One Reddit user's first dumpster-diving trip in northeast Ohio brought an unusually big return: they estimated the makeup they found at about $1,350, and also came away with a Kong dog bed and pet food.
Here's what to know
On r/DumpsterDiving, the newcomer asked a practical question after the haul: How often do people actually end up going home with nothing? In the discussion, the original poster wrote, "Ended up finding $1350 worth of makeup as well as a kong dog bed ! I was so excited, my question is, how many times is it worth it like this and how many times do u end up empty handed? We went to probs 10 stores and 2 of them had usable items."
One commenter offered a straightforward answer, "I'd say about 25% of the time I walk away empty handed, which is pretty good!"
A separate thread in the comments centered on keeping locations vague. Multiple people told the newcomer not to name specific stores, saying sharing exact spots can make it harder for others to rescue usable items before they end up in the trash.
Some also focused on the scale of the waste. "….. that's so much money. The beauty industry is ridiculous," one commenter wrote. "But I'm glad you found so much!"
Out of roughly 10 places they checked, the poster said only two had anything usable.
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Whether something could be kept depended on its condition, especially for personal-care products and food-related items. The poster noted there was "more too but they were more destroyed so I didn't bother."
What can be done?
A haul like this can happen, but many trips turn up little or nothing, and some discarded items simply aren't safe or useful to take home.
It also helps to approach the activity carefully and respectfully. Wearing gloves, using a grabber, and bringing a headlamp — all tools the original poster mentioned — can make the process safer and easier. Checking local laws, posted signage, and property rules is also important, since access can vary by location.
Commenters also suggested being careful about posting exact locations online. They said naming stores publicly can attract attention from search engines or company monitoring systems, which may make it harder for dumpster-diving communities to keep recovering usable goods.
Where can I learn more?
For more on retail waste and dumpster-diving etiquette, these stories look at other notable hauls from major retailers. They also explain how dumpster-diving laws can differ from place to place.
• At an Earth Breeze retailer, a pile of brand-new detergent sparked debate over needless waste.
• A store's expensive electronics trashed left one dumpster diver furious about avoidable waste.
• High-end products trashed had shoppers asking whether any could be saved.
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