One man’s trash is another man's treasure at the first annual Bobcat Thrift Sale

According to MSU’s Zero-Waste Coordinator Garrett Wright, the University discarded a monthly average of 312,133 pounds of trash in 2025. In May, this number was higher — totaling over 460,000 pounds. 

“It is higher in May [because it is] directly related to students moving out of residence halls and discarding items to be landfilled as they end their time living on campus,” Wright said.

At the end of each school year, dumpsters are put in front of and around the residence halls in preparation for students moving out. However, this year, a collaboration between several campus leaders aims to reduce waste and offer students better choices.

The weekend after this semester wraps up, a partnership between Off Campus Student Life (OCSL), the Residence Hall Association (RHA), the Associated Students of MSU (ASMSU) and the Office of Sustainability — with funding from the National Residence Hall Honorary — will hold the first annual Bobcat Thrift Sale at Gate 8 of the football stadium.

“This event has two goals,” Wright said. “We wanted to figure out a way to reduce landfill waste, and also offer a cost-effective solution to individuals in town looking to purchase items: clothing, small appliances, lamps, fans, that kind of stuff.”

Wright started planning for the thrift sale at the beginning of the year after being approached by student Avery Merril and ASMSU Senator Nathan Heiland. 

“I started thinking about this when everybody was moving out of the dorms,” Heiland said. “I was like, ‘Huh, there's a lot of decent stuff just being thrown out.’”

Now, instead of throwing things away, students can go to one of the residence halls to drop items off. Starting May 4, all 10 residence halls on campus will be open to collecting soft goods from students. This includes clothing, towels, backpacks and other textile-based items. 

Hard goods such as fridges, microwaves, lamps and other furniture can be brought to South Hedges, Roskie Hall, Yellowstone Hall and Hyalite Hall. The last day to donate is May 7. 

“There will be clearly labeled donation bins in the [lobbies],” said Rebecca Oberlin, program director for the OCSL. “Students will be able to find specific signage that says drop off or donation point.”

The RHA is represented in the planning of this event by Peter DelGiorno, the Johnstone Center community director. The RHA is receiving the profits from the sale, and they are hoping to use that money to further the initiative.

“The goal is to eventually store the items over the summer and put the thrift store on during the move-in of the following academic year,” DelGiorno said. “The money collected during this year's event will go to expanding the project.”

On Friday, May 8, there will be a community drop-off held at Gate 8 of Bobcat Stadium from 2 to 5 p.m. At this time, Bozeman citizens not affiliated with MSU can come to drop off donations.

The actual sale will also be held at Gate 8 on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, with both days running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

“Or until we run out of stuff,” Wright said. “Which would be an awesome problem to have.”

According to DelGiorno, the sale will accept both cash and card payments. Hard goods will be individually priced. “Some lamps may be $3 to $5 and some fridges may be $15 to $20. The customers are able to come by and pay for these by the item,” he said.

The team has created a different system for the soft goods.

“[Soft goods] will be hung on racks by sizes and styles. When entering, customers will be handed a tote bag,” DelGiorno said. “Whatever amount of items they can fit in the tote bag will be $5.”

After the sale ends, the team plans to donate the remaining goods to local nonprofits such as the Human Resources Development Council and Habitat for Humanity. Eberlin said the idea of a community sale has been proposed before, but only now has it progressed this far.

“Getting brought up again by passionate students the next year really highlighted a great need for something like this,” Eberlin said. 

To learn more about the upcoming thrift sale, visit https://www.montana.edu/calendar/events/57580.