When my oldedr DD lived in Virginia, the local landfill had a building filled with "too good to throw away" stuff. It was only open ever so often, but you could walk in and take anything, as much as you want. Too bad other landfills don't do that same.

My younger DD, SIL and some friends do the midnight side walk sales. Folks put stuff out and half way expect someone to take it.

I've been on a few unsanctioned dumpster dives. Sometimes you can get some pretty good stuff. Other times there's good reasons why those treasures are there. It's gone both ways for me. Our Goodwill has a dumpster for scrap metal and it looks like they use a compactor for the rest. I haven't looked in the scrap metal dumpster.
Rodney

We didn't have a Goodwill where I used to live but we had a Salvation Army and they would get so overloaded, they would have to stop taking donations.

You are bringing back memories. My husband and I used to have an antique shop. We would trash pick, find things on the side of the road and dumpster dive. We had so much fun finding the stuff that it was hard to sell some of it afterwards. Good for you! Remember that famous saying, one man's junk is another man's treasure!

Dh and I purchased a dresser with no back and part of a drawer missing. Got the owner to sell it to us for $20. Imagine our surprise on the way down the drive when in a pile we found the rest of the dresser. DH put it all back together. We call it Humpty Dumpster. Then he added a curio hutch to it with glass shelves. We are often asked if it's an antique. It is in 2 pieces. He stained it to match. I love it. That was about 18 years ago. Anything new in this house is appliances and technology. Anything we want to use no more or doesn't work goes to the curb and vanishes usually in about 30 minutes average time.

So my DH crawls in with me at the marina, and after seeing how much his quilt cost to make encourages the goodwill and thrift shop finds. But he was mortified driving through the neighborhood and seeing me rescue a rocking chair from a "take it" pile at the community center. It isnt like we are a candidate for hoarders, the house isnt surrounded with tomorrow projects, I just feel that sometimes new isnt always necessary. I guess I learned that from my parents.

Has anyone else encountered a less than thrilled spouse with repurposing and recycling?

Hubby hates anything that didn't come from Home Depot or Sears or Lowes. Tough titty!

He likes the family furniture handed down, and for ages we decorated in "post-modern dorm" which meant anything handed down or found. After 24 years together we just got a bed frame, lol He isn't a snob. But for some reason he doesn't to be that enthralled with me dragging home furniture anymore. As it is, Mom and Dad are updating their living room and Mike was first to lay claim to their big comfy chairs to replace our ancient ones we got from his mom 15 years ago. So I wonder if he's worried about bedbugs or something.... It's a valid concern.

*** I just found a pattern for a purse/bag made from silk ties.

*** I hope to try this one soon (I have accumulated a few).


*** I have been know to dumpser dive, but
our GW has a store in Greenville that sells by
the pound & they never throw anything away.

***

ALWAY TAKE HOME ONLY WHAT YOU CAN WASH OR CLEAN
REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE THOUGH AWAY ITEMS THAT HAVE
*** BEDBUGS ***.