Step 1 : Case the neighborhood. I drove around the local stores at 9am and wrote down where I saw dumpsters, what kind they were, etc.
Step 2 : Gather tools. I packed a pair of leather gloves, a tarp and empty boxes, my grabber pole (available at Home Depot), a flashlight, and my camera. I forgot my stepladder at the last minute; I’ll take it next time.
Step 3 : Dive! I headed out the door at 2am. I concentrated on the smaller, more secluded stores, like the bookstore and rug outlet. My reasons were : they’re better hidden, they’re more likely to be empty late at night, and less rotten food. That last one was a good idea; the few times I mistakenly checked a restaurant dumpster, the smell was far, far worse. I stayed out until 4am, when the garbage trucks started their rounds, forcing me home. I think I hit maybe 15 dumpsters.
My Method : I opened the bins and stood at the edge, peering in. If it was full enough, I would grab bags and shove them out of the way to see what lay underneath. If anything caught my eye, I tried to snag it with the grabber pole. I did NOT climb into the dumpsters.
The Bad Parts
- Ants.
- I nearly got a spider in the face.
- Driving in the dark is not my strong suit. I ran over a wooden box at one point.
- I dropped my heavy flashlight on my foot, ow. I think I’m going to lose the big toenail; it’s already gone grey. That happened to me once as a kid. It’s icky, but it shouldn’t hurt any more.
The Worst Part
- Sifting through what I thought was the bin for an office building, I found a heavy metal box. Now this is interesting, what is this - OH CRAP IT’S A NEEDLE DISPOSAL BOX putitbackputitbackputitbackdriveawaydriveaway...
The Good Parts
- I actually did find stuff. On my first time! I got a backpack, two schoolbooks (Sociology and Literature), a fancy makeup case, and a plate. All in pristine condition. I’ll probably donate them to Goodwill.
- There was other stuff I didn’t bother to take, too : a bunch of letters for store signs (I would’ve taken J but there wasn’t one), a bag of children’s toys, a flame-patterned do-rag, a couple belts too small for me, a candle holder, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and a folding chair that was too ratty to use (which is a shame, because I really need a folding chair). And I bet I would’ve found tons more if I’d hit any retail stores, where they’re more likely to toss sealed boxes.
- I didn’t see a single person, until I heard the garbage trucks revving up.
- The smell wasn’t really as bad as I’d expected. Yeah, it smelled, but not ‘oh my god’ smell. Just mild. Except in the restaurant bins. And once I got used to the sight of trash bags, it wasn’t as creepy digging through them as I thought it’d be.
- I didn’t come away smelling like garbage. I smelled like hand lotion, because I accidentally broke a bottle as I was trying to lift it.
In Review : I will probably do it again sometime. I want to try driving down to the closest town that has big box stores. And I want to steel up my nerve to hit the grocery stores, as they probably throw out just-expired food everyday. As for the heavy flashlight, it’s never coming along again. I’ll figure something else out.
Equipment I’d recommend that I didn’t use : sanitizing wipes, headband flashlight, maybe a towel to throw over the edge of bins so you’re not brushing your clothes against it. Oh, and peppermints. Sucking on them would probably counteract the smell, if you’re finicky about it.
All this from one dumpster! This dumpster dive has been brought to you by the letter A.
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