A COUPLE who met their bin man have welcomed a baby – and she sleeps in a bed they found in the bin.
Erin Sheffield, a 39-year-old charity coordinator from Buffalo, New York, and her husband, Dave, 35, met in a dumpster in college and hit it off over their love of searching for valuable items in the trash.
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The two have been together for 15 years and got married in June 2021.
They discovered they were expecting a child in July 2023 and searched bins for items for the new arrival, such as a baby swing, crib and unopened baby bottles.
In April 2024, they welcomed their daughter, Evelyn.
And they couldn’t wait to take her dumpster diving with them.
“Evelyn is doing great. She’s growing up really fast. We’re so happy,” Erin said.
“We found a portable crib where she now sleeps, as the basket has outgrown it.
“New, it would be worth $150. We found it in a long dumpster in the back of a big department store where they were throwing out all their baby stuff.
“They had car seats, but we already had one. Fortunately, my husband found another [mom] who was there sifting through the trash and who occupied the place.”
ONE MAN’S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN’S GARBAGE
The couple met in 2009, when Dave was studying at the University at Buffalo, and Erin had moved to the city to work at a bike shop.
Months later, their friendship blossomed into a relationship and they would hunt for treats together.
“We met in a dumpster. I saw him, turned my head and asked him what he was doing,” Erin said.
“He jumped out, we cleaned it up and spent the day going through the trash.
“We exchanged phone numbers and kept hanging out and have been diving as a couple ever since.”
“When we first started diving together, it was pretty sporicidal,” Dave added.
“Usually at the end of the semester, when students leave.
“One of the things we found a lot of were textbooks; after the year was over, students simply threw them away.
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“We found calculators and laundry detergent and office supplies, and we usually sold them.”
PERSONAL PROJECT
Erin and Dave said that dumpster diving has actually improved for them during the pandemic as they have had more free time.
They found scrap metal, furniture, and everyday items, selling them on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
On average, Dave said the couple makes $20,000 a year selling items they found in the trash.
Found Roses in a Dumpster for Our Anniversary – They Were Perfect [and] they weren’t even old.
David
“I think of things in three categories: You have scrap that I can sell,” he said.
“Things I can find and sell on eBay or Facebook and then things we can donate or keep.
“I would say we make $20,000 a year reselling.”
GARBAGE GIFTS
They got married in 2021 and often go through the trash looking for each other’s birthday gifts.
“I found roses in a bin for our anniversary – they were perfect [and] they weren’t even old,” Dave said.
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“I find a lot of things – especially in the months before Christmas.
“If I find something I know Erin will like, I grab it.
“I bought her coffee mugs, candle holders, candles and flower pots as she is an experienced gardener.”
We found swings and a baby chair. I also found some unopened bottles at the Salvation Army that I kept.
Erin Sheffield
The pair welcomed their first daughter, Evelyn, who weighed 11 pounds, in April 2024 at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo.
Before she was born, Erin and Dave used to rummage through the trash for items for Evelyn – including cribs, baby bottles and swings.
“There was a baby store that went out of business and we found some great stuff there,” Erin said.
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“We found swings and a baby chair. I also found some unopened bottles at the Salvation Army that I kept.”
Now that Evelyn is born, Erin can no longer go dumpster diving, but David still goes a few times a week.
Their hope is to take Evelyn with them one day when they go diving for items.
“I’m still taking a little break, but my husband goes out to go through the trash,” Erin said.
“We used to go together, we’re trying to get Evelyn to enjoy the car rides, but she doesn’t.
“We’re hoping that as she gets a little older she’ll like it more so we can take her with us when we go dumpster diving.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
