Nashville Dumpster Diver Turns Discarded Goods Into $140,000 in Sales

Stevens started dumpster diving in March 2024, after years of addiction and reckless spending had at one point left him living in his car. He works near office parks and luxury condominiums, collecting unwanted goods, cleaning them and selling them through eBay and Facebook Marketplace, CNBC reported.

Among his finds have been Persian rugs, iPads, West Elm furniture and samurai swords. The office chairs were his biggest score: he sold all 190 for a combined $27,600.

“The amount of waste in this country that you’ll find is unbelievable,” Stevens told CNBC. He said most of his earnings came from a handful of large hauls and may not be repeated. He is saving as much as possible while studying real estate wholesaling as a steadier backup plan.