Monthly Archive for March, 2010

Bay Area Green Junk Removal

Published on March 26, 2010 in Bay Area, Green Junk Removal and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Making the commitment to be eco-friendly throughout your life can depend on the ‘green outlook’ of everyone around you. Junk King was formed in the Bay Area, so it’s second nature for us to try to help the environment around us by preventing junk from ending up in landfills.

Those who live in the Bay Area know that the culture and law facilitates an eco-friendly way of life.  For example, buying a fuel efficient vehicle allows Bay Area drivers to skip expensive bridge tolls. For those who want to forgoe driving altogether,  the Bay Area public transit system (Muni, Bart, CalTran) is extremely efficient and far reaching.

The city of San Francisco also recently launched a very agresssive recycling program to completely stop the use of landfills by 2020. This new legislation mandates that every residence and business utilize three color-coded bins for trash, recycling and compost. People who don’t comply with the city ordinance can face fines of up to $500.

Beyond the legal side of things, people in the Bay Area simply look for greener ways to live life. You don’t see people littering as much as other places, and the nearby state and national parks are fiercly protected by citizens and the local government.

Junk King has the goal to spread this ‘Bay Area Green Outlook’ to the rest of the country through our green junk removal program.  As new Junk King franchises open across the country, we hope to promote green living in each specific destination.

Recycling Computer Equipment

Published on March 23, 2010 in Green Junk Removal, Junk Removal Franchise, Recycling and junk hauling. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

It is undeniable that humans have contributed to a growing environmental crisis. Our civilization has placed an exteme burden on the planet’s natural resources and many eco-systems.  Even though it will be an uphill climb, we need to start taking action to reverse these effects before it’s too late.

There are a myriad of ways that people can contribute to the green movement: from recycling newspapers to driving modern electric cars. I’d like to focus on one specific way that people can contribute – recycling computer equipment.  Throwing away used computer hardware, laptops, LED monitors, hard drives, RAM, webcams, batteries or any similar equipment can have a devastating effect if the junk ends up in our landfills.

From nysscpa.org: Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor, specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when disposed of, according to EPA standards. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and nerve and brain damage in animals).

Because of the rate of technological progression and the need to ‘upgrade’ to the latest computer equipment, people very often end up with ‘junk’ hardware sitting around the house.   Whether its that humongous computer monitor sitting in a dusty corner or a box of used keyboards and wires, it can be difficult for some of us to make the effort to properly dispose of these technological relics.  It is extremely important that when this computer junk is thrown out, it is recycled in a responsible manner so that it stays out of our country’s landfills.

For those who don’t have the time or manpower to properly dispose of their computer equipment, Junk-King offers an affordable, efficient, and eco-friendly junk removal service.

All Junk Removal is Not Equal

Published on March 19, 2010 in Green Junk Removal, Updates and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Hiring a junk removal company can be a very personal issue, with good reason.  You are letting strangers into your home or business and letting them handle your personal items; that requires a good amount of trust.  This is why people need to be educated on what the signs of a professional and reputable Junk Removal company are.

Professional Image

Although it may seem vain to judge a company purely on its image, it is a good thing to do in the Junk Removal business. It is fairly easy for an unlicensed contractor to buy a used pickup truck, put a sign on it, and start working.  These are the type of operations that could easily damage your house or scam you. Make sure to check out a company’s business cards and website to ensure a level of professionalism.

Recycling Policy

Any responsible, modern and professional Junk Removal company will have a recycling policy in place.  Many unlicensed junk haulers will pick up your trash and throw it out on the street or in illegal zones, which is often how they are able to provide such cheap labor.  Make sure to ask your Junk Removal company what their recycling policy is. Environmentally responsible companies will keep the majority of your junk out of landfills.

Online Reviews

It never hurts to check online review sites like Yelp.com for other customer’s experiences with a Junk Removal company.  Although sites like Yelp can often be filled with competitor’s reviews and a few isolated bad cases, they are also a good place to find some integral information about the company you are about to work with.  Learn how to pick out the useful reviews and weed out the fake ones.

Estimates

Your Junk Removal company should give you an up front estimate on what a job will cost you.  They also should only charge for the amount of junk that they haul. Make sure there aren’t any hidden fees and you only pay for what you get.

Junk-King is a great choice for your junk removal service, offering a great reputation, a strong eco-friendly recycling policy, and strong recommendations from previous customers.

A Job for a Junk Removal Professional

Published on March 12, 2010 in Professional Haulers and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Taking the first step to hire a professional Junk Removal service can be a big one for some people. No matter how much clutter you have in your home, you might still be reluctant to bring in the professionals. Maybe you’ve never hired a junk removal service before and aren’t sure how it works. Maybe you think you can take on the task yourself. I’d like to examine several different situations where you could definitely use a professional’s service.

You’re planning on selling your house

If you are planning on selling your house, making it appealing to any prospective buyers is your number one goal. The junk and clutter that sits around the various rooms of your house is a definite no-no if you want to make the sale. Whether it’s an old couch you never took out to the curb, stacks of outdated magazines, yard waste out back, or a burnt out computer monitor – these are the things that you’ll want to get rid of before inviting buyers in. Calling a professional junk removal service to handle these items will allow you to concentrate on making the sale.

You’re Moving Out

If you’re packing up and moving to a new home any time soon, you’ll need to take the time to go through all of your belongings and decide what you want to bring with you. You’ll most likely realize that you own a number of useless items that will have no place in your new home. If these items are large and bulky, they are sure to get in your way during the moving process. The most efficient option is to have a junk removal service pick up all of these items in one haul before you start the packing process.

Party Planning

It’s likely there is party or event in your future that will take place at your house. It could be your daughter’s upcoming wedding reception. Perhaps you’re holding a fundraiser or your child is about to graduate from high school. This means that friends, family from out of town, neighbors and coworkers all will be visiting your house. If you want to clear out some space for the event and make your home more presentable, getting rid of that unwanted clutter should be a priority. Every old piece of junk that you throw out will make your home that much more welcoming to your guests. While you’re cooking up recipes, buying groceries, creating decorations and figuring out where everyone will sit, a junk removal service can efficiently clear your home of all that clutter.

Spring Cleaning

Spring is just around the corner, and with spring comes the chance for the ‘rebirth’ of your clean and tidy home. There’s stuff you haven’t gotten around to all winter, from throwing out those rusty bikes in the garage to hauling off the fallen branches in the backyard. Now is the time to put the rubber gloves on, turn up the classic rock, and make your home look brand new again. The only problem is, you can’t be everywhere at once and you have real life to attend to. That’s where a junk removal service can be your spring-time saving grace. Simply give them a ring and they’ll haul all that junk out in an efficient and professional manner, while you can attend to those dusty corners and messy closets.

Are you a collector or compulsive hoarder?

Published on March 9, 2010 in hoarding and junk removal. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Are you a collector or hoarder?  Everybody has a friend or family member who loves to keep old things around.  Whether it be a pile of old newspapers, outdated magazines, wine bottles or a box of receipts, we all sometimes have the inclination to save ’stuff.’

While many of us see this as a harmless activity, there is a serious clinical disorder called ‘compulsive hoarding’ that makes it an obsession for people to hold on to a large amount of junk, despite the effect it may have on their lifestyle.

Although Compulsive Hoarding often is said to be a more specific classification of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it has been recognized by mental health professionals as a seriously detrimental way of life that can result in  unsanitary living conditions, safety hazards, accident prone conditions and a variety of other harmful side effects on an individual.

Depending on how extreme the hoarder, the items an individual keeps around can run the gambit, from common items like books to physically dangerous things like hazardous waste and garbage.  Although keeping too many books around the house may not seem like a harmful thing, the actual practice of hoarding the books is what can potentially harm an individual’s lifestyle, including preventing them from forming meaningful social relationships or even forgoing basic needs like eating and bathing.

This doesn’t mean everyone needs to start throwing out those old stamp, coin, and baseball card collections that they spent so long acquiring.  Humans are naturally possessive creatures, and it is perfectly normal to place value on a collection that has monetary or sentimental value.

However, there are things that many of us ‘collect’ simply because we don’t have the time or energy to get rid of them.  Whether this be an outdated magazine collection or a closet of old clothes, some of this stuff simply takes up room in our homes that could be used much more effectively. Getting rid of this unuseful material not only frees up room in your home, but also clears the mind in a variety of ways.

Just as people with serious cases of compulsive hoarding need professional help, people with the more common case of an inability to get rid of old junk could use some external help as well.  Junk-King is your affordable, professional and efficient junk removal service that can get rid of that clutter you’ve been eying for years, but just never got around to throwing out.  We’re here to help you reclaim your kingdom from Junk.

A Typical Day for a Junk King Franchisee

Published on March 5, 2010 in Junk Removal Franchise and junk king. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Starting a junk removal franchise with Junk King is an exciting and lucrative opportunity for budding entrepreneurs around the globe.  Junk Removal is an expanding business sector as consumers look for reliable services to remove unwanted clutter from their home or business.

Junk King also recycles up to 60% of the junk they haul, which ties in nicely with the expanding green business sector.  For those who are thinking about getting into the Junk Removal business, I’d like to provide an example of a typical day in the life of a Junk King Franchisee:

  1. Say hello to Dan.  Dan recently bought a Junk King Franchise and has been doing great business around his city. This is the story of a typical day in the Junk Removal business for Dan.
  2. Dan starts off his workday by collaborating with his drivers:  providing them with schedules, routes, and quotas for the day.  The drivers then hop in their trucks and head out towards their booked junk removal appointments.
  3. Dan’s morning work doesn’t stop there.  He heads back to his office where he’s scheduled a presentation for a local business that may be interested in Junk King’s services.
  4. Meanwhile, a nearby homeowner calls with a request for Junk King’s junk hauling services.  This call is received at the Junk King Customer Call Center where a booking specialist inputs the details of the appointment into Junk King’s network – JunkKingNetware.  JunkKingNetware automatically sends the appointment request to Dan and his drivers.
  5. Dan can instantly access JunkKingNetware from a computer and see all the booked appointments as well as the location of all of his trucks.  Dan’s drivers can also access the appointments en-route from their mobile phones.
  6. One of Dan’s drivers picks up the new appointment information and heads over to the appropriate address.  The homeowner is glad to see the Junk King team give her an up  front estimate on how much the process will cost (based on how much room in the truck her stuff takes up).  She decides to move forward with the job and the team efficiently hauls away all of her unwanted clutter.
  7. Within 1-2 days, a representative from Junk King’s Customer Call Center rings the homeowner to find out if her junk removal needs were satisfied.
  8. Dan ends his day at the office, fulfilled after a job well done and making sure all loose ends are tied up.  He calls Junk King’s central office support with any questions that came up during the day so that he can do an even better job tomorrow.

For more information on becoming a Junk King franchisee, check out the junk removal franchise section of our website.

New Junk-King Franchises

Published on March 3, 2010 in Junk Removal Franchise, junk hauling business and junk king. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Junk-King is proud to announce two new junk removal franchise openings:  Sacramento and New York, Nassau County.  Our New York franchise opening marks the first of many on the east coast.  With Junk-King’s emphasis on affordable prices, efficient service, customer satisfaction and eco-friendly hauling, these new businesses are sure to thrive in their locations.

If anyone is interested in taking the opportunity to open a Junk-King franchise in their own geographic location, feel free to check out the franchise section of our website to find out more.