Load More Replies... Tonyah Mcanelly 3 months ago
What happens when your wife catches on kiss cam at a cold play concert with your work wife .
#30
Someone Threw Out Their Food Bank Food
Bonnie Blue Bird 3 months ago
Why go to a food bank if you're just going to throw everything away?
Coffeetime2 3 months ago
Food banks are actually fairly heavily regulated. My husband volunteers at one and is appalled by how much gets thrown away. He brings home things that we can use that are otherwise bound for the dumpster.
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detective miller's hat 3 months ago
It's insane how many groceries get thrown out. My roommates and I rarely needed to buy groceries when I was at uni, we just went dumpster diving once or twice a week.
Which of these dumpster finds made you do a double take, Pandas? Can you believe someone would actually throw these things out?
Have you ever gone dumpster diving before? If so, what’s the most valuable thing you’ve ever discovered?
What are you doing to reduce the amount of trash your household produces? Tell us all about it in the comments at the bottom of this list! We can’t wait to read about your experiences.
#31
1,000 Worth Of Dog Food
nicholas nolan 3 months ago
Might be expired or might be a recall. Royal Canin has had a couple over the past few years.
Load More Replies... Colleen Glim 3 months ago
Again, check for expiry dates and recalls. Things like that aren’t usually thrown out without a good reason
Lady Eowyn 3 months ago
Does it really matter? 1,000 is a lot in any currency.
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#33
In You're In The La Area...hollywood Films Thrown Out
Data1001 3 months ago
In the old days, studios actually threw old tapes and films in the ocean because they had no room to store it. A *lot* of stuff was lost.
Huddo's sister 2 months ago
The BBC taped over a lot of things. One of the things was a few seasons of Doctor Who. Recently they have 'restored' some serials by using the audio tapes that survived and animating to match.
Load More Replies... Bryn 3 months ago
Digitization is actually not a great preservation solution. Yes it helps to have copies but you need a c r a p ton of space because of the file size and you need at least 2 copies.
Load More Replies... #34
Today We Thank The Trash Picking Gods
#35
This Was Some Of The Highlights That I Found
#36
Someone Left A Box Of Factory Reset Google Pixel 6s On The Curb
#38
Found Several Unopened Cans Of Baby Formula
Bonnie Blue Bird 3 months ago
This is shameful. They could have been donated instead of tossed.
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 3 months ago
Some of these make me wonder if they were tossed for a reason- I'm not a parent but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable feeding my baby formula that was tossed in the trash, in case it was contaminated or harmful in some way.
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Laura Gillette 3 months ago
They might have been recalled. There was a big problem with that a few years ago--some babies even had to be hospitalized and I think a few didn't make it. Be careful and check the batch number online!
Lila Allen 3 months ago
I am betting they were thrown out due to recall for contamination. it has happened recently several times. I would be very very hesitant on this one.
Verfin22 3 months ago
Some items are trashed because they have expired. My store HAS to toss these as not be involved in a lawsuit. It is a shame.
Roxy222uk 3 months ago
Babies are so vulnerable, and formula fed more so, absolutely do not mess about with out of date formula
Load More Replies... Colleen Glim 3 months ago
Be very careful with those. Check for expiry dates and recalls. Stores don’t usually throw out baby formula without a good reason. That stuff is hella expensive
#39
Water Queen?
nicholas nolan 3 months ago
Depending on when this was take, there was an e coli recall of bottle water a few years back.
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Billo66 3 months ago
For a little over $50 I installed an inline water filter under the sink. No taste, smell, particles. Just like or better than bottled and not one bit of plastic. 71wbb0U9Tu...cc7733.jpg 
#40
Found This Rad Blanket In A Dumpster, Was Gonna Give It To My Middle Kid But Not Anymore. It’s Labeled Dry Clean Only And I’m Not Dealing With That
Roxy222uk 3 months ago
So it’s free anyway. Stick it through the washing machine and if it doesn’t survive, no one’s lost anything. Often companies put dry clean only because a) it’s easier than working out washing instructions and b) prevents any come back if there is a problem, but everything I’ve had that has been labelled in that way has gone in the wash with everything else.
YakFactory 3 months ago
"Dry clean only" can mean "Wash it carefully". Nothing to lose if it's free.
#41
Here’s How Your Identity Gets Stolen The Analog Way!
Bonnie Blue Bird 3 months ago
That's horrible. Someone probably didn't want to pay to get them shredded
Beth Wheeler 3 months ago
My cousins idiot ex threw out all of their old personal and business tax returns and records in a dumpster he had at their house before it was sold. He threw away anything he didn't want, especially a lot of her stuff. We were able to get some of her stuff before he showed up to move a couple of things. I told him he should get the stuff out with their SSN's, dumbaass told me the dumpster co was gonna shred all the records. NO THEY WEREN'T. My cousin locked down all of her credit just in case.
#42
Found This Stainless Steel Prep Table In The Alley Yesterday
#43
Found This While Walking My Dog, Someone Put It Out On The Sidewalk To Be Picked Up With Their Trash. Did I Score?
#44
Then Why Am I Finding This Cookie In The Dumpster???
detective miller's hat 3 months ago
When I worked at Panera, the people from the local food banks would come to the store every day at closing time. We gave them everything that was leftover. Good to know they still do that.
Huddo's sister 2 months ago
My church used to have one day a week that we collected all the leftovers from a bakery that we bagged up and gave to a local soup kitchen. The other days of the week other community groups did the same.
Load More Replies... #45
Dug This Out Of Our Neighbor’s Trash! It Just Needed A Little Pressure Washing
#47
Tonight Kinda Broke Me
Data1001 3 months ago
Yeah I wouldn't trust any eggs I found in a bin to still be good. At the very least give 'em a sniff when you crack them open...
Sarah M. 3 months ago
If you ever need to know if an egg is still good, get a container of water and drop the egg in. If the egg bobs up, throw it, it's bad. If it lays on its side or tips up just a bit at the end, it is absolutely fine and can be eaten safely. As eggs get older, their contents begin to lose water by osmosis through the (barely) permeable shell. It's replaced by air. So the more air, the older the egg, and the higher the likelihood it will float.
Load More Replies... #48
New In Box Breast Implants. Yup, You Read That Correctly
Philly Bob 3 months ago
They could have been the defective ones with the squeaky toy inside...
Load More Replies... Uncle Panda 3 months ago
Fill a bathtub and charge guys (and a few gals) for 10 minute appointments.
#49
A Locksmith Shop Is Moving Across Town, I Guess They Decided To Dump Their Old Key Blanks. Roughly 50+ Lbs Of Brass Keys
G A 3 months ago
Useful if you are starting a key business, I guess....scrap metal value I imagine
Daniel Atkins 3 months ago
A google search show brass scrap at a little over $2 per pound. So that makes it over $100 good find.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 2 months ago
I bought a whole heap from a market to use in jewellery making. The guy selling them was surprised I wanted them for that, I don't know who his usual buyers were.
#50
Always Call Pizza Places When They’re About To Close
sbj 3 months ago
You'll need a lot of soda to wash that lot down, it looks drier than the box it's in
Tabitha 3 months ago
And it looks like someone already picked all the pepperoni off it too.
Load More Replies... #51
Unsettling To Say The Least
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 3 months ago
Take them to the police. Could be related to missing people, unsolved cases etc. You never know.
Midwest Mike 3 months ago
!00%. This is a horrible breach of PII (Personal Identifiable Information). Those should have been destroyed. The Original Reddit poster could 100% sue the place found and get paid for discovering a "Data Breach". And shine a light of whatever place decided to do this.
Load More Replies... #52
Wear Bright Protective Gear, Look Professional
G A 3 months ago (edited)
None of these are expensive though, to be fair. And 2nd hand gloves-yuck.
Spencers slave no more 3 months ago
They're washable, same as the hard hat.
Load More Replies... #53
About 50 Dead E-Bike Batteries
Verena 3 months ago
Every country in Europe has in every village a recycle station. Mostly free. It is a one stop place for electronics, plastic, garden stuff, renovation waste, oil from your fryer, paper ... basically everything. And most houses have a colorful parade of 4+ bins i the yard, plus glass recycle containers at central locations.
Daniel Atkins 3 months ago
For Lithium ion batteries there is really no place that buys them. They are not like that lead acid batteries used to start motors they are recyclable and scrap yard buy them.
Historyharlot93 3 months ago
It’s pretty impossible to recycle any electronics in Illinois. You have to pay people to take it. I’d sneaky dump it too
Philly Bob 3 months ago
Same here. They want $20 per monitor to recycle. I have 5 of them. Like yeah... NO!
Load More Replies... #54
Burningman Dumpsters, Walmart Parking Lot
Spencers slave no more 3 months ago
That really doesn't matter if you have bare floors.
Load More Replies... SkyBlueandBlack 3 months ago
Yeah, I'm cleaning out the garage and just threw away a nice Persian rug. Why? Because when I opened the bag it was in, I was hit by the smell of cat p**s.
#55
I Will Never Again Want For Magic Erasers!
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What do you think ?
Ivy la Sangrienta 3 months ago
I always peek at the huge dumpsters but I wouldn't go digging into one.
Awkward lady 3 months ago
These are mostly American, definitely not in the UK at any rate. The sheer wastage appals me.
Auntriarch 3 months ago
I've been known to frequent skips in UK. Found a very nice chandelier in one.
Load More Replies... Mike F 3 months ago
In my younger years this was a fun thing but I'm too d@mned old for it now.
WubiDubi 3 months ago
Several hundred $ of goods in 5 years vs. Rabies and Tetanus risks. That's a nah from me.
Miss Ann Thrope 3 months ago
I live in a neighborhood with lot of apts. Stuff gets dumped like crazy. Furniture I get. But clothes, smalls, etc, can be donated. There's a Goodwill down the street.
Ivy la Sangrienta 3 months ago
I always peek at the huge dumpsters but I wouldn't go digging into one.
Awkward lady 3 months ago
These are mostly American, definitely not in the UK at any rate. The sheer wastage appals me.
Auntriarch 3 months ago
I've been known to frequent skips in UK. Found a very nice chandelier in one.
Load More Replies... Mike F 3 months ago
In my younger years this was a fun thing but I'm too d@mned old for it now.
WubiDubi 3 months ago
Several hundred $ of goods in 5 years vs. Rabies and Tetanus risks. That's a nah from me.
Miss Ann Thrope 3 months ago
I live in a neighborhood with lot of apts. Stuff gets dumped like crazy. Furniture I get. But clothes, smalls, etc, can be donated. There's a Goodwill down the street.
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