Photos: Fargo-Moorhead's annual curbside treasure hunt

Small mounds and giant mountains of used couches, tires, stoves, mattresses, tables, chairs, plastic swimming pools, barbecue grills (charcoal and gas), swing sets, hot tubs and more have consumed residential boulevards across Fargo and Moorhead this week.

It's Cleanup Week: a community tradition that gives residents a chance to shed household extras. The spring cleaning also sets up a free-for-all among scavengers and thrifty pickers eager to collect scrap metal, dig for valuables and locate fixables.

Officially, Cleanup Week this year runs from May 4 to 8. But curbside offerings began popping up more than a week ago. The rules for picking are simple: Anything placed on the boulevard is free for the taking. Pickers know they need to be quick — or be prepared to babysit.

Terry Bommersbach was among the scavengers working the streets Sunday afternoon. "I probably only got four hours in today," the West Fargo, N.D., resident said between stops. He had already filled one trailer and was working on making the most out of another small one.

While some pickers look for trinkets or future rehab projects, Bommersbach is interested in metal. The return on scrap metal, he said, is worth his investment of time, muscle and gas.

"It's money in the bank," he said, gesturing toward a white trailer piled high.

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