Category: Blog

Meet our Partner – Christina Bond, owner of Creating Space DC

We’d like to introduce you to another great partner of 123JUNK. In this post, you’ll meet an organizing expert who helps homeowners declutter and keep only those items that “spark joy” utilizing Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method.

Tell us about what you do at Creating Space DC.

I help people declutter. I’m called a professional organizer, but if people that call me don’t say anything about needing to declutter first, before we organize, then I refer them to one of my organizing colleagues. My passion is helping my clients take a fresh look at what they have, where the clutter builds up, and why it is still there. Hopefully, we get some insights into why the clutter accumulated in the first place, which is a long-term solution rather than a quick fix. I am certified by Marie Kondo’s organization to coach people through the KonMari Method.

What is your background?

I was in the Navy and attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis, after which I served on a cruiser and an aircraft carrier. With Creating Space DC, I’m a Certified KonMari Master Consultant. To earn my certification, I took a three-day training in person, and after the training session we had to submit reports on practice clients for at least 30 hours until the organization felt satisfied that we were staying true to the KonMari Method. Then, I had a written test and an interview. I continue to submit reports and moved up through the certification levels, based on the number of hours put into teaching the KonMari Method. I now have more than 1,500 hours in client sessions to date.

How did you get interested in this business?

My interest started with the KonMari Method. I heard about it on Facebook from a friend who posted a picture of her stuff going out the door. Then I read Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in the airport on the way home from a yoga retreat. It was powerful for me. By the time I arrived home, I had a few pages of notes full of things I wanted to get out of my house, so I did the process on my own home. I loved it so much that I created my own business helping other people through the method. I’m also interested in Japanese culture having lived in Japan and studying there in high school.

Did you have any insights when decluttering your own home?

I actually got stuck partway through the KonMari Method in the paper category. I wished I had a coach to help me through that. I ended up getting through it because I signed up for Marie Kondo’s training and had to complete my own tidying marathon.

What is the KonMari Method?

There are two things that distinguish the KonMari Method from other organizing methods. First is the idea of sorting and organizing by category and not by location. It’s not “I need help with the basement.” Rather, you look at categories, like books, clothes, and papers, for example. Once you start pulling the categories together, storage areas eventually get resolved. The second distinguishing characteristic is the very simple decision-making criteria: Does it spark joy? I have people touch each item and then ask themselves, “Does it lift my energy, or do I feel ‘ugh’ about it?” Then I start asking questions like “Would you pack it for a vacation?” or “When was the last time you used it?”

Marie Kondo has a particular KonMari folding method. Do you teach that?

Yes. I show my clients how to fold items and put them away using that method, but I don’t push that point if they don’t want to do it.

Do you help with downsizing?

Sometimes. But if people are thinking about moving, they have to work with me in advance. If they’re just about to move, it’s too late to do the type of editing we do.

How did you meet 123JUNK?

I joined the local NAPO chapter (National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals) where 123JUNK is a business partner. I heard about them at one of the monthly meetings, had a client who needed their services, and I suggested them. When I reached out, I got a great and quick response. They gave me an idea of pricing right away so I could tell my client during our session. The client used them and the job went well.

Do you have a favorite story about 123JUNK?

My client had ordered a lot of things online and had never even taken the items out of the boxes. There were piles of unopened boxes in several different rooms. I helped the client to open the boxes and when we did, there was a lot of cardboard to get rid of. We also decluttered the home and had a pile of both trash and donations. It filled half the garage. When 123JUNK came, they were able to take the cardboard for recycling, the trash and the donations all at one time. 123JUNK is always responsive—I get a quick response, which I appreciate. And after the job, they emailed to thank me for the referral.

What is your favorite part of your business?

I get to see a range of people, and everyone is so different. I love hearing their personal stories. Some people are extremely organized and have just accumulated items over the years and it’s time to go through them. Others are very disorganized and have lots of things. I enjoy the feeling of helping them get unstuck, at whatever place they are, and feeling like I’ve made a difference in moving their lives forward.

What region do you work in?

I live close to Union Station in Washington, DC and I like to work within a 25-mile radius from downtown DC.

What do you do when not working?

I’m passionate about yoga and taught yoga classes for years. I spend time with my family—my husband, my nine-year-old son, and a pandemic puppy. I also like traveling and am planning trips for later this year.

What’s one thing you would like people to know about Creating Space DC?

What I do takes a little more time than, say, a team that spends eight hours organizing everything in a house. I work one on one with clients to make decisions about decluttering. They have to be there and engage in the process. I consider this a longer-term solution. It doesn’t make sense to me to invest time and money into organizing the clutter nicely just to have it accumulate again. When my clients are engaged in the process themselves they get a chance to confront the underlying cause of the clutter. Because people tend to procrastinate, I’d encourage them to set a date with me, and that will help them get started.

Our goal is nothing less than a five-star review, and guess what…we’ve been getting lots of them! Homeowners and business owners throughout Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland have been highly satisfied with the service they receive from 123JUNK. But don’t take our word for it… read what our clients love about 123JUNK!

Service was wonderful from start to finish

“Service was wonderful from start to finish. I really love their 1-2-3 Process. Any junk you want removed will either go to one of their many local donation partners or recycled as much as possible (reducing landfill waste). Remaining items that could not be donated and recycled get hauled away as safely and carefully as possible.”  — Kimberly J., Chantilly, VA

123JUNK is the best

“123JUNK is the best junk removal company/services. Everything was easily handled from initial contact to the actual pickup. The two gentlemen were on time (even early), professional, courteous and friendly. In addition to great service, the pricing can’t be eat. And it is always great to give a local business our business. I will definitely recommend 123JUNK.”  — Doug S., Gaithersburg, MD

I would definitely use them again

“We used 123JUNK for an office space clean-out of many cubes/office suites of furniture and miscellaneous items. They were on time, efficient, polite and so helpful. They even moved some other items for me once they were on site. Would definitely use them again for the other side of our office during our Phase 2 renovation.”  — Heather K.

I have referred them to my clients

“I have used 123JUNK for years and have referred them to my clients to help get houses ready for marketing, and/or to move furniture for staging. They are fantastic to work with. Just ask them if you have a specific charity you want to donate to, or if they can just take things away, and they will let you know what options work best. I’m happy to use them time and time again.”  — Dianne H.

We were so pleased with how responsive, professional and smooth everything was

“We used 123JUNK and we were so pleased with how responsive, professional and smooth everything was. I spoke to two individuals prior to our actual furniture pick-up date and they were both very helpful in explaining the pricing structure, what to expect the day of, and scheduling us in. I would definitely use 123JUNK again in the future due to the ease and their professionalism.”  — Jackie B., Lorton, VA

I’m a fan for life

“I’m a 123JUNK fan for life!” – Gretchen F., Falls Church, VA

I like their goal to reduce landfill waste

“I like that the items being picked up from home will be donated first to many local donation partners. If it can’t be donated, they take care to ensure that as many items are recycled as possible. I like their goal to reduce landfill waste. Thank you so much for all of your help. I’ve already recommended you to all of my family and friends!”  — Bernadeth T.

No surprise fees

“This is a very impressive business. They’re easy to work with, polite, careful with the house and furniture, prompt and up front about everything they do and don’t do. No surprise fees. I have used them twice and I would definitely use them again and refer them to friends.”  — Stephanie W.

I would use them again in a heartbeat

“It was a delight working with [123JUNK] and I would use them again in a heartbeat. Great company.”  — Kim D.

I needed a couple of strong backs

“123JUNK is amazing. I needed a couple of strong backs to move the contents of a 26-foot-long U-Haul truck into my house. They got the whole job done in 90 minutes and were as energetic in minute 89 as they were in minute 1. This was a great experience and I recommend 123JUNK for anyone needing junk removal or help loading (or unloading) a moving truck.”  — John M.

Our Clients Love 123JUNK–The Leading Choice for Junk Removal in NoVA, DC and MD

Although we really love to read your reviews and testimonials about our people, our services, our customer service and our commitment to the environment, we must remember to remain humble. We are only as good as our next job. We constantly train and strive towards excellence in everything we do, and we hope it shows. Our clients think so.

To schedule your junk removal in Maryland, Washington DC or Northern Virginia, please contact 123JUNK. And don’t forget to leave your own 5-star review! We’d like to read what you love about 123JUNK.

Working in the waste management industry is full of surprises—some more memorable than others. And while at first glance, a junk removal company may seem similar to the usual garbage collection and disposal workers that visit your neighborhood once a week, we have a much more thoughtful process. 

123JUNK is Washington DC’s leading junk removal company that is on a mission to donate, recycle, and properly dispose of unwanted, gently used items. While implementing this 1-2-3 process, our team of experts have encountered a variety of unique experiences while out in the field. Take a look at their personal experiences below!

The House with 10,000 Records

On my first day, I was on the trucks with Timmy, and we had finished up all of our appointments, but another team’s job took longer than expected and they were going to miss the window for their last appointment. So we get assigned to the house with 10,000 records. The job was far away, but we still went to make sure the customer’s expectations were met. 

It was an exhausting, awesome, and eye-opening experience. The client was even fine with us taking some records, but most of them were donated to a local record store. I also got a better grasp of the team mentality at 123JUNK. It really showed that no matter how your day has gone this company and its team has a mentality of always helping and going the extra mile.

– JJ Pedder, Customer Success Representative

Clearing Out A Legendary Boxer’s Home

My most memorable moment so far is probably when I got to go to the legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard’s old house. We were just clearing out some old furniture and kids’ toys when I got to see his boxing room. It had a giant, full wall mirror, a punching bag, a speed bag, and an autographed poster. I was definitely starstruck. 

– TJ Spencer, Customer Success Representative

A Successful Hot Tub Takedown

One of our client representative managers was asked by a client if we could take apart a hot tub attached to an above-ground pool. Take a standard hot tub, and then put another one next to it, and another one next to that. It was essentially all one big piece. When we got there around 11 o’clock in the morning, we were working there for most of the day, having multiple people working saws to cut it up. It’s one of the more memorable success projects that we have had. 

– Paul Atherton, Fleet Dispatch Manager

Join Our Junk Removal Team in Washington DC!

As a locally-owned and operated junk removal company in the Northern VA, MD, and DC area, we are proud to help our community grow through proper waste management support and partnerships with local businesses and charities. Our passionate junk removal team continues to work hard for our customers, keeping them satisfied with the highest quality of service possible. If the above stories piqued your interest, consider learning more about joining our team! Contact our junk removal team today at (800) 362-5778 or fill out our form to schedule a service.

 

When many people think of getting rid of junk or excess items, they think of donating it to Goodwill. But did you know that there are many items that can’t be accepted there? So what is it Goodwill won’t take? (But we will!)

Broken or Stained Items

Goodwill and other thrift stores count on selling your donated items to raise money for their causes. They cannot sell items that are broken, damaged, soiled or missing parts.

Mattresses and Bedding

Goodwill cannot accept bedding items such as mattresses, box springs, pillows, hospital beds and waterbeds due to sanitation and safety concerns.

Large Appliances

Small appliances like a working toaster or coffeemaker are accepted, but large appliances like a refrigerator, stove, freezer, trash compactor, washer, dryer, dishwasher or hot water heater cannot be taken to Goodwill.

CRT TVs

Want to get rid of your old CRT television? Goodwill won’t take that either. Only flat screen televisions (digital) are accepted for resale.

Items Covered With Animal Hair

When you own a dog or cat, you’re bound to have animal hair on your furniture. But according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Goodwill and other thrift stores can’t accept upholstered chairs, sofas or other items where animal hair is present.

Moldy or Mildewed Items

Moldy, mildewed, wet or damp items are a health hazard and cannot be accepted due to the fact that these mold spores may spread to other items.

Recalled Items

It is illegal for stores to sell any item that has been recalled, states the CPSC under Section 19 of the Consumer Product Safety Act. “If a product is hazardous, does not comply with standards, or has been recalled, the product should be destroyed and not sold or given away to others.” Some items used in nurseries, including cribs and bassinets, for example, have caused deaths and have numerous recalls. When it doubt, toss it out.

Related: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Resellers Guide to Selling Safer Products

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials that cannot be accepted include chemicals, solvents, fuels, oil or acids.

Overly Large Items

Do you want to get rid of a swingset, exercise equipment, large furniture, swimming pool or hot tub. Guess what…Goodwill won’t take those either. Their stores are limited in size and extra-large items just won’t fit!

Building Materials

We know you hate to throw out perfectly good building materials like windows, doors, sinks, tubs and window blinds. But there are charities like Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores that would love those items.

Miscellaneous Items Goodwill Won’t Take

• Bean bag chairs
• Sleeper sofas
• Firearms and fireworks
• Food and beverages
• Cosmetics
• Hair products
• Auto parts including tires, wheels, batteries, and chemicals
• Cribs with dropdown sides

What Do You Do With Items Goodwill Won’t Take? Call 123JUNK.

The best course of action for items that Goodwill and other thrift stores cannot or will not take is to call 123JUNK. With plenty of trucks covering our local communities in Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC, we can take all of these items off your hands (except for hazardous materials…we’re not allowed either).

We’ll Donate

When you dispose of items that are accepted and perfectly usable, we’ll take them to donation sites we’ve arranged with our charitable partners. They, in turn, can supply them to needy families or sell them in their resale stores to raise money. We’ll provide you with a receipt for your tax deduction purposes!

We’ll Recycle

All items we pick up are sorted into Donate-Recycle-Dispose piles and disposed of accordingly. For electronics, metals and other recycle items, we’ll take them to the area recycling centers for proper processing.

We’ll Dispose

Any items that are not donate-able or recyclable are then disposed of at the area landfills.

Contact 123JUNK Today

When you need to get rid of items that Goodwill won’t take, contact 123JUNK.