I don't know if what Claire refers to as "dumpster diving" actually involves throwing one's self into a trash receptacle; as you may imagine, I find that image distasteful. I certainly wouldn't want to be rummaging around within one of those smelly things. But as people are moving out of my apartment building (most leases here expire within the next 10 days) they are bringing unwanted or untransportable items down to our dumpster and leaving them, often right outside the dumpster rather than in it. When this is the case, I have no problem picking up some useful item, when it is in good condition. (I've noticed the same is true for others--I'm usually one of the first people to pass it every day, since my stairway/exit is the closest, but anything I don't claim often disappears later. And others aren't anywhere near as picky about disdaining things within the dumpster itself.)

Some of the things I've acquired from next-to-the-dumpster non-diving:
Two nice desk chairs with hydraulics (one was almost unusable but restored to excellent condition with 30 cents' worth of screws)
One nice dinner table (perfect but for some stripped screws, making it a bit wobbly--this will be replaced soon)
One very nice desk (finally, I have a desk with drawers!)
Three nice bowls
A nice cup full of pencils, pens, markers, and, hidden within, a card good for one free espresso or coffee at Panera
A scale (sadly, for humans, not cooking items)
A stack of post-it notes
A full-length mirror (not my full length, but you know what I mean--a nice long one)