How to Conquer the Paper Overflow

You’ve cleaned up your lawn and at your old holiday decorations. Now let’s look at something that may fill you with dread: all that paper!

First of all, remember the electronic storage available to you. If you’re still receiving paper bills, switch to email to save both trees and clutter. Many documents can be stored electronically: scan or take clear pictures of receipts, old leases and contracts, old records and invoices, pay stubs, etc. Save a copy in your computer and consider backup storage on a secure cloud server in case of emergency. Not only does electronic storage clear up space in your home, it makes it easier to sort and find these when you need them.

too much paper

Of course, some documents can be dealt with immediately and then tossed out. Set aside a spot for any paper that needs immediate attention: invitations, notes from school, forms to sign, etc. Check on this every day, or at least every other day. Likewise, some documents should be kept in their original form. Set a specific file for birth certificates, marriage certificates, mortgage and tax documents, car titles, and important medical paperwork. 

Of course, what about children’s artwork? This is arguably some of the most precious paper in the house, but it can quickly become overwhelming. Designated a place such as the front of the fridge or a specific spot on the wall and fill it with artwork. When your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, etc. present you with new treasures, either snap pictures or scan old art for storage, and then replace it on the wall. This way you can share artwork with family for years to come.

Conquering the paper overflow is a huge step to making your home feel tidy and free of clutter. When you’ve decluttered your paper, call Mr. Junk in metro Atlanta and let us haul it away for you!

This Holiday Season, Declutter and Donate!

November is the month to be thankful, to enjoy time with our families and consider all our blessings. That makes it a great time to donate items you don’t need anymore.woman with pile of christmas presents

Why donate items you don’t use anymore? First of all, it helps people in need. Temperatures are finally dropping in the metro Atlanta area; homeless shelters and other organizations that serve those in need often find their resources strapped right now. In this time of goodwill and thankfulness, isn’t it great to give back to our communities?

Second of all, it frees up space in our homes to prepare for the holidays! At Mr. Junk we’re pretty excited about decluttering–we love the pleasant look and calm feel of a tidy home. Plus, we love being able to find things when we need them! The winter holidays often bring an influx of guests, food, and gifts, so get prepared by paring down early.

While you’re planning what to declutter and donate, bear in mind a couple of easy tips. Be ruthless in what you select to declutter, but don’t donate trash! The easiest way to handle this is to get rid of everything you don’t need, and then contact Mr. Junk to haul it away. When we pick up a load of junk, we don’t just toss it in a landfill–we sort through each piece and donate or recycle everything we can before we ever throw anything away. Plus, you only pay for what we haul, with no hidden fees. 

This holiday season, let’s work together to get your house organized and your excess stuff to people who need it!

Get Kids Involved with America Recycles Day on November 15th

RecycleMany people think recycling began in the 1970’s, when its popularity became widespread. But recycling has actually been a common practice since the early days of America. From the Colonial Age to the Great Depression (and again in the 21st Century), recycling has demanded America’s attention. And here at Mr. Junk, we’re listening.

For the clutter in your garage or on your lawn that you can’t recycle, contact Mr. Junk to remove it!

About America Recycles Day

America Recycles Day is right around the corner, and thousands of people across America are gearing up for local events and activities. In the U.S., America Recycles Day falls on November 15th every year. People pledge to recycle more and encourage recycling in their everyday. This year, over 71,000 people have taken the #BeRecycled Pledge, and that number continues to grow.

Ways to Involve Your Kids

There are over 2,000 events happening in America on November 15th for America Recycles Day. And there are four in the Atlanta area! From donating blankets to keep pups warm to collecting gently-used musical instruments for Roswell students, the Atlanta-area events are the perfect way to teach kids more about the benefits of recycling.

recycle

Another way to your kids involved in recycling is to show them how it works. Find a local recycling center that allows tours and bring your kids along for a tour of their recycling plant. At the grocery store, pick up different items and ask your kids which ones are recyclable. When you’re at home, talk about the importance of recycling. The more information they have, the more likely it is that they’ll want to recycle! And that’s great for the world.

At Mr. Junk, we value recycling and the effort made by all America Recycles Day participants. Whether you’ve been recycling for years or you’re just starting out, Mr. Junk is here to help you recycle your unwanted stuff. Check out our services and call us to recycle the big stuff!

How to Keep Critters Out of Your Crawl Spaces

The weather is finally cooling down, which is great! But as it gets chillier outside, you may find that your family members aren’t the only ones retreating into your home. That’s right–pests will happily invade your indoor spaces for shelter during the colder months. How can you keep them away from your attics, closets, and crawl spaces? rat in wooden box

  • Declutter. Rodents in particular love to live in your junk. The less junk you have, the fewer places they have to hide. Get rid of clutter and be ruthless!
  • Properly Store Food. Make sure that you’re not providing free meals to pests. Store food in rodent-proof containers, and never leave uneaten pet food out.
  • Take Out the Trash. Pests aren’t picky! The less trash there is in your home, the less pests have to eat. Take out the trash regularly and keep indoor trash cans carefully sealed. Use bungee cords if necessary. Don’t put anything past rodents!
  • Call an Exterminator. By the time you see rodents, your pest problem is well advanced. The signs of pests are also signs that you should call a professional.
  • Declutter Again! Did you really declutter last time? Do it once more, just in case. Cleaning out the attic, the crawl space, the closets, and even the drawers in your home will go a long way towards dissuading pests.

With a little extra work, you can make your home comfortable for your family, but not for mice, rats, and bugs. Don’t forget to call Mr. Junk in Metro Atlanta to haul away your unwanted stuff so they have nowhere to hide!

Get Rid of Clutter with These Garage Sale Tips

garage salesGarage sales can be a great way to clear out unwanted clutter while making a little money at the same time. Before winter arrives, set aside a weekend to clear out and sell unwanted items! Whatever doesn’t sell, contact Mr. Junk to haul away for you!

Check out these useful tips for hosting a successful garage sale at home.

Start Early

Saturdays are the best day for garage sales. During the week, people are at work. On Sundays, people may be at church. So, when you pick the perfect-weather Saturday for your garage sale, start as early as possible. Most people like to go treasure hunting in the early-morning hours before the sun gets too hot.

Poster Up

Put posters everywhere telling people about your garage sale several days before the sale! Make sure the signs have all the necessary information (address, time, and day). The more posters that you place in your community, the more people will come.

Offer Drinks

Treasure hunting at garage sales can get tiring for your customers. Provide water or sodas for your guests to enjoy while they browse through your things! Since they received something for free, they will be more inclined to buy something.

Play Music

Nobody likes to feel awkward at a garage sale, and complete silence can definitely contribute to awkwardness. Turn on a radio station that plays appropriate music, or play music from the 70’s or 80’s to add that extra nostalgic touch.

The team at Mr. Junk hopes your garage sale is extremely successful! Whatever you don’t sell, we’ll haul away for you. Check out how we price our services.

3 Ways a Clean Lawn Benefits You

Remove Junk From Your LawnDoes your lawn look like a horror movie set? Even though Halloween is right around the corner, your lawn needs a good clean up. Let the team at Mr. Junk haul away your clutter! Are you curious about how we price our services? Learn more!

Check out three reasons why cleaning up your lawn will greatly benefit you.

Improves Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is how attractive your property is when viewed from the street. If you want to sell your home, this affects a buyer’s decision. When they drive by your home, they want to envision living there, and making sure there is no clutter in your yard will help!

If you’re not looking to sell, cleaning up your property is still important. It can increase your property value and the property value of your neighbor’s homes, as well. Here are a few tips to consider while improving your curb appeal.

Eliminates Unwanted Guests

Unfortunately, rodents such as mice and rats like to make their home in unused vehicles or debris in the yard. When you eliminate debris, you are taking away the places where rodents reside. Don’t share your property with unwanted pests anymore. Contact us today to clean up the junk that is on your lawn!

Increases Safety Around the Home

Many accidents happen around the home due to slipping, tripping, or falling over objects. Eliminate the potential for disaster by decluttering the lawn! This will make your home much safer and contribute to the overall well-being of everyone who lives there.

We serve all of metro Atlanta. Call Mr. Junk to remove your junk today!

 

3 Signs It’s Time to Retire Those Holiday Decorations

Holiday DecorationsOctober is the beginning of the holiday season. Within three months, there are several holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

Many people love to decorate the inside and outside of their home to celebrate these festive holidays! But, when is it time to buy new decorations? The team at Mr. Junk has a few tips to help you decide!

Learn more about our company and how we can help you!

Tip #1: You’re constantly replacing light bulbs.

The light strand that you paid $20 for at the store is now costing much more due to the light bulb replacement cost. It may actually save you money to throw that light strand away and buy new decorative lights. If you want to splurge on lights and buy the more expensive brand, those lights will probably last many years compared to cheaper lights.

Tip #2: You don’t enjoy looking at your décor.

Your decorations should make you feel excited for the holidays! When you round the street corner and see your home lit up in festive lights, you should get a feeling of joy. This also applies to indoor ornaments. You spend much of your time inside your home; it should be decorated exactly how you like it. If your trinkets are not contributing to your excitement about the holidays, throw them out and change it up!

Tip #3: You’re using tape and glue to keep your décor together.

If you need to use tape or glue to hold your décor together, it may be time to replace it. You don’t want your holiday trinkets to look junky and cheap. The holidays are all about the best of the best! So, go ahead and treat yourself to new decorations to welcome in the holiday season.

We offer junk removal for the Metro Atlanta area! Mr. Junk has no minimum pickup fee. Your price is based on how much of the truck is full! Allow us to remove your junk for you.

If you have any questions, contact us today!

Moving to a New Place: A Timeline

Moving to a new home can be such a hassle! It seems like no matter how carefully you plan, something unexpected always pops up. Here at Mr. Junk we’re pretty much the moving experts, so take a look at our moving timeline for some good ideas on how to keep on top of things.

Six to Eight Weeks in Advance

  • Begin collecting important documents, including school and medical records.
  • Research and contact moving companies.
  • Begin using up your frozen foods and cleaning supplies.

One Month in Advance moving boxes

  • Begin packing anything you won’t need over the next month.
  • Schedule the cancellation or transfer of utilities, including internet service.
  • While you’re packing, declutter!

Two Weeks in Advance

  • Change your address with the post office, banks, family, etc.
  • Contact Mr. Junk to schedule a pickup of things you don’t need anymore.
  • Continue packing.

The Week Of

  • Pack an Essentials Bag for the days just after the move, including important documents, scissors, a first aid kit, clothing for a few days, and any other personal items you’ll want easy access to.
  • Take pets to the vet for checkups and anxiety medication if needed.
  • Finish packing! Plan to have this done a few days in advance to save yourself some headaches.
  • Put together a list of addresses and important phone numbers for everyone to have on moving day.

The Night Before

  • Add daily medication, phone chargers, and grooming supplies like toothbrushes to your Essentials Bag. Pack this bag in the car with your purse, coats, and keys.
  • Get a good night’s sleep!

Moving Day

  • Make sure everything is turned off, if applicable.
  • Do a final walkthrough to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.

With a little extra planning, moving doesn’t have to be terrible. Remember that the more junk you have Mr. Junk haul away, the less you have to pack!

Turn Your Trash into Treasure

Decluttering your home isn’t only good for your peace of mine–you may also come upon certain items that may be valuable! While you’re organizing and cleaning, keep an eye out for the following:

  • Coins. Next time you sweep the couch cushions for loose change, take a look at them before you toss them in the change jar. Look for coins that were only in circulation for a short time, or coins with minting errors, like double dates. Unlike everything else on this list, dirty coins tend to sell for higher prices, so don’t clean them before you take them in for appraisal. comic books
  • Comic Books. Should you stumble on a comic featuring the first ever appearance of a popular character, consider yourself very lucky–a copy of Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman, sold for over $3 million! But for the rest of us, keep an eye out for older comics (pre-1970s) in good condition. Books about popular characters (such as anything with a movie) with low issue numbers are your best bet.
  • Art. Like comics, the condition of a piece of art is going to have a big impact on its value. Art tends to be subjective in its pricing, but generally an original will be worth more than a print or reproduction. Contact local museums and galleries to find reputable dealers to help you price art.
  • Stamps. These are similar to coins. Stamps that only circulated for a short time or stamps with manufacturing errors are your best bet. The better the condition they’re in, the better the price they are likely to fetch.

If you’ve been hanging on to something just because you think it might be valuable, speak with a qualified, reputable dealer to get a fair assessment. After you’ve sorted out what to keep and what to sell, call Mr. Junk in Metro Atlanta to get rid of everything else!

At-Home Recycling How-Tos

Every year, Americans produce about 230 million tons of trash. Only about a quarter of that gets recycled! Recycling at home can seem like a big job, so at Mr. Junk in Metro Atlanta, we’ve put together some tips to set up home recycling.

recycling logo around the world

First, know what is and isn’t recyclable in your home city or county. Depending on where in Metro Atlanta you live, that can change. Check your local listings for the City of Atlanta, Cherokee County, Gwinnett County, Dekalb County, or Cobb County. Some locations may have curb-side recycle; others may require a trip to the recycling center.  

Once you know what can be recycled, and where to recycle it, it’s time to set up your home recycling. Set aside a dedicated recycling container in your kitchen, bathroom, and anywhere else you throw out a lot of things, like a craft room. Some municipalities give free or discounted recycling bins, or you can simply pick up a different trash can at the store. Make sure the recycling bin is distinct from the bin you use for trash so you don’t confuse it. While you’re still getting use to it, put a list of recyclables on the wall behind the bin.

Remember, Mr. Junk recycles over 75% of the material we remove! We also donate items, and do all we can to ensure we don’t throw away anything more than we have to. If you have big hauling jobs, or even little ones, contact us first–you only pay for what we haul!