Don’t forget to upgrade your trash can in Stardew Valley

All that glitters is not gold

A lot is going on in Stardew Valley‘s 1.4 update, so much so that it’s easy to overlook some of the new content and tweaks even if you run down the whole list. After several late nights spent toiling away on my neglected farm, I figured it was worth highlighting a few of the less-publicized features.

You might want to invest in upgrading your trash can — you know, the one in your inventory? That one! Clint the blacksmith can upgrade the trash can four times now (copper, steel, gold, and iridium), with each successive upgrade granting you more money when you trash items. You’ll need five copper, iron, gold, and iridium bars, respectively, along with some cash (1000g up to 12,500g for the final tier). At the high end, the iridium trash can will give you 60 percent of an item’s worth when you throw it away.

Another big one has to do with inventory management. There’s a way to painlessly transfer everyday items from your inventory to a chest. Just open the chest, look on the right-hand side, and click the “Add to Existing Stacks” button — it’ll top up any item stacks you have in the chest using items from your inventory. This is great for moving stones, wood, and ore.

On a similar note, I’d also consider getting the workbench from Robin at the Carpenter’s Shop. The workbench acts as a crafting menu that automatically draws all of the components needed from nearby chests without any fuss. It’s 3,000g, so it’s more of a mid-game-and-beyond convenience.

Finally, there’s a trash-related surprise waiting for players in their third year or later. I don’t want to ruin it, so I’ll just say this: head south of your farm, do what the [spoiler] wants, and watch the cutscene.