They put out this shelf and I want it, but I don’t want to seem strange? It would make a nice plant shelf, but it’s not something I can scurry away with, so people would see me while I carried it. Is that a bad thing to do?
EDIT: Never mind. Someone beat me to it. 😭
Homie. I wish you better luck in future recycling adventures. I think you might meet cool like minded people along the way.
This is totally kosher where I am and I’ve done it before, but if I think I’ll be observed I’ll ask my neighbor. They’ve always responded with some variation of “oh of course, I consider it trash” and sometimes explain reasons they’re getting rid of it that dissuaded me from taking it that weren’t immediately obvious.
And if you don’t know who owns it, leaving a note to ask is simple.
I’ve been the one to leave stuff out that I didn’t have space for anymore, with a note on that it’s free to take
One man’s garbage is another man person’s good un-garbage.
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” exists exactly for this, I think.
Except in Germany. Anything put outside for refuse collection is considered property of the town or city.
Taking something from the pile is punished as theft, and if caught, you will be fined.
Yet if you asked your neighbor, you’ll not be fined.
Which is the answer to this question anyway.
Ask
this is quite literally how I get all of my furniture, extending the lifespan of consumer goods is a good thing.
now you know for next time!
There’s a well established tradition of hand-me-down furniture being put out in alleys in East Vancouver. When you move and have no furniture, you can just tour the alleys and come away with a coffee table and a sofa or a couple of chairs. Did it a few times. You gotta know how to check for bed bugs though.
The free pile is always available.
It’s only weird if the person who threw it away makes it weird by getting upset and calling the cops, which is their legal right for some damn reason.
I don’t mind people picking through my trash; just as long as they don’t make a mess throwing garbage out of the can and leaving it all over the place.
It may or.may not be weird depending on the situstion, your neighbor’s personality, your relationship with your neighbor, etc.
But weird != wrong.
Just go and ask
I actually love it when people take things I put by the curb. I would much rather someone get use out of it than have it end up in a landfill.
Why is that weird? I put things out hoping someone will grab it, so i don’t have to risk the city not taking it.
Lmao, not at all. Check it for bugs, but trash is fair game. I live in a college town and there is good furniture out every semester if you like the look of it.
It’s technically illegal, but if cops aren’t pursuing stolen cars, they damn sure won’t care about trash bring stolen.
And, based on your edit, I’m not the only person who agrees.
If I have a bulky item to discard, I call 311 or use the My311 app to arrange city pickup, and put it by the curb the day before. It’s my hope that none will still be there by the time the truck arrives. Because that means it’s being used by someone, which is better for everyone. If it’s a neighbor, that’s cool too.
I got a decent table saw this way. I don’t mind picking up something that someone else doesn’t want and I might one day use.
