For a large number of people, the prospect of having to declutter a whole house can be daunting. There’s so much stuff to go through, and it gets tempting to begin thinking that you just need to rent a dumpster and start pitching everything.
That’s definitely a valid approach, if that’s your jam. Or if you can point to huge piles of stuff that just need to be gotten rid of, you could always call a junk removal company like ours and have it hauled off.
But before you make the “hello, how much to rent a dumpster?” phone call, consider the resources you have available right at your fingertips.
You likely have a car. Loading it up with old, donation-worthy junk and hauling it off only costs you an afternoon and the trip to the thrift store. The people at the thrift store will typically help you unload it, so you only need to get the stuff out to the car. Plus if you itemize your taxes, you’ll get a tax writeoff for what you donated. Such a deal!
You have a garbage can. If you have the standard residential size, it holds something like 90 gallons. And many people – smaller families especially – don’t take advantage of that space. If you have a bunch of junk, there’s a fair chance a lot of it can’t be donated or recycled – so toss it in the trash can.
You have a recycling bin. We usually think of this as a way to get rid of our cans, jars, and bottles from food waste – but any plastic that has the proper recycling number can go in there. And don’t forget paper! Some garbage companies want paper bagged up separately, but if you have piles and piles of old, non-confidential paperwork just ask for “paper, not plastic” the next couple times you’re at the grocery store and put out a full bag of paper recycling each week. You’ll slowly make a dent in your piles.
You have a phone. Ask your garbage company what their policies and prices are regarding extra recycling or garbage. Sometimes they’ll take limited extra amounts for free, and it’s helpful to know that.
You have the ability to make small changes to your weekly habits. Over the course of the week, be intentional about filling your trash and recycle bins. If garbage day is tomorrow, and they’re only half full, do a quick look around the house and see what you could get rid of. Even bulky, broken junk can sometimes fit in a trash can.
And once you get all the smaller stuff dealt with, you may not even need that dumpster or junk removal company. But if you discover that your DIY efforts have yielded a pile of stuff you’re not equipped to deal with, that’s what companies like us are for. Give us a call, and let us help you take the final steps toward a clean, decluttered home!