not me lol...I actually had a woman help me load a bench that she trashed into my truck lol...now if i see something i want and the person is outside I always ask...and if someone yelled at me I would tell them that I fix stuff so it cuts down on loading our landfills

I've only picked up a few things. Mainly I've rang the doorbell and asked if I could have the item. It's guilt free that way.

Last month, I saw a cedar chest sitting out so I rang the doorbell. The owner had already promised it to someone else, but told me to take me to take it if it was still sitting there later. I drove back by later and it was still there so I loaded it up. I think the guy across the street almost had a fit. I thought it was funny because it was obviously in the trash pile and I did have permission to get it.

Not me, I wouldn't be embarrassed. People who throw away perfectly good stuff are the ones who should feel embarrassed :)

No,cause I usually make my DH do it. :D ~Anj

Oh, I'm embarrassed, all right... But I do it anyway! :-)

I love a transforming furniture too much to let humiliation get in the way of my taking it.

I do, however, try to be very, very FAST about it. (grin!)

--Jenn

Here is a link that might be useful: My crafting/thrifting/decorating blog

If someone is out there, just say Hi, how ya doing, do you mind if I take this, thanks, see ya, have a great day - See all done in one sentence. No problem!

I'm usually only embarrassed if it's in my neighborhood. But one time my DH and I were picking up some wine crates curbside, and someone yelled "garbage pickers!" from inside the house. We got out of there in a hurry!

I'm always nervous because one time my DM stopped at a house with a little dressing table & chair out by the trash cans. She went up to the door and knocked but no answer. She said it looked like the house was empty like the people had moved or something. So she and my dad began loading the dresser into the back of their truck. All of a sudden this lady came from the back of the house yelling and cursing at them that she had put the dresser out for the goodwill to come and pick up. So they excused themselves and unloaded it back out of the truck. Told her she might want to move it away from the trash and put a sign on it. ha They were both mortified though. That's why I make my DH do it. He's a pretty big guy so most people wouldn't mess with him. ha ~A

Never. If in doubt, then ask, but what I have found is that most people are fine with it.

I know if I have anything out in the trash, that means I no longer want it. I have had neighbors ask for items in the trash, and I always say yes. In fact, they really wouldn't have to ask me at all. If there is something they might find useful there, then I definitely want them to have it, with my blessing.

I wish there was some trash to pick up around here. I am so envious of all of you who can curb shop.

hi there--

i have been with my friend a few times when she has seen something on the side of the road and stopped to pick it up.
i never got out of the car, she doesnt seem to be embarassed at all-- i never have seen anything that i wanted before so if i ever find something i'll just ask her to pick it up for me!!!!!

a funny story --- another friend of mine had a dresser
with 1 missing drawer out for trash --- someone came to the door and asked if they could take it , she said sure
go ahead-- then they asked her where was the missing drawer
she said if she had the missing drawer it woundn't be in the trash then they asked are you sure you dont have the drawer

I am soooooooo embarrassed ! But I'll tell you about my first curb shopping trip .... 2 weeks ago. SOmeone on Craig's list posted that her neighbor just put out a whole bunch of good stuff at the curb. I decided to do my first curb shopping. I drove up & saw another van there - Shoot ! I got up the courage to get out and started saying hi and making small talk -- pretty soon we were "shopping" together and helping each other load heavy stuff. That was just so cool ! I even took some stuff that she had to throw out that was still decent - and took it to the Goodwill. I hope all curb shopping is this good !

LOL

No, not really. I don't post here often, but just peeked in. Funny, cause this morning I picked up an old wooden step ladder. I plan to let a clematis climb on it.

Moni

It depends on how much I'm struggling to get the piece of junk into my vehicle. I don't want to look like a complete idiot trying to cram something huge into the trunk of my modest size car! LOL

I am too embarassed to stop and pick up things I see along the street. Twice I have seen something I know could have been transformed but just don't have the nerve. I've thought of the little chest I passed up. Have the perfect place for it.

Like Countrygrl, I am usually embarrassed if it is in my neighborhood, which btw, has the best junk. It all started out when I eyeballed a house for sale for the longest time, knowing it had grapefruits growing in the bag. I tend to 'walk' my dogs, so I look more natural. After getting to the back yard of the vacant home, I discovered a large pretty planter and 2 saw horses. Mind you this was in late October, after we change the clocks back, so by 5 p.m. it is dark. Came back home, left my dogs and carried the saw horses one by one, back to my driveway, left them there and went back for the planter. Thank God it was dark. I also never let anyone see me unload things from my truck, so I make sure they are not home as 2 neighbors live for looking over the fence. I tend to 'wait until dark'.

Nope. (However, my teenage son is!! As if he's NEVER embarassed me!) Just found an old rusty wheelbarrel! The young man was "tickled to death" that I wanted his trash!! Also found a "butt-ugly" fiber optic lamp. Cut the fiber otic top off and DH took out electrical parts, mosaic it with glass marbles and glass sqigglies and made the prettiest gazing ball with attached stand! One of my favorites!! Again, the people were just "tickled pink" that I wanted their trash.
Jeanette from Mississippi

Normally no one sees me. I live in a big apartment building with underground parking. People throw out furniture and bigger items by putting them by the dumpster. My DH likes to take apart broken, cheap furniture for the hardware and then he sometimes uses the pressed wood from it for projects like shelves for the closet. My biggest curb side haul was when a young family moved out of the last apartment complex I lived in. They threw out the most amazing stuff from almost new toys and kid's furniture to a leather desk chair (which I am sitting on right now). I just carted it all over to my garage. I gave most of it to Goodwill but kept a wooden shelf and the leather chair. I agree with ladynimue, its the people who throw away perfectly good stuff who should be embarassed.

I honestly can't recall if I ever picked up something from the curb of a house I didn't know. My DH has picked up wood scraps. When he wanted something to disappear at his old house, he would put it by the "magic telephone pole" in the alley. It seems that junkers of all varieties shop the alley in his neighborhood!

In Amsterdam it's quite crowded on the curb on trashnight. It's like shopping evening for poor people and nobody is ashamed of it. I'm starting to recognize people and sometimes we go through a pile together like on the market through a pile of second hand clothing. There is also a code of honour. Whoever picks something first, has it and there's no envy, no arguing. My BF and I congratulate people when we see they found something great. Like the couple we saw loading the coolest kitchen cabinet on a cart. They were a bit surprised, obviousy not experienced 'shoppers', but we really mean that.

I once saw the craziest rocker across the street from my flat (one of those '70-s bamboo cage things hanging in a frame), went back in to get my BF to help me, but when i came out again I already saw a certain familiar van driving up and stopping. So I ran for it and put my hand on the chair before the man could get out. He just stuck up his hand, smiled at me and drove on. A minute later a woman passed and we heard: 'damn, too late!'

I might blush a little, but I brazen it out with some small talk.

Luckily, I've never been spotted taking anything that wasn't there for the taking -- that could be a bit embarrassing.

On the very rare occassion I've seen someone pick up something I've set out by the dumpster, I've always called out a hearty "thank you!" Sometimes, they blush, but sometimes they come over and chat, get a bit of history, and share their plans for the item. It's nice to visualize where the stuff is going and who it's going home with.

When charities do pick-ups if you have a lot of items and they ask that a sign be put on it with their name like Purple Heart . Easter Seals will mail you a sign. Please do look to see if the items have been set out for charity.

The first time I did an attic cleaning I put everything in my walkway leading to my front door and on the porch, not at the curb and not on the city sidewalk. The next morning everything had been ripped open and scatterd. Half the stuff was missing - All the good stuff as there were a number of NIB items received as gifts that I could not use. Since the plastic bags were ripped open everything got wet in the rain. And a lot of it was broken or smashed. When Purple Heart showed up at 8:00AM there was not much left and they wasted their time coming out. Obviously people ingored the HUGE Purple Heart sign.

The next time I put stuff out for Easter Seals and put up the neon sign they gave me indicating it was a donation for charity. First a neighbor canibalized the pile. I watched. Then another neighbor. I watched this. I said nothing as I did not want any "ill will' with neighbors. Then a truck pulled up and a bunch of guys jumped out and started towards my porch. I nicly told them they could not take the stuff as it was for charity and pointed to *the sign*. I told them Easter Seals was on their way to pick it up. They had the audacity to argue with me. They said they "had permission" to take the stuff. I had to start screaming that this was my house, and my stuff, and they better not touch it or set foot in my yard to get anything! They took off quickly. I think they may have been illegals and did not want any police.

From now on I take everything personally to drop off centers.

Now, I myself am not against picking usable stuff out of the trash. If I have any doubt about an item I will ask them while they are setting it out or ring the door bell or even leave a note. I've found some nice items sitting on top of trash or right next to the bins. Some I keep and sometimes I just rescue them and donate them to charity. I hate seeing waste. If Goodwill is going to drive all the way out to my place for a pick-up I don't want to see them waste their time coming all that way for nothing. If a neighbor would ask for something they see out I would give it to them, but the thing is, a person should ask before grabbing something intended for charity.

I have even done dumpster diving - although it is always best when done w/ a friend!!!!!!!