Home decor costs can really add up, especially if you're moving into a new home or renovating your current one.
However, savvy thrifters are finding some of the most unique and amazing pieces in none other than their neighbors' trash.
In a recent post on r/Curbfind, a Reddit user shared a photo of a beautiful lampshade they found in someone else's garbage.
"It's in perfect condition," the OP wrote. "It's the arts & crafts lampshade of my dreams."
This Reddit post is a wonderful reminder of how you don't need to head to the mall or buy brand-new items online to style a beautiful home.
While going through someone else's trash might not be everyone's vibe, it's becoming an increasingly popular way to live cheaply while saving money and helping the planet at the same time. Every item you prevent from entering a landfill helps reduce our world's pollution problem and the planet-heating gases that landfills release into the air.
A shocking amount of recyclable and compostable waste ends up in landfills, while many other items take centuries to break down, releasing toxic methane gas into our communities.
However, thrifting and even dumpster diving are having a moment and trending right now among people of all backgrounds and lifestyles. More and more people are realizing how wasteful traditional consumer behavior really is and how they can live better, more minimal, sustainable lives.
Lots of people have been taking to social media to share epic stories of finding perfectly good, unopened snacks in dumpsters, hidden valuables in thrift store scores, and high-value finds where you least expect them.
Whether you're inspired to keep an eye on local trash bins or scope out thrift shops where you live, shopping secondhand is among the best things you can do for your wallet and the planet.
Fellow curb finders were thrilled to learn about the OP's lampshade discovery and shared their feedback in the comments.
"As a former garbage man, I'm not surprised," one Reddit user shared. "It's depressing to think of all the usable things people would rather dispose of than donate or otherwise put to good use."