US woman finds 25 lakh worth of luxury items in dumpster, including Piano and Hermes boxes

Indian Express

05-05-2025

Ariana Rodriguez, a 35-year-old woman from New York City, has discovered luxury items worth around Rs 25 lakh by digging through dumpsters and trash bags over the past six months.
Her impressive finds include Hermes boxes, Prada shoes, a vintage Burberry coat, and a Sohmer & Co piano, with values ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Rodriguez, a mother of three, said she got into this habit after joining a local 'buy nothing' Facebook group in 2022. 'I started seeing people picking up things from the street. So I thought, why not try it myself?' she told the New York Post.
She began by collecting toys and clothes from the pavement. About six months ago, she started checking inside bin bags and dumpsters to find more items.
'It's like a treasure hunt every time,' she said. 'I enjoy the process and I really want to stop good things from ending up in landfill.'
Among her finds are a Burberry coat she says is worth £400 ($500, approximately ₹41,500), Prada shoes worth around £720 ($900, approximately ₹74,700), and a Sohmer & Co piano that could be worth between £2,400 and £8,000 ($3,000–$10,000, over ₹2.5 lakh to ₹8.3 lakh), she said.
Rodriguez runs a small vintage resale business. Items she doesn't keep, she gives away or sells. 'I give things like food, clothes and blankets to my local church. I keep the arts and crafts for my kids,' she said.
She added that she tries to go out looking at least once a week, but it depends on her parenting schedule. 'It's about quality over quantity,' she told the New York Post.
Rodriguez said she tries not to keep too much for herself. 'Even if I find small things, I'll sell them. With furniture, I might use it for a bit and then sell it on,' she said.
She also goes to apartment clear-outs. 'People get bored of their furniture and just throw it away,' she said. 'I've found mirrors, nightstands, even jewellery real gold. Once I found a Bally briefcase that might be from the 1960s.'
Rodriguez says most of her life now is thrifted. 'I know I can get things for free. It makes you think about what you really need.'
She's aware some people don't like what she does. 'People tell me I'll get bed bugs or say it's dirty. But I think it's worse to waste so much and keep buying new stuff.'
Her husband Erick, a day trader, supports what she does. 'He's on board with it now,' she said.