Anyone else like skip diving?

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Meanqueen
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Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Meanqueen »

I am always on the lookout for skips appearing at the front of people's houses. I noticed one down the road, and they had left four picture frames propped up outside the skip so I assumed they were free to take. I knocked at the door to ask, help yourself she said. Cleaned them up, two really big ornate ones, and two not so big plain ones. I love free stuff. I'll keep my eye on the skip to see what else is chucked out.
I like skip diving
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Ilona
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Meanqueen »

Loads more stuff has appeared in the skip. I have been round there in my car and loaded it up. Had a chat to the man who is getting rid of it, he is happy for me to take it. A few things I will keep, he gave me three pairs of ladies trainers in my size. Some will be sold to make funds for our cat rescue, some will be given to people I know and a lot of it I will take to charity shops. I just can't bear to see useful stuff thrown away.
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Richard
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Richard »

I need a couple of new shelves in my Garden Office Ilona, so I'll be having a close look out on things around here.

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lancashire lass
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by lancashire lass »

I love skip diving too but alas, by the time I see one it is already brimming with rubble and not a lot of useful stuff.
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Meanqueen »

I've got a really long shelf here, Richard, a beautiful piece of wood. Could easily be cut into two smaller ones, I'll pop round with it. )t'

There was more out of the skip, loads of kids toys, and books. I have taken some stuff to the hospice charity shop, and I have put the feelers out for the womens refuge who might like some toys. Everything will be distributed to good causes, except the three pairs of trainers which were given to me.
Ilona
2ndMouse
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by 2ndMouse »

Skip driving... You mean garbage picking?
We make good side money picking on trash day and reselling cast off goodies. Almost everything in our house is salvaged from somewhere.
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Mo
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Mo »

Most household rubbish here is collected in bags or bins once a week or 2 weeks, so we couldn't collect anything on 'trash day'. Bulky stuff is collected by the council by arrangement and for a fee (regular collections are free paid for by council tax). But when people are renovating they often hire a skip which they fill with rubble, old furniture, wood etc. when full the company collects it and empties it. Skips are quite large so you have to almost dive in to get anything out - designed for putting things in then tipping.

A lot of our furiture is recycled via small ads in the local paper, though now people seem to use Freecycle and stuff is given away.
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by 2ndMouse »

Ah you mean a dumpster.

We call that dumpster diving. Yes....it often means getting in the thing. We used to dive dumpsters all over for building material and all sorts of stuff, even food. On the day after the sell by date passes on groceries, most grocery stores chuck it in the "skip". The waste over here in unopened food alone is shocking.

But, about ten yrs ago it became a common practice to chain dumpsters shut. Those are store dumpsters, construction and clean out dumpsters the owners are often glad you take stuff out since they often pay by the ton to remove it. Single use rented dumpsters don't so.... Its one PD those things, ask first if the answer is no, come back after they leave.

{rofwl}

Residential trash is picked up once a week....and most places here will pick up anything within reason . boxes furniture lumber whatever. Depending on the neighborhood, it's good pickings. My girlfriend is always bringing stuff home from the trash she finds on her way to work. Most of it gets resold.

I am always amazed at the perfectly good stuff people throw away.
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KathJ
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by KathJ »

My dads just been round with a bag of logs someone had put in a skip near his house >dum< Good old dad )like(
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Meanqueen »

I get so wound up when people throw good stuff away. The other day I walked through the churchyard as I do most days, there is a wire baskety type bin next to the bench. I could see something interesting in a plastic bag. Me being nosey I want to know what people consider is rubbish, so I fished it out. A small conifer about 12 inches long growing in a pot. Since when is a live plant rubbish? I'm just off outside t repot it. Silly people. {mr.angry} but lucky me :-D
Ilona
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Meanqueen
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Meanqueen »

Resurrecting this thread, as I seem to be finding more and more useful stuff thrown away in skips. Yesterday I found....

Image
Will make a planter with it.

Image
I hate shabby chic. Thinking of an art project with this plate rack. Have some ideas.

Anyone else found anything good lately? Always ask permission to remove stuff from skips.

Ilona
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by Freeranger »

It's not exactly skip diving, but I've taken a load of old windows from donors on Freecycle. Some have been used as a velux window and borrowed light in a bathroom. Am planning a porch, a greenhouse and cold frames.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by lancashire lass »

I was looking at the sink and thinking it didn't look that bad (I love that mixer tap) when it suddenly reminded me of the house my family moved into (in 1979) and it set me off chuckling - it was a late 1890s 3 bedroom terraced house so most people converted one of the bedrooms into a bathroom and toilet. During the 1960s & 1970s, a lot of the nearby old rundown terraced houses were knocked down and cleared. It was about this time when the previous owner of our house (avid DIYer) put the bathroom in on the cheap ... we had a pink enamel bath, a white toilet and an avocado green sink {rofwl}

Good luck with the plate rack project )t'

Meanqueen wrote:Anyone else found anything good lately?


I only seem to notice the skips when I'm sitting in a traffic queue - a few houses normally rented out to university students look like they've been given a recent make-over with double glazed windows and kitchens (or it might just be a local grant) I've seen quite a few things dumped in the skips, possibly from elsewhere that look promising but there's not a lot I can do when stuck in traffic! By the time I've struggled home I've forgotten all about it.
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by gammidose2 »

Freeranger wrote:It's not exactly skip diving, but I've taken a load of old windows from donors on Freecycle. Some have been used as a velux window and borrowed light in a bathroom. Am planning a porch, a greenhouse and cold frames.


old windows can be very good garden sheds. Hope we can see the finalized creation. post some pic!
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teddymouse
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Re: Anyone else like skip diving?

Post by teddymouse »

you know your a good dipper when you get ''told off'' by your daugther,went taking my 10 &12year old grandchildern to school,they want her to stop at askip on someone driveway,

''there might be something good in it for nanny to use'' they told her. )t'
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why is it these days that common sense and common decency aren't that common?????
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