The
type of trash you’re looking for or looking to be inspired by will determine
your returns, logistics and your level of involvement. Consider how much time
you want to devote to the project before getting your investment back. Even at this
stage you want to consider the final product and the demographic you intend to
target with your products.
You
may find you wish to specialize in one thing or dip your fingers in a lot of
pies and carry a product line loosely associated with an idea, style or
“brand.” Where and how you will sell the finished product must be part of your
considerations when wisely choosing items to convert into pocket money or
income.
By
its very nature, that which you can find for free represents very nearly zero
start-up cost. There may be some expense involved in transporting the items.
You may need to purchase a new tool or hire a truck to haul it back where you
can transform it. Be sure you’re choosing free things to pick up that don’t
require more input than you’ll ever get out of them.
Sometimes
it’s easy to pick things up for free that you’d never look at for a dollar.
Resist the impulse to pick everything up and figure out what you’ll do with it
later. Have a plan in mind when you pick an item up. Even if it isn’t fully
formed, if you can imagine what it could become in any way, you can figure out
what range you can expect to sell it for. If you find yourself with a storage
room full of unredeemable trash, put out your own free box and give someone
else a chance.
That
said, if someone is getting rid of it for free, there’s probably a reason. This
type of trash is likely to return the highest percentage yield, but often
requires serious modification or repair. Common free-box defects include rust
and decay, damage, stains, malfunction and, very often for clothing, odd sizing
or style. There is usually a multi-year gap between when something falls
utterly out of fashion and when it is reborn as retro-chic. If you’re going to
pick up items during this fashion “lag-time,” you may be holding on to them for
a while until they appreciate enough to sell. Be sure you have the space.
There
are some repairs that can be made. It’s best to choose items to pick up that
you’re likely to know how to repair or know someone you can barter with who
can. Some repairs can’t be made, but can be covered up, like putting an inlay
on a wrecked table surface or using damaged clothing as material for other
clothes or textile projects, such as quilts. You may find that many of the
items you create out of free-box items will have a distinctly “homey” feel.
This can be an advantage if you market to it.
Because
there are many charities such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army who collect
used clothes, you’ll have to compete with them on some level for free stuff
from private, business or public sources. There are also many second-hand
apparel stores that specialize in used and surplus clothing that may have
better connections than you if you’re not going to add value some way.
There
is nothing that would seem to define trash as concisely as the waste products
of industry. Just as the farmer’s horse supplies him or her with compost to
fertilise, there’s always a use for waste products, but you’ll have to be
technical and creative to implement the solution.
Another
appealing aspect of reutilizing others’ waste products is the potentially quite
low start-up cost. Usually business owners or executives are quite eager to get
rid of industrial waste products if you can find a safe way to dispose of them.
For instance, in the early 1990s, fast food restaurants were paying service
providers to haul the old fryer oil away and dispose of it. Early adopters of
bio-diesel automotive technology were easily able to convince restaurants to
give them the fuel and save collection money in the process. The fledgling
bio-diesel community was served and a few foreword-thinking entrepreneurs made
an interesting and fulfilling living in the process.
While
waste products may not require as much time to repair, you will have to turn
them into something you can use with relative ease. This will not be like
putting a coat of paint on an old table or patching up blue jeans. You’ll most
likely be turning the former waste product into something very different or
selling to a very different clientele. Remember that for many products, there
is an opportunity to reach an ever-expanding market of people who seek recycled
materials in “green” or sustainable products.
Waste
products tend to come in industrial sizes or not at all. This will drive up
your start-up cost a bit if you need special equipment or an especially large
storage place for your inventory. There may be special conditions under which
it must be kept or handled. Even if you’re not handling uranium, there may be
federal, state or local regulations concerning your new treasure.
These
items are very likely to come from a local or regional government, a large
corporation or local branches of non-profit corporations. Large organizations
often buy with somewhat less discretion than they normally would at the end of
their budget year. These buying decisions often contribute to the purchase of
items that cannot be completely utilized. The leftovers may be yours for the
asking. Be delicate in your negotiations to avoid criticizing anyone’s past
purchasing decisions.
There
are also small businesses that create waste products, such as the food scraps
left over by restaurants, or packing peanuts from offices. Either way, you’ll
need to figure out with whom to talk so as to forge a long-term relationship.
One
easy way to collect this material is to contact whichever office handles
logistics for the company or government in your area and simply offer to take a
type of trash you know they generate off their hands. You may be surprised how
often they say yes.
Because
they tend to involve large quantities of items, successful waste product
operations have the potential to become full-time positions quickly. If you are
interested in working full-time, carefully consider any waste product
opportunities that present themselves.
There are some situations where you can make money directly from the waste of individuals and families, but you may have to compete with your local homeless population. Some examples: grabbing wine bottles to be cleaned and refilled with your home-brew, or collecting newspapers for use as a mulch. One gentleman makes suits of armour for the historical re-enactment crowd out of old beer cans and rivets.