Yuri Zupancic, of Lawrence, searches through a Dumpster to see what sort of second-hand treasure he can find Sunday in the 1100 block between Massachusetts and Vermont streets.

Garbage too big for a Dumpster overflows into the alley between Kentucky and Tennessee streets on Sunday.

Lawrence’s alleys were almost as busy as the streets Sunday as renters – preparing for the end of their leases – unloaded their apartments.

Piles of discarded furniture, appliances and home goods filled trash bins and attracted people on the hunt for finds.

“It is the best day of the year for people who want free stuff,” said Amy Wilhelm, a KU student who found a cruiser bicycle and was loading it into a car Sunday.

As renters filled moving trucks, others scoured the rental areas for reusable debris.

Cars filled with furniture moved slowly down some drives Sunday afternoon. Some rode bicycles or walked on foot, peering into bins along the way. Those looking for stuff were young and old, male and female.

For some Lawrence residents, move-out weekend is something of a holiday, an event to look forward to. One man who hauled wood shelves out of a Dumpster called it the “hippie Christmas.”

Lawrence Police Sgt. Damon Thomas said it’s against city code to remove the contents of a refuse container placed out for pickup by recycling services. He said it’s not something police actively enforce, but sifting through trash poses safety hazards.

“You never know what’s going to be in there,” Thomas said. “It’s trash. It’s hazardous. There could be sharp objects, rotten food. Who knows what’s in there.”

Wilhelm said she draws a line between picking up a bicycle from the side of a trash bin and actually digging through a Dumpster.

“I’m not one of those people that wants to get up in the trash,” she said. “I just look for stuff hanging outside. Last year, I got a couple of tables and a desk.”

In one downtown alley, four couches sat in a row along the drive. Three mattresses were lined up nearby. And overflowing trash bins lined the way for nearly as far as the eye could see.

“We were taking bets on how fast the stuff would go,” KU student Nate Miller said of the items he trashed. “It’s just remarkable to see how fast the stuff goes. : I see people driving by with trailers, just picking up all the stuff they can.”

Amanda Barker, a Lawrence resident, eyed some dinner plates sitting in a box on the ground in an alley near Tennessee Street.

“We need plates, and everyone’s throwing away really good things, so why not?” she said. “My roommate and I have been meaning to buy plates for a long time, so why not just pick up free things that are nice?”

Many renters said they’re happy to see the stuff go to good use.

“I’m all for it,” said David Milberger, a renter moving out of his Kentucky Street apartment whose grill was already picked up. “I hate throwing stuff away. I always prefer that it goes to somebody else to use it in any way they can. If they want to toss it, they can toss it.”