It’s a pastime dear to any Richmonder’s heart.
When you first moved here, you were grossed out by the prospect of hunting through disgusting, trash-juice-covered trash cans, looking for things to put in your house. But as you grimly watched your friends pull treasure after treasure out of those lovable, smelly alleyways, you had a change of heart.
Or maybe you grew up in Richmond—born with one hand on a Punchline and the other hand in the dumpster.
Either way, the benefits of dumpster diving are easy to see:
- It’s fun.
- It can be done at any time of the day or night.
- It can be spontaneous.
- It’s free.
- It’s a great way to bond with friends (“Hey, remember that time we pulled that old chair out of a dumpster, and after we cleaned it, we discovered it was actually white, not vomit green?”).
- Best of all, most of the things you find can’t be found in a store anymore. Dumpster diving is a good way to add that extra boost of originality to your home.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can find on a diving spree. People around town are more than eager to share their finds.
“I go dumpster diving all the time,” says Shree Fulcher, a self-proclaimed dumpster diving expert. “I can’t even tell you what furniture in my apartment has been found and what has been bought. Some of my favorite things are a 1970s phone table, an old chair that my doggie uses as her bed, a shoe rack, a cabinet (I think it was a child’s play refrigerator), a window that is now under construction to be a sweet picture frame, and lots of cute miscellaneous items.”
“I actually found an old road bike once that was in perfect condition,” said graphic designer Chris Seamon. “The person threw it out because they couldn’t replace the back tire. The bolts were on so tight that it took two days of going to the gym and a can of WD-40 ‘til I could open it.”
The plunder from these outings doesn’t have to be associated with the “college lifestyle” (read: living in squalor). Another local dumpster diving guru, Blair Cooke, is planning on integrating one of her found items into a freshly redone kitchen:
“So, the most interesting thing I have found was a sink straight out of the ’50s that I plan on using when we remodel our kitchen.”
As with many subtle sciences, the “when” and “where” is key. The Fan is the obvious bonanza, and alleys can be quickly and easily scoured. Many people who live there move quite frequently, and the process of expanding/contracting their possessions to fit into bigger/smaller spaces creates a lot of dumpster gems.
“I think the best time to hit up the dumpsters for anything would be during the summer months when people are getting their move on,” says Seamon. In general, dumpster divers should be more active during times when cleaning or moving is heightened.
“The best time of year is right when it starts to get warm and everyone is doing their spring cleaning, thus throwing out treasures. Another good time is when the dorms clear out and all the VCU kids move out of their Fan apartments,” Cooke said.
For a change of scenery, Cooke suggests Monument Avenue alleys for throwaway items from wealthier homes and Lakeside for vintage articles.
“I also suggest stalking any house being renovated, because that’s when you can hit the jackpot,” said Cooke.
And apparently, dumpsters aren’t the only places that should be consulted: “Well, it doesn’t count as dumpster diving, but I know a few certain people who loved hitting up Goodwill trucks at night because people would leave stuff under there. I know a certain someone found an NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and 25 games,” says Eric Callahan, a local father and grappling enthusiast.
As the city heats up for the spring/summer 2005 dumpster diving season, you’ve got no choice but to throw caution to the wind and hit the alleys of RVA with some good friends and a pickup truck.
Happy diving, everyone!
Written by Tess Dixon
