green-moving

123JUNK Tips To Make Your Move Green

Moving to a new home is a stressful and arduous process. In most moves you’re not just transporting your belongings from one location to another. You’re relocating your family, changing jobs, making new neighbors and friends, as well as making numerous other changes to your life.  Often times when you’re in the midst of a move you have about a thousand different things to worry about and the last thing on your mind is how your move is going to impact the environment. 

Since you probably don’t have the time or patience to consider all the environmental factors at play during your move, here are some tips courtesy of the 123JUNK Team to help make your next move as “green” as possible:

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People – Our Greatest Asset

It’s almost cliché to state that people are 123JUNK’s greatest asset. As far as I know, this is the case in just about every company. Unfortunately, we had to learn this the hard way, through a series of really bad and some downright awful hires.

In a labor intensive service like junk removal, it’s difficult to find that person who has the willingness to put their head down and bust their hump, while still maintaining the level of customer service that we demand at 123JUNK! Some of the hardest workers I’ve ever known aren’t necessarily the most polished when it comes to dealing with our clients. Likewise, some of the smoothest talking, most approachable employees (the ones that thrive at building report with our clients) can be worthless when it comes time to roll up their sleeves and haul junk!

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pick pile of junk and debris

We Haul Demo and Construction Debris Too!

So much of 123JUNK’s business is centered on relocation—downsizing, home staging, and residential cleanouts—that it’s easy to forget that we can also help people who are staying right where they are. Instead of selling and relocating, many homeowners are electing to simply upgrade their current homes and stay put.  That means they’re hiring contractors to tear away the old, worn out parts of their homes so they can be upgraded.  The ensuing demolition creates a lot of waste debris that needs to be hauled away.

In small remodeling and renovation outfits, every employee is critical to the build.  In those cases, it just doesn’t make sense to have specialized workers spending time cleaning up and transporting rubbish and scraps when they could be on site, making sure the project gets finished on time.  When deadlines are looming and labor is spread thin, 123JUNK can help carry the load.

Since remodeling and renovation work typically takes place in established neighborhoods, contractors can also find themselves in a bind when it comes to disposal options.  HOA guidelines often prevent placement of roll-off dumpsters on the street or in the driveway, and there are limits on the amount of trash and debris that homeowners can place curbside for weekly pickup.

123JUNK offers the solution to those problems.  We work in tandem with contractors and homeowners to clean up, clear out, and haul away renovation debris and old appliances.  If you have leftover building materials that were left unused during the renovation, we can also donate those items to our friends at Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  And since 123JUNK is insured to enter homes and remove items, all of the stuff can be left inside, away from the prying eyes of neighbors and HOA inspectors.

123JUNK can be a valuable asset to the operations of contractors and remodelers who put quality and service first.  We’re 100% committed to providing an unmatched client experience to our friends in the construction and remodeling industries as well as their customers.

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How I Became a Junk Man (Part 3)

Ugly Start

In the early months, let’s just say, the phone wasn’t ringing off the hook. We needed business and we were willing to take just about anything that came our way. We got a call from a lady who had a shed in her back yard. The shed was made of solid wood. She wanted it removed, as well as a riding lawn mower, some lawn equipment and several dozen blocks of large concrete that sat inside. I gave her the price -$350- and I clenched as I watched her reaction. Surprisingly, she accepted the price without hesitation. I thought to myself, “Collin, you smooth son of a gun. You just got away with murder!”

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four men pretending to lift the back of work moving truck

How I Became a Junk Man (Part 2)

I still remember the savings account bank statement. It read $4,127. Although this was a lot of money to a 23 year old, I knew it wouldn’t get me very far. I wasn’t living in the 1950’s.

I told a few friends about my intentions to put in my two week notice and start hauling junk for a living. The collective feedback sounded something like, “You’re an idiot.” On a certain level, I agreed with them, but I figured I had little to lose. After all, the only person I was supporting financially was myself and I had seen the demand for these services first hand, as a moving consultant.

So I went with my gut and I purchased an old truck from my Uncle.

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