Trash Day trash and values guide
Deposit trash at checkpoints to convert it into money for tools, repairs and cosmetics. Grab what stacks; leave what wobbles.
Trash is the economy
Trash Day has one currency and it is garbage. You scavenge it, you haul it, you deposit it at checkpoints — that is the conversion step that turns junk into money. Money buys tools, wagon repairs and cosmetics.
Miss the checkpoint and nothing else in the economy matters.
Where trash comes from
- Trash cans — knock them over, take what spills.
- Dumpsters — dig through them; the demo's scavenging loop starts here.
- The wilderness — "search dumpsters and scour everything" is the store page's phrasing, and it means what it says: fences, yards, roadsides and anywhere a raccoon can reach.
- Animal Control and the junkyard — both ends of the route have their own loot, per the store page's route description.
What counts as valuable
The store page splits loot into "helpful items as well as valuable trash" — tools you use versus trash you sell. The demo's own examples of the range run from small valuables to an oversized microwave, a boombox and a half-eaten burger.
Two practical filters:
- Can it survive the trip? The wagon eats bumps. If it is fragile or top-heavy, it is already gone.
- Does it help the wagon? Tools that clear the route pay for themselves; a shiny object that costs a wheel repair does not.
The checkpoint loop
- Scavenge an area, load the wagon.
- Escort the wagon to the checkpoint without spilling it.
- Deposit trash — this is where it becomes money.
- Spend at the checkpoint: tools, wagon repairs, cosmetics (the Next Fest announcement lists all three).
- Brace for the next area carrying less than you found.
Trash you should probably leave behind
Nothing in the official material prices items individually, so treat any "value tier list" you see online as invented until the full game ships. The honest answer for now: grab what stacks, sell what wobbles, and never block the wagon's only lane with a sofa.
Deposit values and the full item catalog are on the list to re-verify at launch — this page moves first when the numbers become real.
Sources
- Steam store page description (scavenging loop, helpful items vs valuable trash), checked October 6, 2026.
- "The TRASH DAY Demo is LIVE for Steam Next Fest!" — June 16, 2026 (deposit at checkpoints; tools, wagon repairs, cosmetics) — Steam news hub.
- "Why we deleted the inventory system" — April 16, 2026 (physical carriage, examples of oversized loot).
All guides12
StartTrash Day release date, price and platforms
StartTrash Day beginner guide — the first hour
StartTrash Day demo vs full game
WagonTrash Day wagon physics and hauling guide
Co-opTrash Day co-op guide — bring a crew
SetupTrash Day controls and settings
WorldTrash Day areas and route guide
WorldTrash Day animals and hazards guide
ExtrasTrash Day hats, skins and cosmetics
UpdatesTrash Day demo updates and patch notes
PlansTrash Day roadmap and dev plans
FAQ