eBay

collectibles201818 · ‎08-12-2019

As eBay sellers, we sometimes come across items that people throw out on the side of the road and we take them, we clean them and we fixed them up so that way we can resell them on here or somewhere else. It's sad to see when items get tossed out of the side of the road, because some things may be able to be reused again. Just because you may not have a use for something doesn't mean that someone else won't. Just recently, we found a lawnmower on the side of the road, and we cleaned it up and we sold it on the Facebook Marketplace for $20. So with that being said, think twice before throwing something out, because things can be recycle, donated or reuse for someone else. Therefore, If you see something on the side of the road that someone is throwing out like for example a exercise bike, try to see it you can find some use for it. You never know until you try.

mr_lincoln · ‎08-13-2019

@collectibles201818 Good post and very true. One reason this kidn of thing happens is because not every one has the ability to fix things.

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

luckythewinner · ‎08-13-2019

But in the spirit of "another man's trash" ...

In the recycle hut at our local dump I found a box of 300 sealed cassettes by some fly-by-night "get rich in real estate" guru. The tapes were useless, but I got 300 mint cassette cases to replace the cracked and damaged ones on the tapes I sell on eBay. (Yes, people still buy cassettes).

In a similar vein, another recent find was a box of almost a thousand 12x18 inch poly sleeves that a seller had been using for Look and Life magazines. I offered $5 and he happily accepted, saving me about $150 over the sleeves I usually buy.

So I guess the moral of my story is that sometimes those "trash to treasure" stories come in the form of shipping supplies, rather than items for resale 🙂

vanman1029 · ‎08-13-2019

A guy down the street from me was cleaning out his garage and putting car parts on the curb. Chrome valve covers, 4 barrel dual feed Holley carb with the manifold, etc. All parts fit a 1964/66 Ford Mustang only! I sold everything on ebay for big bucks!

soh.maryl · ‎08-13-2019

The problem, as I see it, is that people toss out things because they don't know how to fix them, or don't feel they have the time to repair them.

Case in point: My son's next door neighbor used to do lawn service for a small local business. The business furnished the equipment including a leaf blower, lawn mower and, I believe a hedge clipper. Those things all require a certain amount of maintenance to remain functional. When something, like the lawn mower, would die, Tom would tell the business owner and the business owner wrote him a check to buy another one. Tom would then put that mower out for trash pickup and someone would come along and take it before the trash guys came. When my son discovered what was happening, he told Tom to let him know and he would come over and take it and repair it.

Of course, it wouldn't be repaired immediately, so Tom would most likely get a new one. When Eric got ready to return the mower or whatever, Tom didn't want it back because, guess what, he had a new one. There are several of Eric's children who have never had to buy a mower, a leaf blower or a string trimmer.

soh.maryl · ‎08-13-2019

One has to be careful, however. In some cities, it's against the law to take trash from the curb. I think this went into effect years ago because people, in their search for goodies, would just dump everything all over the lawn and leave it. Honestly, however, I don't know how rigidly it's enforced because, frankly, I would think the cops would have more serious misdemeanors and felonies to deal with.

fuzzface50 · ‎08-13-2019

Around by me if the item is in a plain jane garbage can from like Walmart with no name on it, it is fair game for anyone but if it is in a can, bin, or dumpster with a company name on it then the owner legally gave it to that company and by rights you can get a fine for removing items out of those type of marked containers. if the marked container is full or the item doesn't fit in and just laying on the grass by it, that item is free game to take.

Another thing around here is if it is on the lawn between house and sidewalk, it is the owners property but if the owner has the item on that thin strip of grass between sidewalk and road then they gave up ownership to the item and is free for the taking.

Now this is how it works in my community and might be different in yours. If you are taking up scrapping or picking up treasures, learn the rules in your area first so you don't get yourself into unnecessary problems.

scottish_kat · ‎08-13-2019

@fuzzface50 wrote:
Around by me if the item is in a plain jane garbage can from like Walmart with no name on it, it is fair game for anyone but if it is in a can, bin, or dumpster with a company name on it then the owner legally gave it to that company and by rights you can get a fine for removing items out of those type of marked containers. if the marked container is full or the item doesn't fit in and just laying on the grass by it, that item is free game to take.

Another thing around here is if it is on the lawn between house and sidewalk, it is the owners property but if the owner has the item on that thin strip of grass between sidewalk and road then they gave up ownership to the item and is free for the taking.

Now this is how it works in my community and might be different in yours. If you are taking up scrapping or picking up treasures, learn the rules in your area first so you don't get yourself into unnecessary problems.

Where I live, anything left on the curb is fair game. We do this often: broken fans and lawnmowers and things. Anyone is welcome to take if they know how to fix it.

On the other hand, one day my friend left a stroller on the sidewalk and took his kid into the house. When he came back out for it, it was gone.

kataggr-44 · ‎08-13-2019

It may not be serious for the cops but it can be a pain when you have to go out the next morning dressed for work and have to scoop garbage back into bags otherwise the garbage men won't take it and then neighbors will call the police saying you are littering.

luckythewinner · ‎08-13-2019

@fuzzface50 wrote:
if the owner has the item on that thin strip of grass between sidewalk and road then they gave up ownership to the item and is free for the taking.

How about something left on the street itself - is that fair game?

myjunqueyourtreasure · ‎08-13-2019

The usual here is to stick a FREE sign on anything left at the curb. That way people know for sure it's meant to be there (kids have a habit of leaving toys on the sidewalks)

Reality is the leading cause of stress.

gwens*4saleitems* · ‎08-13-2019

Case in point --- couple of weeks ago a little girl had her lemonade stand stolen out of their front yard. Person realized it wasn't trash (yeah right) and returned it with all kinds of apologies.

It was brand newly built and didn't look trashy, and it was on the front lawn, not on the curb, and someone stole it.

earlyant-77 · ‎08-13-2019

During cleanup days one year, there was a brand new lawnmower out with other stuff. I went and knocked on the door and asked if they were really tossing it out. They said yes, that the owners had left it for them when they sold the house and they didn't need it. Brand new, used maybe once if that.

Picked it up and took it to my parents, since they needed a new one.

Other things picked up and sold:

broken cow weather vane - 160.00

vintage wooden skateboard - 185.00

Weller Coppertone A&C vase, broken handle but there - glued it - 150.00

Boxes of vintage carnival glass - $$

Stacking bookcases, corner cupboards, Hoosier cabinets, Victorian stands, you name it, I've found it over the years. Even a block long row of mostly new, still sealed ceiling fans, small appliances, etc..

Although some places you might think that's the only day they put anything out for trash pickup all year.

kataggr-44 · ‎08-13-2019

I remember visiting my son when he graduated from college. You wouldn't believe the things students leave at the curb because they either can't or don't want to take it back home with them.

thecollegefund · ‎08-14-2019

Isn't college move out unreal??Thanks for bringing that up!

A couple of years ago during move out, I scored a big vintage snowman blowmold decoration, a newer model floor lamp with multi colored shades that my daughter uses and my son got plenty of stuff to sell for scrap. A former roommate of my son's got an internship during the school year and gave my son a perfectly good lap top that he said he didn't need any longer--I guess he only had it to take notes with in class.

My son said he knew of a foreign student that had to abandon a car after graduation because it cost too much to ship it back home and he never got around to selling it.