A woman in Florida discovered an unusual way to do just that Brighten her life And save a lot of money at the same time.
It just means deciding to frequent some places that many others wouldn't.
Melanie Diaz of Tampa, Florida finds some Christmas magic After others have tried to throw away brand new, good holiday decor items. (Watch the video at the top of this article.)
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The 20-year-old goes dumpster diving in outdoor receptacles behind retail outlets to find her treasures.
She saved up to $20,000 by recovering gifts and decor from trash cans, including wreaths from Michaels and toys from TJ Maxx, SWNS reported.
Melanie Diaz of Florida retrieves items in December and January, using them herself or sharing her finds with friends and family. (Sonus)
The 22-year-old does her job of turning trash into treasure every December and January, taking out discarded trash Holiday items Otherwise it would be in vain.
“It's my favorite time to dumpster dive at Christmas because they start getting rid of a lot of Christmas stuff,” she told the outlet.
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“I like saving everything until I can Put it in my house And decorate it for next year.”
Her finds include ornaments, festive shirts and kitchen utensils.
She finds the trash cans placed behind her Such as famous retailers Such as TJ Maxx, Burlington, Michaels, Jo-Ann Stores, Pop Shelf and Home Goods – and she said she found a grand prize of holiday items.
She said some of her biggest finds happen after Christmas, when stores start clearing out their remaining holiday inventory.
“I like to save everything so I can put it in my house and decorate it for next year,” Diaz says of her extraordinary expeditions to turn trash into treasure. (Sonus)
“My biggest discoveries were in January,” Diaz told SWNS.
“I went dumpster diving to a TJ Maxx store, and I found a lot — the trash was full to the top.”
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From Michael's 10 salvaged wreaths — worth about $400 — to $500 Christmas treesDiaz curated a festive collection.
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SWNS reported that it also took back puzzles and dog toys from TJ Maxx, saving about $200 each, and countless other holiday supplies, including ornaments and stockings.
After one trip, “we took everything to the cars, and the next day we had a garage sale. We also kept most of the stuff. It was unbelievable,” she said. (Sonus)
Diaz said sometimes there's too much to grab, so she has to ask for help.
She said she had to “bring my family to help me because it was too much.”
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After one trip, “we took everything to the cars, and the next day we had a garage sale. We also kept most of the stuff. It was unbelievable.”
Florida's Diaz says her “biggest discoveries” are made in January. (Sonus)
Her finds included ornaments, ceremonial shirts and kitchen utensils.
Diaz said she saves a lot for herself, but she also enjoys sharing her finds with those who want them.
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“I give some things to my country Friends and family“, she told SWNS.
