We compost most our organic garbage, recycle our cans and bottles, and try to reuse containers, so we don't use a garbage service.  We fill three trash cans, two bottle and can bins every two weeks with two full time and two additional part time kids.  So I take our garbage every other week (I went out of sequence today). 

I did a dump run (actually just a transfer station) this morning and every time I go I notice things that could be recycled.  Today, I saw a nice weight bench for free weights-- I had one just like it . . . otherwise, I might have grabbed it.  Last week, I saw two children's bicycles in great shape, our kids are all too big for them and have the larger sized bikes now, but I am sure someone grabbed them.  These things should have been put in a tag sale or donated, but they were there for the taking.

Have I found anything worthwhile?  Yes.  What I usually look for and have found include:

• Chicken wire for the garden
• Stakes for tomatoes
• Plant containers
• Other gardening stuff

I have also taken pallets from people for firewood elevation and I once was with my wife when we found a cast iron chiminia ($5 worth of black grill spray paint worked magic).

As I mentioned, we usually go to the dump every other week, and there is always something that someone would value that has been discarded.

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Related posts:
Frugality is Really About Creativity . . .
What Goes Into My Compost Pile?
Proper Firewood Storage