Month: May 2022

5 men moving a large object with text to the left of them

Get Ready for Summer with Lawn Equipment Removal

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

Uh oh, you went to mow the lawn for the first time this year and your mower won’t start. It’s old and you thought it might be on its last leg last year, so you’ve decided it’s time to get a new mower. What do you do with the old push mower or riding mower? You call 123JUNK for lawn equipment removal.

Lawn Mower and Lawn Equipment Removal

You’ll need to mow your lawn at least once a week throughout the warmer months, and you’ll want a mower that works. You don’t want to have to worry about it breaking down, which, according to Murphy’s Law, will happen just when you’re trying to get ready to head out of town on vacation. Right?

If you have a large riding mower to remove, you can’t just toss it into your trunk and take it away. But we can! We have some of the largest trucks in the industry! We’ll also take your push mowers, trimmers, hoes, rakes, and any other lawn equipment or yard tools you no longer use. If any are in good working condition, consider donating them to one of our charitable partners so that someone else can benefit.

Related: 16 Different Types of Lawn Tools

Shed and Garage Cleanout

When it’s time to mow, it’s frustrating to have to dig through piles of junk in the garage or shed to actually get to the mower—either to take it out or put it away. We can help here too by hauling away items you’ve stored that you no longer want. Maybe it’s old lawn equipment that doesn’t work; perhaps it’s rusty or there is a piece missing that you just haven’t gotten around to replacing. Or sports equipment that you’ll never use again. Let us help you make room in your garage or shed for that shiny new riding mower or easy access to the old one!

Filled garage

Here are other outdoor things 123JUNK can remove to help get your lawn ready for summer…

Lawn Debris

This time of year is when you clean up the yard for summer activities. You’ll trim bushes and branches, pull up weeds, and create a brush pile that is both unsightly and in the way of your lawn maintenance and enjoyment. Don’t break your back or spend the weekend loading it into your car and taking it to the dump…let our team haul that yard debris away for you.

Sports Equipment

Do you have an old swingset, sandbox, soccer goals or other large yard toys or sports equipment you don’t use any more? Remove them and take back your yard for entertaining and relaxing. Our 123JUNK team will disassemble your equipment and load it into our big red truck. All you have to do is relax!

Hot Tub and Pool

Get rid of that unsightly—and unused—hot tub or above-ground pool easily by contacting 123JUNK. The only thing we need you to do is drain any water from the item ahead of time so that we can easily and quickly tear down and load these items onto the truck.Construction Materials

Building a new deck or patio? You may have to tear out the old one and remove it. And there’s sure to be some construction debris after the job is done if you’re adding a new outdoor feature to your home. Let 123JUNK help you remove wood, stone or other construction materials to help you enjoy your new outdoor living space.

Haul Away Lawn Equipment, Yard Debris, Outdoor Equipment and Entertainment Features, and Construction Debris with 123JUNK

If you live in Northern Virginia, Washington DC or Maryland, let 123JUNK help you get your yard ready for summer fun by removing your unwanted lawn or sports equipment, and other outdoor items. Contact us at 1-800-364-5778 to talk to one of our Customer Success Representatives in person and schedule your junk removal.

hoarding-disorder

Telltale Signs Your Loved One May be Suffering from Hoarding

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

Everyone has stuff. And between home offices, kids, hobbies and collections of favorite items, you know how stuff can build up. Is it normal or is it hoarding? What is the difference? Here are some of the telltale signs your loved one may be suffering from hoarding that may help you differentiate.

Accumulation of Clutter

One of the first signs of a hoarding disorder is a gradual buildup of clutter in living spaces of items for which there is no immediate need or space. Your loved one might think, “I could use this someday,” or “It’s on sale, so I had better grab several of them.”

They Can’t Throw Things Away

Another sign is their difficulty in discarding items. People suffering from hoarding may keep the packaging from items purchased, pile up newspapers, thinking they’ll read them later, or salvage found items that they can potentially fix—but never do. These problems develop gradually over time, and are often hidden until the buildup becomes significant.

What are some of the other telltale signs that your loved one may have hoarding tendencies or be suffering from hoarding?

Certain Parts of the Home are Off Limits

People with hoarding disorder may try to limit access to rooms in their home to hide the problem. Look for closed doors or excuses why you can’t enter a room. Your loved one might prevent you from entering the house altogether and may become uncomfortable having any visitors at all.

Decluttering is Stalled or Stopped

Your loved one may start decluttering a room, then get waylaid and never complete the task. Sometimes there are just too many decisions to be made and even the smallest organizational task can be overwhelming. They soon stop trying and the clutter builds up even more.

They Can’t Find Things

Is your loved one constantly misplacing their keys, their purse, or other needed items? When there is too much clutter and no organizational system, these items can easily get lost. The person may often be late because they can’t find what they need in order to get out the door.

They Don’t Want to Put Things Away

People with hoarding tendencies like to see their things, and may be resistant to putting them away in closets, cabinets or boxes. Their items are likely stacked everywhere, and cover most horizontal surfaces. If you try to help organize or put things away, or even move items in order to sit in a chair, you may be scolded. Your loved one does not like to have his or her things touched.

Read our post: The Fire Dangers of Hoarding

Storage Areas are Overflowing

Take a quick look at the closets and garage. Likely, they are filled to the brim. And often, your loved one may have one or more storage facilities outside of the home, like a shed, outbuilding or a paid storage unit.

They Continue to Buy

Your loved one may be in debt, even without your knowing it, because of their compulsive need to buy. They’ll have good reasons why they needed to make a purchase, like a need to buy gifts for upcoming birthday or holiday celebration. But look outside of these gift purchases. Are the pantry and refrigerator overflowing with out-of-date foods? Are there stacks of unread books? Or unopened packages? Debt can also accumulate from the fees paid to outside storage facilities.

Related: The ICD Clutter-Hoarding Scale

What is Hoarding?

“Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them,” reports the Mayo Clinic. “A person with hoarding disorder experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of the items and excessive accumulation of items, regardless of actual value, occurs.”

Cases may range from mild to severe, and can have from little to huge impact on someone’s life, or even affect day-to-day functioning. If you suspect that your loved one may be a hoarder, there may not be much you can do personally. Since hoarding disorder may stem from a mental or physiological condition, it could be time to get a trained behavioral or medical professional involved.

See our post: Hoarding is a Bigger Problem than Clearing Out Junk

Let 123JUNK Help With Junk Removal

When it’s time to clear out a home or donate items, 123JUNK can help. We understand the difficulties you can have with loved ones suffering from a hoarding disorder and truly care about assisting you. Give us a call and let’s talk about how we can help create a healthy and happy home environment for your loved one. To schedule your junk removal or cleanout services in Maryland, Washington, DC or Northern Virginia, contact 123JUNK at 1-800-364-5778.

–photo from The Mayo Clinic