One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure

This morning, I had an experience in the likes that I have never had before.  Last Sunday at church, I signed up to do a volunteer shift at our local DI store. (Not this one… I forgot to bring my camera, dang it!)  We arrived at 8 a.m. and were give some quick instructions.  There were several carts with merchandise on them that needed to be shelved for purchase before the store opened at 10 a.m.  We had to take each item off the cart and find a home for it on the shelves with like items.  I was really impressed with how clean and orderly the store and shelves were.  We had some odd things to shelve, but there was a place for everything.  (Except the rusted pruning shears… I couldn’t figure out where to put those.) 

We worked and shelved and as the store opening approached, the employees started to tell us about what it’s like on a typical work day.  I looked outside and saw about a dozen people standing outside the side entrance at least 20 minutes before the store opened.  Ray (our employee mentor) called them “blackbirds” and “ravens”.  They were more like “hawks” and “vultures”, but Ray insisted on using the more charitable nicknames.  (Whatever!)

As the doors opened, the people would rush in and look through the carts of stuff to be shelved looking for “new” treasures.  You see, 90% of these people come EVERY day… and spend hours, combing through the shelves looking for bargains and/or treasures.  Most of them know what’s been on the shelves a while.  Most of them are professional thrifters.  And they are a unique bunch.  I thought that Ray was exaggerating.  Until I saw them in action. 

Holy Crap!  These people spend hours in the DI each day… pouring over the shelves, looking for new treasures, and racing to get the best stuff.  Then there is the group of husbands, that come along with their wives, but don’t really care about shopping.  They grab a couple of books from the book section, and park it around one of the dining room table sets that’s for sale, and chew the fat.  For hours!  Honestly, I couldn’t believe it!

One request I want to make of all my friends who donate to the DI.  Please don’t donate complete junk.  Because they will try to sell it.  Seriously, I couldn’t believe the stuff I had to put out on the shelves.  And if it doesn’t sell in a few weeks, they pull it from the shelves and run it through the trash compactor.  DI shouldn’t have to pay to dispose of our junk.  And believe me, I saw plenty of stuff that should be in the garbage pile.  Unsold clothes get bundled and sent to SLC for Humanitarian Aid, but unsold household goods get sent to the landfill. 

So the next time I have the urge to go to thrifting, I’m going to budget in some extra time to wander around and people watch.  Now that’s entertainment!