Tips for a Successful Dive (The Art of Dumpster Diving)
Okay, so I may just be a lowly, nineteen year old, single adult living near Minneapolis city limits, but my parents and friends taught me well and I thought I should pass on a few tips that I learned on the dumpster-diving trail. I just found an apartment and am no longer homeless (yes, that was something that happened), but I used a lot of these tips/tricks to help me with an easier existence whilst sleeping in parks.
First off I would like to say that, to the extent of my knowledge, dumpster diving IS legal in Minneapolis. There are stricter rules in St. Paul and suburbs. I suggest you do your research and be careful/not obvious about your dive. Legal it may be, but many food places don’t want dumpster divers and will invest in locks for their dumpsters if they catch divers rooting around. Be respectful of the area you’re diving in and don’t leave garbage thrown around. You’re getting something out of this, so don’t ruin it for the company or anybody else.
Another rule is that if a dumpster is locked, DO NOT break into it. It’s common sense that this is a crime, and whatever is in that dumpster is NOT worth a trip to jail/court. Also, it’s a respect thing. Yeah, dumpsters aren’t quite like houses, but you would still feel violated if someone broke into your yard.
The first thing to know about dumpster diving for food is that you REALLY have to be very selective. Many foods are spoiled, raw, or otherwise harmful to you. I am simply going to tell you good places to go and you can figure the rest out at your own discretion.
- Diners/Cafes: Many diners and cafes produce bulk food such as pastries or hash-browns. Find diners with open dumpsters and see what you can find. Most edible food items will be neatly bagged, so you may have to do some digging. The best time to hit these places up are after the breakfast rush and then at close (5-6 pm).
- Whole Foods/Grocery Stores: Large chains such as Cub or Walmart will generally have locked dumpsters/incinerators, but other stores don’t and a quick peak into their dumpsters can reveal a mother-load of food groups including, but not limited to, tortillas, breads, expired fruits and veggies, etc.
- BAKERIES: I cannot stress enough what a prime location bakeries are for dives. Any bread/pastries that are under/overcooked, misshapen, or too old to sell will be throw into a dumpster or incinerator. Most bakeries will bag up mass quantities of this ‘spoiled’ food in black heavy-duty trash bags and throw it into designated 'food dumpsters’ out back of their shop/company. This is PRIME DINING. Who can say no to fresh-baked breads/pastries that haven’t even hit the real inside of a dumpster?
2. Clothes/shoes/apparel:
- College Campuses: This is especially a good place to hit during move-out week. Find out when your local college is ending and check out the dumpsters as students move out. Most people - especially students and young adults - accumulate items easily. When it comes time to move back home, excess clothing, books, shoes, etc. will be disposed of. Dumpsters near dorms are a hot-spot for a variety of items. Be careful; campus security isn’t exactly approving of you rooting through their dumpsters.
- Apartment Complexes: As new tenants move in/move out/deep clean their apartments, they are likely to get rid of 'unwanted’ items. This includes shoes, books, games, tables, chairs…basically anything you would find in someone’s apartment. You’re most likely to find outgrown, outdated, and stained clothing items, but hey, there are always gems. Just today I salvaged fourteen like-new pairs of high-end shoes from an apartment-complex dumpster.
- Post Garage-Sale Alleyways: Seriously, this is THE mother-load of things. Find a neighborhood that is having garage/yard sale weekends/days. Check their alleys and dumpsters the day after. Most people don’t want to keep the things that they didn’t manage to sell, and they will toss them. It’s a more hit-and-miss dumpster dive, but I have found some SERIOUS treasures, including brand new headphones, blankets, shoes, and games.
What I mean by this is that it’s not something you really need, but it’s cool to have. Things such as phone cases, chargers, lamps, etc.
- Radioshack/other cell phone stores: This is a really hit-and-miss dive. Many phone stores won’t sell their badly dented packaging. So phone cases, chargers, other phone accessories that are perfectly fine in badly-dented packaging will be thrown in the dumpster out back. Dives like these can get you items that you can sell for food money/whatever you need at that point.
SO yeah, those are my little parcels of advice for you sweets. I hope it helps you, whether you’re struggling with money or just don’t want to buy new clothes. Remember to always be respectful and never take more than you need. There are other people out there that also need things, and it’s rude of of you to deprive hungry/cold/etc. people. Share the wealth if you can. If you find a good spot, love thy broke neighbor and help them the fuck out. If you have any other tips/warnings, feel free to add to this post.
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