Dh and Dd getting things out of the bin

[Neednewglassesplease]

I find it embarrassing

We live in a v wealthy area, many of the houses nearby are rented out to holiday makers (tourist place)
Dh and dd often take the rubbish to the bins
Different to the uk, you take your bags to huge bins at the end of the road and bin men collect it all at night
Dh and Dd have just come back excitedly with a huge beach umbrella, brand new, still wrapped up, admittedly we do need one and I was about to get this weekend, so it comes in handy, but still feel a bit embarrassed.
They’ve come back with garden chairs before, a boogie board (brand new) etc

Would you be embarrassed or chuffed?

This is true, I was pleased but embarrassed others may think 😬 I shouldn’t care!

Underground overground Wombling free... we have very good Wombling opportunities round here and those we don't agree upon go back out to the next person... one man's trash etc

I'd be thrilled.

One man's fish is another man's poisson, as they say.

Forget about all that saving the planet chat. You saved yourself the money for a new beach umbrella which you were just about to buy. Well done DH & DD!
I think I'd be slightly embarrassed in a Hyacinth Bucket sort of way, but I'd definitely be pleased with the find.

I used to dumpster dive in London in the 80’s. Furnished my flat

DP and I do this all the time at the recycling centre. I got a great Black and Decker heavy duty drill. We got an e-scooter once too.
Sometimes people leave things outside for the scrap dealers to pick up, they don’t pay you for it. Sometimes DP will ring the doorbell and ask if it’s ok to take something.
There is one recycling centre nearby that actually has a corner with books, home decor, old clothes etc and you can just help yourself. We get board games for the kids this way and then when they are fed up with them we take them back for someone else to take.

Yes that happens in some places. Makes sense, if someone else can use your stuff it’s better than it going to waste.

And you can be sure the bin men will take things that still have life left in them. At our local recycling centre the staff set things aside- some are collected by charities but others they fix up and take home. My previous neighbour who worked there had basically everything in his house and garden from there.

This is common in parts of Spain especially in holiday areas. People leave stuff beside the communal bins in the hope that someone will get use of them. I've seen things like shoes, ice boxes, picnic baskets, garden chairs, and so on. Most in good condition. The councils don't like it and there are signs asking people not to leave stuff beside the bins. But it happens.

I think it's a good thing and the lucky ones get some good stuff too! If I saw something clean and newish looking that I needed, I'd definitely take it. And I could well afford to buy new BTW. Believe me, anything decent looking doesn't last five minutes!

Our local waste transfer station has a building where anything useful and non electrical is separated out and left for people. Things we have got: ceramic plant pots, odd boxes of tiles, nice table that stripped down a treat, bike wheel we were going to buy, timber for a raised bed, pony head collar, goat collars (they were for dogs), and loads more. Saved a fortune and they save disposal. It can get a bit obsessive though, as you seem to be finding out.😂

I would be absolutely delighted.

this is something you could really encourage though. DH and DD could be saving all this stuff left by the bins and passing to local charities and others who are in need.

by the bin, means please take. If it’s all holiday let’s in a wealthy area there’s a real chance you could help people and reduce rubbish.

Everyone in my village puts stuff out all the time! Someone always takes it no matter if it’s old/new or scrap! I think it’s brilliant. Why are you embarrassed?

Oh, I accidentally posted YANBU. 😅 I think you’ve got an excellent bin diver there!

Haha you should go to West Australia. The tip is where you get all sorts of new household items 😁

Chuffed.

I found a kids slide and playhouse outside a house when I was out for a walk one night. Ran back home to get the car before another thrifty person nabbed them. Also got a side table from the tip once.

People put items out by the dumpster at my apartment complex and many tape a sign stating it's new, or works, etc. They, like me, don't want to bother taking a picture, posting it on FB Marketplace, and then dealing with the messages. It's a win win. I have to say most items are gone the next day. There's also random bikes kids have out grown, or people move and leave them by the bike rack. Children without bikes use them. Think of it as not only recycling, but a random act of kindness.

We currently have a skip outside the house as we have just had our bathroom renovated. A couple of nights ago, just happened to look out and see a van pull up, the driver then had a quick rifle and promptly took the toilet and threw it in the back of his van. Glad I keep a clean loo!

This is exactly what we would do in the European country we lived in. It was expected that it would be picked up by someone before the bin men came.

In the Netherlands they had a once a month thing where you could leave large items on the kerbside and you go around and take what you want before the council collect the following day.

This is unequivocally a good thing, you need to get over your embarrassment

I would definitely see it as recycling. Think of the benefit to the environment. We go on a beach holiday every year and there is an an area to leave unwanted items in good condition that anybody can freely take.

It's brilliant that items don't get wasted if they are able to be used

Definitely a good thing. I love a good "abandoned item" find

You do realise it was left by the bin for that very reason.
For someone who needed one to use it rather it go to landfill.

I live in a very smart area.
Over the past 5 years a WhatsApp group was set up, very urban setting.
You really would not believe what people stick up "free to a good home".
Fabulous furniture, nearly new bikes, all perfect baby equipment, great perfect toys for children.
I gave away our perfect ping pong table that my children had gotten 5 years of fun from.
Neighbour was thrilled to take it for her grandchildren who visit her regularly and stay.

I love to recycle stuff.

One of my neighbours once had a set of pyjamas taken out of the recycling bags she'd placed outside for collection! She saw them on another neighbour's washing line! I think that might just be a bit much, especially as the bag had to be opened to get them!

On the other hand, a beach umbrella sounds like a great find!

Sounds like they’re reducing the massive landfill waste that’s destroying the planet and getting some free stuff at the same time.

Stop being a snob and enjoy the spoils.