Tag: junk hauling MD DC NoVa

Your Exercise Equipment Didn’t Work Out

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

Did you set lofty fitness goals in January and purchase exciting new exercise equipment to help you work out at home, only to discover in a few months you’ve lost interest? You’re not alone. A survey study by Strava, a social network for athletes, found that January 12th is the day people are most motivated to stick to their New Year’s fitness goals. However, they also report that by the end of January, the athletes began to lose their momentum. By mid-February, activity decreased by 25%, and by year’s end, only about 10% of those who set fitness goals actually achieved them.

What does this mean for the typical person? Lots of unused exercise equipment in your home.

Exercise Equipment People Commonly Buy and Never Use

Many people buy home exercise equipment with the best intentions to use it regularly, but end up not using it as often as planned. Some of the most commonly-unused pieces include:

  • Treadmills
  • Stationary Bikes
  • Elliptical Machines
  • Ab Rollers and Ab Machines
  • Thigh Masters
  • Exercise Balls
  • Home Gyms
  • Rowing Machines
  • Stair Climbers
  • Shake Weights
  • Angle or Wrist Weights

Ultimately, the best pieces of exercise equipment are the ones you commit to using regularly, depending on your fitness goals and personal preferences. Some of the most-used items include:

  • Dumbbells—to build strength, tone muscles and increase bone density
  • Resistance Bands—to improve strength and flexibility
  • Jump Ropes—to burn calories, improve coordination and increase endurance
  • Yoga Mat—for floor-based exercises to cushion and support joints

Can Home Exercise Equipment Be Donated or Recycled?

Many types of home gym equipment can be donated or recycled, depending on the type of equipment and your location. If it is usable and could benefit someone else in reaching their fitness goals, donate it. If it is in poor or unusable condition, the recycling center can melt down metal equipment such as weight plates, dumbbells and barbells to turn them into new products, or recycle electronic components found in treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes.

123JUNK Can Responsibly Remove Your Old Exercise Equipment

123JUNK is a local junk removal company that can help you get rid of old exercise equipment in a responsible and eco-friendly manner. Here are some of the ways 123JUNK can help:

  • Free on-site estimate to get a better idea of the cost and time involved to remove your exercise equipment
  • Competitive pricing, with a detailed estimate provided prior to starting any work
  • A professional and friendly team who will safely remove and haul large or small fitness equipment away
  • Environmentally-responsible disposal by donation or recycling whenever possible
  • Same-day service for most junk removal jobs so you can get rid of your old exercise equipment quickly

Let 123JUNK Help with the Heavy Lifting to Clear Out or Donate Your Old Exercise Equipment

Large pieces of fitness equipment can be expensive, take up a lot of room in your home and require regular maintenance. Instead of letting them become clothes racks and eyesores, consider donating them. 123JUNK will be glad to deliver your items to one of our local charity partners.

With our 1-2-3 Process of minimal waste junk removal, we’ll take other pieces that can be recycled to the appropriate recycling center. This way, we can all work together to keep our environment healthy.

Don’t injure yourself or waste a weekend clearing out your unused fitness equipment. Let us do the heavy lifting! Our team members are trained in the correct way to lift and transport heavy objects without injury. And they take great pains to avoid damaging your walls or floors as they do it!

Contact 123JUNK today at 1-800-3654-5778 to schedule your junk hauling appointment in our Service Areas in Northern Virginia, Washington DC or Maryland.

Meet Nate Price, Fleet Operations Manager

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

We have yet another fabulous team member to introduce you to here at 123JUNK: Nate Price! Read on to meet Nate.

“Live life to the fullest because tomorrow is never promised.”

What is your role at 123JUNK?

As the Fleet Operations Manager (FOM), I am in charge of the operations side and the direct supervisor for the 123JUNK fleet team—the operators and navigators on the trucks. My role is to ensure that they are not only properly doing their jobs, but they have all the tools needed or required to do the job to the best of their abilities.

Tell us about your journey so far at 123JUNK

I started here on April 4, 2023 and what I’ve noticed so far is the team’s family atmosphere. All the guys watch each other’s backs, joke around and align with each other. It’s a nice, relaxing atmosphere. They know the work is dirty and not necessarily easy, but they find a way to make this line of work enjoyable. I honestly enjoying coming to work every day to see and talk with them and hear how their days are going. I have to add too, that even though he’s busy, Collin, the owner, sets aside the time to show me the things I need to know to fill this role.

What did you do before working at 123JUNK?

I grew up in the small town of Cortland, Ohio and joined the Marine Corps when I was 20. I served four years and once I got out, I worked at PAM Transport Inc. in North Jackson, Ohio as a Driver Manager until I met my now-fiancée. We did long-distance dating for about a year, then I moved here.

How did you discover 123JUNK?

I wanted to find a job before I moved here and was looking on Indeed and happened to come across the 123JUNK job listing. After doing a little research on the company and seeing the great reviews from customers and current and former employees about the company and Collin, it was a no-brainer. This is the company I wanted to work for.

Have you learned any important lessons while working here?

I learned not to overlook the team mentality. If you don’t know something, there are others around that you can ask, and they are more than willing to help in any way they can. For example, one of our trucks leads has worked here for almost 10 years and knows a lot about the business from the operations side. At any point, I can ask him for assistance. The teams on the trucks are always willing to help each other too, whether it’s lifting heavy items, transporting them, or loading the truck.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I enjoy watching cooking shows with my fiancée. And we are both avid Steelers fans. If we’re not watching their game on TV, we will go to Pittsburgh to see them in person. We met on a Steelers memorabilia Facebook group and bonded due to our deep passion for the Steelers. I also enjoy playing video games.

What’s a fun fact about you?

I’m a closet nerd. I love Star Wars and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

What advice would you give a new person just joining 123JUNK?

Work hard and don’t be afraid to ask questions. And always make sure you keep the company’s core values in your heart: Culture of Excellence, Environmental Stewardship and Deep Community Ties.

What would you tell someone who may be interested in working here?

It’s hard work, but it is fulfilling work being able to help out the community. Come in with an open mind and be ready to work. At the end of every day you will have a true feeling of accomplishment knowing you did your best throughout the day and helped someone who needed it.

We Love our Team!!

We’re so glad that Nate Price has joined the 123JUNK team and that you’ve had the opportunity to learn a little more about him.

If you’d like to join the 123JUNK family, visit our Job Openings.

Or to schedule your junk hauling in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington DC, contact 123JUNK at 1-800-364-5778. A live representative will be glad to speak with you and set your appointment.

123JUNK Announces 2022 Team Awards

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

Every year, 123JUNK holds an in-house awards ceremony where team members are lauded, and sometimes teased, for their accomplishments throughout the year. Except for our Customer Choice Award, they are all nominated by their peers. Here are some of this year’s 123JUNK awards winners recognized at our December 2022 holiday party! Click on their names to read more about them!

 

The Big 3 Awards

Some of our most important achievements either impact ourselves, our team or our customers. Here are the winners of our Big 3 Awards:

Gets Better with Time Award: Nick Williams

One of our newer team members, Nick Williams, has shown immeasurable growth throughout his time here at 123JUNK, and was recognized by his peers for his dedication to improvement and his drive to move up the junk haulers ladder.

 

Personal Impact Award: Jesus Vializ

Jesus Vializ is one of our team players who thinks of others and always offers a hand. His positive attitude and team spirit elevates others and makes an impact on the team and the company.

Culture of Excellence Award: tie between Paul Atherton and JJ Pedder

At 123JUNK, we set standards for our service and behaviors that we call our Culture of Excellence. It is posted on our walls and we review it regularly in our team meetings. This year we had a tie between Paul Atherton and JJ Pedder for their dedication to upholding and promoting the high standards for which we are known and loved.

Other Awards Include:

Customer Choice Award: Kevin Wheeler

We ask our customers to name their favorite team member and this year they chose Kevin Wheeler as their winner. Kevin goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service in whatever capacity he is called to perform.

HA HA Funnyman Award: Jesus Vializ

It’s important to have fun on the job, and nobody makes us laugh more than Jesus Vializ. Whether he’s in the office or on the truck, you can count on him for a fun-filled day.

Speedy Gonzalez Award: Jeremiah Hankerson

Want the job done fast? Then call on Jeremiah Hankerson. No matter what we throw at him (not literally), he picks it up and runs with it. It could be a new skill or the speed with which he loads the truck. He’s definitely a go-getter and the winner of this award for his second year in a row!

Strongman Award: Nick Williams

Hauling junk isn’t for the weak…it sometimes takes strength of body and character to do the job well, and we recognize Nick Williams for his feats throughout 2022.

Jake the Junkman Award: Jesus Vializ

Jake is our mascot and the face of our company. And so is Jesus Vializ. We are proud that he represents 123JUNK in whatever capacity he does.

Knock Your Socks Off Award: Nick Williams

It’s no accident that Nick Williams was the winner of several awards this year. His work ethic simply knocked the socks off of all of us!

MVP Award (Most Valuable Packer): Paul Atherton

Have you ever tried to solve a block puzzle? That’s what it’s like trying to figure out how to load one of our 123JUNK trucks! We separate out items for donation, recycling and disposal in the order that they are to be delivered to the appropriate location. We need to load efficiently. And since we charge clients by the volume their stuff takes in our trucks, we want to be fair to them. Paul Atherton’s eye for packing earned him the award as our most valuable packer!

Salesperson Impact Player of the Year: JJ Pedder

JJ Pedder did a fabulous job explaining the value of 123JUNK to Realtors, companies, homeowners and anyone else who would listen, and helped us land numerous junk hauling jobs throughout the year. We certainly value his services! This is his second year in a row as winner of this award!

Related: Why team awards are important.

Congratulations to all our 123JUNK 2022 awards winners. We are proud of all our team members and look forward to seeing who will shine in 2023!

 

For Exceptional Junk Hauling in VA, DC or MD, Contact 123JUNK

If you’d like to experience 123JUNK’s award-winning junk hauling services, and are in the Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington DC area, contact us at 1-800-364-5778. We’re the fastest-growing junk hauling company in our region!

several men moving a large lawn mower onto their moving truck

Help! I have BIG Things to Get Rid Of!

Posted on | by Linda Barrett

We can’t tell you how often we hear this call for help! People have a lot of really big things inside or outside their homes (or offices) that they just don’t know how to get rid of. Luckily, they know enough to call 123JUNK.

Big Furniture

Today’s sofas are bigger and heavier than ever, making them more difficult to move or remove. They can be up to two or three times the size of a regular-sized piece of the same furniture. The bigger pieces can include sectional sofas, sleep sofas, oversized couches, big lounge chairs, stadium seating, chaises, recliners, and leather couches. In other rooms, you might have an oversized dining room table, hutch, or bookcases or other furniture that you’d like to donate in order to make room for the new furniture.

Big Bedroom Furniture

Massive bedframes and dressers have to have someplace to go when you’re redecorating or downsizing. Big bedroom furniture is no problem for our team at 123JUNK.

Big Mattresses

One of the most difficult things to get rid of—believe it or not—is a mattress, especially if it isn’t the greatest condition. There are limitations and restrictions on how to dispose of it, despite the fact that it’s awkward to carry and load.

(See our related post: How to Dispose of a Mattress When You Can’t Remove it Yourself)

Big Appliances

Your old or unused refrigerator, freezer, washer, dryer, stove, oven, water heater, air conditioner, dishwasher or other big appliance may also have restrictions on disposal options due to chemical contaminants like Freon. Plus, they’re heavy!

Big Entertainment Items

Are you tired of playing pool, or has ping-pong gone out of fashion in your home? You’ve been wanting to use that space for a new purpose, but your large entertainment items are in the way. How about the piano that nobody ever plays any longer, that old big-screen TV, or stereo equipment that’s gathering dust. With a quick call to 123JUNK, you can quickly and easily move these items on to new homes.

Exercise Equipment

Do you want to replace that old treadmill with the latest and greatest health equipment? No problem, with 123JUNK. We’ll gladly remove any exercise equipment, including home gyms, barbell and weight sets, weight benches, squat racks, CrossFit setups, cardio equipment, elliptical machines, rowing machines, and more.

Outdoor Fun

What do you do with your big outdoor living things when they’re no longer fun? Call 123JUNK! We’ll send our professional junk hauling team out to remove your hot tub, above-ground pool, grills, outdoor kitchen, playground set, jungle gym, swings, trampoline, fire pit, lawn furniture, statuary and landscaping items.

Lawn Equipment

Downsizing or moving into a condo, or upgrading to newer models? Then you no longer need all that old lawn equipment. We’ll gladly take off your hands your lawn tractor, mower, trimmers, blowers, snow blower, edger, spreader, sprayer, trailer, ladder and put them to good use somewhere else. We’ll even remove the shed, fence and lawn debris!

Related: HGTV’s 6 Tips for Downsizing

Let 123JUNK Do the Heavy Lifting to Get Rid of Big Things Around Your House

Don’t break your back trying to carry out big things. And don’t guilt your friends or neighbors into spending an afternoon loading them onto their pickup. That’s what 123JUNK is here for. Our professional junk haulers are trained in safety protocols when lifting and hauling big things. We don’t want them—or you—to become injured from lifting a heavy object the wrong way.

Our team is also trained in how to protect your home and property when removing big items. We’ll lay down floor covers, protect corners and doorways—whatever we have to do to ensure a clean and efficient removal.

After almost 15 years in business, we’d like to say we’ve seen it all. Yet we’re still surprised when someone contacts us to haul away a big item we haven’t handled before—like a motorcycle from a basement!

If you have big things to get rid of in Maryland, Washington DC or Northern Virginia, give 123JUNK a call at 1-800-364-5778.