We spotted this Step 2 Sand and Water Activity Table
on our way to the doctor.2 hours later, it was still sitting at the curb. Do I dare trash pick in such a fancy neighborhood?
I wedged it in the trunk, just as the garbage truck barreled down the street.
It almost made all the fever worthwhile!
I would LOVE to have one of those! What a great find! You aren't 'trash-picking' though, you are being 'green' and reusing what would have ended up in a landfill! Lol...
ReplyDeleteMeredith,
ReplyDeleteGood find! I have trash-picked two Little Tikes Sand and Water Tables. Most people driving by have no idea what they are. Here's a tip to keep the mess and costs down with a sand & water table. Put plain water on one side and soapy water on the other. The kids love it! And no mud from the mix of sand and water. :-)
I love curbside shopping! It's great for the envirionment and your wallet. I'm surprised it was still there after 2 hours! Great find!
ReplyDeleteThose are very nice. I know I do not have to tell you this, but for others who might not know, you will need to cover the sand when not in use. (I use a tarp) This keeps the neighbor's cats out of the box. No nasty surprises.
ReplyDeleteAs the other person said, you were not trash picking because it is NOT trash if it gives another child pleasure. Blessings. Roxie
This toy is probably the best purchase I have made since my kids have been around.
ReplyDeleteWe use it inside in the winter.
http://giddygoat.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/sensory-table/
GREAT FIND!!
Those are the ONLY neighborhoods in which to trash pick :D A family friend tells of neighborhoods in his area of Idaho (Sun Valley) where people put expensive, once- or twice-used skis on the curb because this year's model has been purchased. Their foolishness is my gain!
ReplyDeleteGreat find!
Oh that is awesome!! Happy for you but admitting I'm jealous! A good reminder to keep eyes peeled on garbage day!
ReplyDeleteThat find is worth picking trash in any neighborhood -- wow!
ReplyDeleteGreat find! I love getting free stuff, even if it is considered someone's trash. :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT! We have one of these and just love it...it gets so much use for at least 5 to 6 months out of the year...
ReplyDeleteWay to junk!
I'm happy you "dared"! Why not??
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I think that people put things out a lot of times because they are sure someone will use it -- not because they really want to trash it!
HOW DARE YOU! Yipee - so glad you dared. :)What fun your kiddos will have this summer.
ReplyDeletewe have wanted one of those for a long time but considered the prices outrageous--instead, we made our own! It looks great and our toddler Loves it! I will post a how-to on my blog next week: ssmast.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteEven with the toys we got for it($1 section of supertarget)--all in all cost $25!! However....free is always better!
Sarah M
We used to live in a very upscale neighborhood. In nice weather, Christopher and I would take our walks early on trash day.
ReplyDeleteIt was always surprising to see what people threw away (and we took home). :)
Oh wow, that is a GREAT find!
ReplyDeleteBeen there-An old ammo box from WWII that someone put out for the trash and a vacuum cleaner, (a bit newer than WWII model-that worked!)
ReplyDeleteI am amazed what folks put out for trash!
Not trash-picking---saving the earth!
ReplyDelete:)
What a lucky find!
ReplyDeleteNot having kids, I have no idea what that is. A sandbox? Water table? Whatever it is, I'm glad you found it! Hope your kids enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI have had people knock on my door and ask for items placed on the curb and I have had people just remove what they want . It's fine if someone else can use it and they don't leave a mess for me to clean up .
ReplyDeleteI would always rather give to someone who can use it , than throwing it in a landfill : )
My MIL trash picks the best stuff... she has gotten a water/sand table, a little tykes min cooper car and a wooden+plastic bins storage unit for my son. All in great condition and all free!
ReplyDeletea post after my own heart. curbside shopping is the best. (free is my favorite word!) i had to by pass a big outdoor playhouse the other day....too big for the car and the yard. boo hoo...just hope it doesn't end up in a landfill!
ReplyDeletenicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com
It's called Dumpster Diving by my brother and "You go Girl!!!" I love finding stuff like that. Our old town used to have a big trash day twice a year where there was no limit on the large items you could put out. We got some great stuff at that time of year...and I'm sure people thought that about our 'trash' too.
ReplyDeleteWonderful. You make me smile. My favorite old wheelbarrow came from the place you took your trash to in the country. I pulled in behind someone who unloaded it and I loaded it. The supervisor on site replied "you want that old wheelbarrow" I replied "yes - it is a treasure" Still have it and plant flowers in it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find! Glad you beat the garbage truck to it. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome.
ReplyDeleteJust a note to your readers to be careful it's trash. We had a neighbor who dove through our donated items that we had scheduled for salvation army to pick up.
Large items that we wanted to write off on our taxes and that shelters can really use. When the truck got there, the desk, office chairs, rocking chair and toys were gone. The next week, I saw said items in neighbor's garage. How sad to steal from a charity. The items had a sign clarly marked for the salvation army.
Actually it bothers me most that all these garbage finds weren't donated in the first place thinking of landfills and wasted resources. How lazy can they be. I am so glad to hear you made a wonderful find before it truly was trashed.
Also, I've found the best garage sales in those rich neighborhoods. Great finds for pennies. Solid wood coffee tables for $5.
Pick it up...how fun!
ReplyDeletesandy toe
Love love love it! And I love that you took the trash! :) Some of my best finds have come from someone's trash!
ReplyDeleteGood point. If I had a charity picking up my stuff, I would put it on the porch--not the curb.
ReplyDeleteThis was a lone table and a broken pot set out by the trash cans, clearly in the ditch.
I used to find good stuff curbside but when our city switched to big municipal trash bins, they quit picking up anything that isn't in the can. As a result, I rarely see items set out by the cans any more.
I would never reach in someone's can but I would certanly look twice at an item set next to it. I think in most cases the owner hopes someone will take it, especially when they know it will not be picked up by the truck unless it is in the can.
Very cool find! I love trash picking. We got our turtle sandbox that way. There is not a thing wrong with it. It is so amazing what people throw out!
ReplyDeleteoh I always knock on the door and ask first- there are actually ordinances against lifting things from peoples yards- even if it's in the trash pile
ReplyDeleteThat's also a good point, Meredith. There are definitely regional variation on trash pick up. Here in the Seattle 'burbs area, they pick up small items and even smaller broken furniture on trash day for a fee if you call ahead.
ReplyDeleteWhat's common here is people will pile a bunch of stuff on their drive/curb and put a sign that says "free." Then is disappears pretty quickly,
As for our donated items, our old house had no porch to speak of and these were big itms, so I had to put it on the sidewalk between my and my neighbor's house on a non-trash day with no garbage cans in sight.. But I also put signs all over the stuff that it was for Salvation army. It put a real strain on the neighborly relations because I was angry, but didn't want to cause waves. I also felt pretty guilty the Salvation Army made a special trip for my stuff with gas very costly at th etime and all they got was a couple boxes of knick-knacks.
I agree totally with your situation. No way would regular trash guys pick up such a big table unless they were hoping to score if for themselves. :) I've known several guys in the industry and oh the stuff they would pick up that was still good and working.
Anyway, good score. :D
WE call that junking. In Germany there are two times a year that everyone is encouraged to "put out the big things". It is an evening of enjoyment to go around and look. Sort of like thrift storing without the store or money!
ReplyDeleteI definitely would have picked it up. What a great find!
ReplyDeleteHope your little one is feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteIn BROAD DAYLIGHT! LOL!
ReplyDeleteGO GO GO Meredith!
Another fine example of 'recovering quality goods' - without spending ONE dime!
latrice
Way to go Meredith!!!! TOOTS for YOU!!!!! I am keeping my eyes open for discards as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree that often times people are hoping their discard will find a good home, I've both picked up and put out. Here in Sacramento we used to have the annual big trash pick up day and the official city & county policy was that salvaging/recycling were banned. With the advent of freecycle and craigslist people were posting when their neighborhood was having pickup day so to put a stop to that the city and county switched to having individually scheduled pickup appts once a year. The short-sightedness boggles my mind. How hard would it be to send a sweeper truck through each neighborhood after its' turn? I guess I'd better get fired up to write some letters!
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's recycling!
ReplyDeleteI totally would have stuffed it in my vehicle too!
We have that exact sand and water table. This is one of the few things we actually bought new. It has been worth every single penny and then some. One of the few things that entertains her for hours, year after year. Great find!
ReplyDeleteOMG! I just spend $70 on one of those Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteI only put sand in ours, though. If the sand got in the water, the OCD Mama in me would freak.