People Share What They Found Thrown Away And The Phrase 'One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure' Has Never Been So Real

According to VOGUE, the account is run by an anonymous couple based in Brooklyn. The idea started thanks to their son, “a wonderful little guy with special needs who loves to take walks.” Exploring their neighborhood on foot, the family would “consistently see all these amazing treasures that people were just putting out on the curb waiting for somebody to collect, or for sanitation to take away.”

When they launched the account, they planned to curate their own discoveries, but it only took a week of posting for them to realize much of the scouting would be happily done by fellow New Yorkers. “The community grew quickly, and people were excited to not just be privy to the finds, but also to participate in the hunt,” they explained. “We receive upwards of 100 DMs some days, from people all around the five boroughs now. What started out as a hobby has become a real service to the community.”

The couple recognize the phenomenon as part of New York's culture. “There are so many people living on top of each other, and because New Yorkers move often, most stooping likely happens because of circumstance. While we never intended for the page to be focused on the eco-conscious first and foremost, this concept has really highlighted what seems like a real desire for upcycling in a way that is interactive, while making people feel like they're part of a broader community.”

With an ever-increasing following, the Stooping NYC team have developed a firm idea of what works on the account best. "The themes we have come to notice are that there are three categories of high performers," they said.

First, there are the functional: shelves, bookcases, kitchen islands. Second, the quirky and unique: stiletto chair, demon throne, stoop bear, and finally, the downright 'can't-believe-someone-would-put-that-out' beautiful. The third category consists of copper tubs, pink velvet chairs, and designer glass coffee tables. As Stooping NYC get more and more submissions, they are becoming pickier about what they post in an effort to be responsible about what's advertised: nothing “bug-ridden,” no food, and “nothing that could be compromised from a safety perspective.”

Simultaneously, they've created a separate series, the “before and afters,” with the hashtag #stoopingsuccess. “We had an unreal one this week where a couple claimed a double sink they found from our post and installed it into their Catskills Airbnb.”