The Night Crawlers

Become a NightCrawler Dumpster Dive Crew. Dumpster diving is the process of scavenging trash—not always dumpsters, however—for useful or valuable items. There is so much out there for free that so many simply throw away to be sent off to the trash heap. Whether you’re looking to furnish your home, fill your fridge, or cash in on other people’s trash, this guide will teach you the ins and outs of dumpster diving. Remember, one man's trash is another man's treasure!

 

Steps to Becoming a NightCrawler in Your Neighborhood

1. Know your local laws. In many jurisdictions trash is not considered private property, so dumpster divers cannot be charged with theft, however, some municipalities have ordinances prohibiting scavenging trash, most notably in the United Kingdom. Dumpster divers may run afoul of laws regarding trespassing or invasion of privacy. Research the laws in your area or contact your local police department to inquire about the legality of diving practices.

2. Network with other divers. As you get into dumpster diving, you'll likely meet other divers, and many, but not all, will be friendly and helpful. Share tips and experiences and you'll probably get some good tips in return. Consider joining an online dumpster diving forum or a local club. Other divers can keep a look out for items that you want.

3. Find the dumpsters in your area and keep track of when you find the best items and when the garbage collectors come. In residential areas, find out standard move-in and move-out dates.

4. Equip yourself. At the very least carry a milk crate or stepping stool to help you see and access the contents of dumpsters and bring plastic bags to hold your treasures. Also be sure to bring a flashlight if you're diving at night. Remember that you don't have to dive right into a dumpster — bring along a long pole to poke around with or one with a grabbing apparatus on the end, and you may not need to venture in at all.

5. Keep a look out. Dumpster diving is controversial and in many cases illegal, and divers are frequently confronted by shopkeepers, homeowners or the po-lice. While a confrontation is no big deal if handled properly, you should still try to avoid it. If you see people in the area, wait a while.

6. Handle with care. Be very careful when handling trash or entering dumpsters. Broken glass and sharp objects can cut you, and you could be poked by a used needle. Protective clothing can somewhat help avoid these dangers, but you should always exercise caution when rummaging through bags of trash.

7. Take only what you need and can realistically use. Take what you can use, but remember that there are a lot of dumpster divers, and someone may have a dire need for something that you'll just leave sitting in your garage.

8. Clean up after yourself. If you've thrown garbage all around, pick it up and put it back into the dumpster. While you're at it, throw away other nearby trash that's on the ground. Leave the area as clean or cleaner than you found it — don't give dumpster diving a bad name.

Dumpstering Tips

If you live near a university when graduation rolls around the seniors have to move out fast and leave lots of stuff behind. Underclassmen will leave things behind as well but usually right before graduation. Some janitors are nice and allow you to paw through the bags of stuff they leave outside the dorms to be picked up.

Dive with a friend; it's a lot more fun with company and safer, too. A friend can help you out if you become injured, can help defuse confrontations and keep look out.

Empty your pockets and take off any jewelry before entering a dumpster so you don't lose it in the trash for another diver to find.

Let it be known in your neighborhood that you find homes for discarded items. Many people can't be bothered to call a charity shop, but are all too happy to ask a neighbor to haul things away for them.

If confronted by a business owner, resident, rubbish hauler, or police officer, be polite and explain what you are doing. Many times people will assume that you are illegally dumping trash and will not bother you if they understand that you are not. In any case, always be friendly and respectful, and try to understand the other person’s point of view: business owners who tell you to leave the premises, for example, may be concerned about their legal liability if you were to be injured.

A white butcher smock makes you look like a grocery store employee and you are seldom bothered by other dumpster divers or law enforcement when they see that smock.

Before vaulting into a dumpster, hit the side of the dumpster a few times to warn its inhabitants (i.e., possums, raccoons, rats, squirrels) of your impending scavenging. Watch out for possums as they will fight, and rats will run over the top of you to get away.