Amusing And Interesting Junk Removal Stories

Why Choosing Reliable Hauling Is the Best Choice for Junk Removal in Fairfax, VA

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:26:46 GMT

Junk Removal Fairfax..... Reliable Hauling

Looking for an efficient and trustworthy junk removal service , especially in the busy city of Fairfax, VA, could prove to be quite challenging. After all, there are just too many options available out there; it's easy to get lost in the ocean of companies all offering very similar services. But one name towers head and shoulders above the rest: Reliable Hauling. Here's why choosing Reliable Hauling for all your junk removal needs in Fairfax, VA, is the right decision.

1. Local expertise and knowledge

Fairfax, VA, has its codes, traffic patterns, and needs within the community. Family-owned and operated, Reliable Hauling has knowledge of the area far beyond what any national chain could learn. That locally translates to a much more efficient service about knowing the best routes, disposal regulations, and the needs/expectations from the community.

Familiarity that ensures your junk removal process is fast and legally compliant—knowing exactly what recycling protocols to apply or the particular ins and outs of waste disposal at local facilities, Reliable Hauling's local knowledge is vital in this regard.

2. Commitment to Environmentally Friendly Practices

Today's world calls for much environmental responsibility. Reliable Hauling believes in eco-friendly practices, ensuring that as much of your junk as possible is recycled, donated, or disposed of in a responsible manner. They sort items and separate them into those materials which can either be reused or recycled from those that have to be thrown away.

Such commitment to the environment does not only reduce landfill waste but also brings about a clear conscience by knowing that your unwanted things are handled most responsibly. When you choose Reliable Hauling, you are choosing a cleaner, greener Fairfax.

3. Professional and Courteous Service

The greatest benefits of hiring Reliable Hauling would have to be the level of professionalism and courtesy you can expect to receive from their workers. Sometimes, junk removal can be stressful, especially when handling large or heavy items, but Reliable Hauling's team is trained to do every job with care and respect.

From the moment they arrive at your place, be rest assured that they will treat it with the utmost respect. They are punctual, courteous, and definitely all ears towards you. From protecting your floors and walls during the removal job to ensuring that the entire cleanup is done at the end of the job, it really does not get much better than this.

4. Upfront and Honest Pricing

This is where the cost often becomes a big problem when someone is looking to hire a junk removal service. What sets Reliable Hauling apart is that it has transparent and very reasonable pricing with no hidden fees added. They will give a clear and detailed estimate of the amount of junk one has and the volume expected to be removed.

This very simple price system eliminates the shocks of a final bill. You can rest assured that whatever deal you're getting is entirely fair and worth it, according to the value yielded by the quality of work turned in.

5. Versatility and Range of Services

This can be as simple as just a garage clean-out or large appliance removal or construction waste removal. Reliable Hauling has put together a menu of services to work with these varied needs. From just clearing up after a home renovation, getting ready for a move, or cleaning out an area of your home, they have the experience and proper equipment for the job at hand.

This versatility particularly helps in Fairfax, where both homes and businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Reliable Hauling is fully geared for processing small residential jobs and large commercial cleanouts, which keeps them in command of every kind of junk removal job.

6. Licensed and Insured for Your Protection

When hiring a junk removal service, it's important to be sure that it's fully licensed and insured, which Reliable Hauling is. That way, in case of an accident or damage to property, you are fully protected. Knowing that brings you the kind of peace of mind that deals with a legitimate and responsible company.

Their insurance and licensing are not merely about complying with regulations; rather, they give you peace of mind, knowing that the people with whom you deal are professionals who take their commitments seriously.

7. Strong reputation and positive reviews.

Sometimes, the reputation of a company speaks much more than any advertisement or website. In respect to that, Reliable Hauling has managed to string up quite a good reputation for the community of Fairfax by their reliability and professionalism, along with the guarantee of customer satisfaction in every job. Several positive reviews and repeat business are but a few indicators of how seriously they take the quality of their work.

These reviews indicate that the ability of the business to deliver quality service time after time with so much commendation on the efficiency, friendliness, extra-mile dispatch of the personnel. Choosing a company with this kind of sterling reputation enables one to be confident that your junk removal is in very capable hands.

8. Locally-Owned Business

While choosing Reliable Hauling, you are not only getting great service but helping support a local business. In an age when big business seems to take over many industries, keeping a locally owned company alive does its share in keeping a community lively. Because local businesses invest more into the areas they serve, this usually results in better customer service and a much more personalized experience.

Long before Reliable Hauling became a business, it was part of the community at Fairfax. They care about the customer and the local environment, and this care reflects in every aspect of their job.

Conclusion

When it comes to junk removal in Fairfax, VA, Reliable Hauling stands superior. Chalk up their local knowledge, green practices, pro service, up-front pricing, flexibility, and great reputation—all combined, making them the most preferred choice for any junk removal needs. When you choose Reliable Hauling, you will not only have a hassle-free experience but also be assured that you have chosen a locally owned business that really cares about its community. Next time you need junk removed, remember Reliable Hauling is the name you can trust.

How to Keep Your Central Air Conditioning in Shape

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 02:03:16 GMT

How to Keep Your Central Air Conditioning in Shape

We remove outdoor items (including patio furniture, sheds, hot tubs, play sets, etc). and often pass the outdoor air conditioner condenser as we are dragging the parts to our truck. We have noticed that many clients’ air conditioning coils are dirty and blocked with dirt or lawn clippings, which makes the condensing unit work even harder.

How your air conditioner works is often counter intuitive to many. A popular misconception is that the air conditioner creates cold air. But it actually works quite differently. Liquid refrigerant inside the evaporator coil (contained in that big metal box in your HVAC closet or laundry room) collects heat from the indoor air, absorbs it, and passes it out to the outdoor condenser. Heat is then exhausted outside and the now cooler refrigerant liquid is pumped back into the house where the process is repeated. Think of your outdoor condenser like the radiator on your car. It is used to exhaust warm air and if it’s blocked, it’s unable to complete this process – resulting in overheating. You can keep your condenser coils clean by rinsing them off with a garden hose. Use the gentle setting on the hose nozzle to rinse off dirt and debris. Do not use high-pressure hoses or pressure washers as they can bend, deform, or even damage the aluminum radiator.

For the health of the indoor part for the HVAC, change your air conditioner filters (usually located on the side of the aforementioned HVAC unit inside the house). Dirty filters restrict airflow and make the indoor unit work even harder, resulting in a shorter lifespan. We live on a busy thoroughfare and we also foster dogs, which both create dust. So we choose to use higher-rated filters. Most of the higher-rated filters advise that you replace them every 90 days, but our situation calls for us to replace them about every 60 days, depending upon how much we use our HVAC system and how dirty they look upon visual inspection.

Have a professional come once per year to check out the system, make sure all the parts are working correctly, and confirm that there is a correct amount of refrigerant in the system.

Refrigerators work in a similar way. They will last longer, cool better, and use less electricity if you keep their coils clean. We made a short video showing how to clean refrigerator coils:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYfFWn1B9-E

Please Note: The dufus making the video is visibly stiff and uncomfortable!

How to Dispose of Latex Paint and Used Motor Oil

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 02:01:19 GMT

How to Dispose of Latex Paint and Used Motor Oil

Latex paint can be disposed of in three ways:

1. Pay Reliable Hauling & Junk Removal to take it away (I hear they’re good!)

2. Take it to your local municipality’s collection center (usually at no charge with proof of residency).

3. Treat it yourself. Latex paint may be solidified at home. Stir in kitty litter or special hardening agents that can be purchased at your local hardware store or online. Avoid working in enclosed spaces – open garages are ideal. Don’t forget to put down newspapers or a drop cloth to protect the floor. You may also consider putting the can in a large cardboard box. Safety glasses and gloves are recommended as paint can easily splash. Use a sturdy stirring stick to mix in whatever hardening agent you decide to use, or a paint stirring attachment on a heavy-duty electric drill, which is ideal for large batches – that’s what we do to save time and avoid sore arms and wrists. It’s ready when it’s thick enough that it won’t pour out of the can. Wrap it in a heavy-duty trash bag (commercial quality is best), and then you can dispose of it in the regular curbside trash collection.

Used Motor oil can be disposed of in three ways:

1. Pay Reliable Hauling & Junk Removal to take it away (I hear they’re great!).

2. Take it to your local municipality’s collection center (usually at no charge with proof of residency).

3. Check with local service stations or car care centers. Many of them allow residents to drop off used or unused motor oil. Call first before making the trip.

PLEASE NOTE: Different municipalities have different procedures! We recommend checking with your city/county website for rules and regulations.

16 +++++ +++++

Help us Save the Carpenter Bees!

You may have read about the decline of honeybees in recent years, due to factors including mites and pesticides. But there is another important pollinator that is often overlooked or considered a nuisance: the Carpenter Bee!

Carpenter bees live as long as three years and can create one or two generations per year. They forage on mostly anything they can find, including flowers and vegetable garden plants. They are excellent pollinators of tomatoes and eggplants – and who doesn’t have a tomato plant in their vegetable patch? They are estimated to pollinate 15% of the crops and flowers in the US (although many sources claim the percentage is much higher). Carpenter bees are capable of stinging you, but do so reluctantly, so there’s not much need to fear them.

Carpenter bees get a bad rap because of their destructiveness to wood. They burrow a tunnel about the width of your pinky finger, which isn’t so bad in and of itself. But the major damage comes when insect-eating birds chip away at the wood around the tunnel in order to grab the larvae.

So how can you help the carpenter bees? Instead of considering them a threat to your home, do what we do: provide them with nice housing alternatives. Drill holes in older logs or wood planks and place them away from your house. Who doesn’t want to move into a turnkey home?

How to Prepare for the Apocalypse?

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 01:57:37 GMT

How to Prepare for the Apocalypse?

Many of our local clients know that I teach disaster preparation for local businesses and communities (MainStreetPreppers). I am also an active member of our local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The most popular of presentations I give is disaster prepping on a dime. Starting your disaster prep program is actually quite easy and not as daunting as you may think.

(Side note: Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) are local volunteer groups that are mobilized during large-scale emergencies and other community needs. Volunteers don’t need a medical background and are trained in a number of areas, included basic first aid, light search & rescue, and traffic/crowd management. The Arlington CERT volunteers spent hours manning vaccination sites and participating in events with large crowds such as the Marine Marathon. Take a moment to research your local CERT).

Ready.gov, which is managed by FEMA, is a great resource for people starting out their disaster prepping plans and supply list. The webpage recommends you have three days of supplies in case of disaster. This is because that’s about how many days it takes for government and charitable organizations to mobilize to a disaster area to provide assistance. I think three days is a great start and I recommend at least 30 days. Imagine a scenario where a disaster happens in your area. Local organizations will be on site to help, but with them will come lines. Really long lines. Plenty of unprepared people will be standing in line for water and food rations, or whatever other supplies are available. You may stand in line for hours to get rations, and they will only last you for a couple days, so you’ll soon be standing in long lines again. Imagine standing in the searing heat or freezing cold for hours upon hours just to get a few bottles of water and meal kits.

I hope this is motivation enough to start stocking up now. No need to go nuts. Start your disaster supply by purchasing a little extra each time you go to the grocery store. A couple extra boxes of pasta or canned goods will soon add up. And don’t forget the hot sauce! As I tell participants in my disaster prep presentations, just because it’s the apocalypse doesn’t mean you have to be miserable!

How to Dispose of a Hot Tub Spa

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 01:54:04 GMT

How to Dispose of a Hot Tub Spa

Hot tubs and whirlpool spas are fun, relaxing and just like a swimming pool – you don’t know how many friends you have until you purchase one. I had one years ago and it was so relaxing after a tough and physical day to go for a soak and work out the aches. Unfortunately, most people don’t understand the maintenance involved to keep them running for years. The mechanical insides – including the heating elements, pumps, filters etc. – should be regularly maintained by a professional, or at least someone knowledgeable about these systems. Hot tubs should be drained completely before wintertime, otherwise standing water will freeze and burst pipes and other mechanical items. Broken pipes are quite difficult to repair as most of the hoses and pipes are nestled in blown insulation, making them almost impossible to access. Leaking and broken pipes are the main reason we are called upon for hot tub removal.

Hot tubs are quite heavy and many are delivered to the home and then hoisted by crane over the house to be placed on a deck or a pad in the backyard. We don’t have a crane and are usually never lucky enough to have a straight path without obstacles, so we have to cut them up and remove them piece by piece. It takes a couple hours and we often find different forms of wildlife in them. We have flushed out mice, chipmunks, skunks… and one time I almost had a heart attack as I pulled away the side panel to reveal a 6-foot long black snake.

I don’t need to see horror films for a thrill. We’ve stumbled on enough critters while removing hot tubs, sheds and outdoor structures to give us a lifetime’s worth of jump scares.

How Removing a SubZero Refrigerator Cost me $5,000.

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 01:36:22 GMT

How Removing a SubZero Refrigerator Cost me $5,000.

Many of the big box appliance stores remove your old refrigerator when you purchase a new one if you opt for the delivery fee. Refrigerators are usually easy to take in one piece, although sometimes the doors and other parts may need removing in order to get them out of tight spaces and to avoid damaging floors. Those big box stores usually refuse to remove SubZero and similar style refrigerators (although they don’t tell you that until they get to the property, so please remember this if you are replacing one). This is because these types of refrigerators are usually designed and built to be cabinet depth and look built-in to match the surrounding cabinetry. They are therefore wider and taller than a standard refrigerator. The compressor and parts are mounted at the top of the refrigerator instead of the bottom, which makes them top-heavy and difficult to remove and/or install.

We have plenty of experience removing these fridges, and I admit that it can get expensive because of the time and effort involved. We always warn clients that although we will take every precaution, there’s always a chance a wall gets dinged or a floor gets nicked simply because of the size of these hulking beasts.

One time, a client hired us to remove a subzero from their kitchen and wasn’t too happy about our warnings and caveats. But they ultimately agreed, and we got to work. It took us a couple hours of disassembling and jockeying to get this brute out of its alcove, on a cart, and out the door. We walked the route with the client after the job to show no visible damage occurred.

Now did you know that subzero refrigerators often have removable door panels? That way you can match the doors with your existing cabinetry by staining a sheet of wood, or you can jazz it up with stainless steel inserts for a more modern look. As luck would have it, this one had stainless steel inserts, and they were an exact match to the subzero I had in my kitchen that was installed when the house was built well over 30 years ago. I brought the panels home and swapped them with the wood inserts in my SubZero to see how it looked. My wife came home and saw it and exclaimed, “OMG, that stainless steel is beautiful. We HAVE to replace all of our appliances with it, including this old refrigerator.”

And that’s how removing a subzero refrigerator cost me $5000.

The Worst Junk Removal Jobs

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:32:45 GMT

The Worst Junk Removal Jobs

I am frequently asked what I think is the worst job we’ve ever done. As you can imagine, we’ve seen some pretty amazing and disgusting things over the past two decades. Not much offends or upsets me in this career, particularly after working as a first responder, hotel manager and restaurant owner. We’ve been in places where the occupant passed away and wasn’t discovered for some time, cleaned out the home of a cat hoarder (which made the news a few years ago), and we’ve even done a murder-suicide house. Of course, we’re only there in the aftermath, and are spared the most traumatic scenes. But still…

It's never fun when we have to watch family members bicker over what stays and what goes, or what family member gets whatever is left. Tensions can run high in these situations, as siblings, children and grandchildren try to find valuable items hidden in the piles and heaps a hoarder relative left behind. Most disagreements are usually just heated conversations. But once an argument actually came to blows between two family members, right before our eyes.

The worst jobs are usually flooded basements, where years of memories have just been lost. It’s sad to have to bag up waterlogged keepsakes, photos and old letters, all now destined for the trash heap. One July 4th weekend, the DC area had severe storms roll through that dumped inches of water in a matter of hours. Creeks and rivers overflowed their banks, and streets were turned into canals. We received numerous calls about flooded basements after this frightening weather event, and showed up to one house where the client’s 85-year-old grandmother lived. She was heartbroken seeing all of the damaged and destroyed items in the basement. We told her granddaughter that we could do the job, and suggested she take her grandmother out for lunch or find some other excuse to get her out of the house while we cleared the basement. We explained that this was trash removal, which meant we were going to jam these bags full of items and unceremoniously throw them on the truck. But the grandmother refused to go anywhere. She insisted on watching us do the work. She couldn’t hold back the tears and sniffles as we went about our business. Every time a bag was launched onto the back of the truck it crashed into a piece of waterlogged furniture or another bag, which brought out a wail and moan from the grandmother. The granddaughter again tried to get her to leave but she wouldn’t budge. It took us about three hours to clean out the basement and you would’ve thought the grandmother’s tear ducts would have run dry by that point. But it wasn’t to be. Each bag tossed on the truck brought another round of wailing. Most jobs aren’t so traumatic – the majority of people are relieved to have us free up space in their home or take away items they couldn’t remove themselves. But not this poor grandmother. I was never so happy to finish a job and go home. I didn’t sleep well that night.

Junk Removal Treasure Finds

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:26:47 GMT

Junk Removal Treasure Finds

I’ve been doing this since 2003 and absolutely love it. I enjoy interacting with lots of different people and hearing their stories. The Washington DC area is quite transient and many of our clients have lived all over the country – or even the world.

So you’re probably wondering – what cool items have we found? The truth is that we mostly remove dead appliances and broken-down furniture. I’ve never really been a collector, so there’s not much that I keep for myself, other than a couple little trinkets and tchotchkes here and there. Oh, and cleaning supplies.

My friends laugh, but I really do get excited about home cleaning and laundry supplies. My wife scratches her head and stares at me in wonder when I come home ecstatic about the container of laundry detergent or dishwashing soap I found on a job. We haven’t bought cleaning supplies in years. It seems that when people move, they pack up all of their clothes, valuable, dishes, etc, and by the time they get to the laundry room, they’re too exhausted to bother. Just let the junk guy take it. And believe me – I’m happy to!

Our local newspaper runs a story every two or three years about junk removal services and their interesting finds. Unfortunately, this turns many people into treasure hunters. They buy a truck and think that they’re going to find a priceless piece of art while cleaning out some Arlington townhouse. For this very reason, our local online market always seems to have an ample supply of used trucks for sale.

But, caveats aside, we have found some pretty cool stuff over the years. Here are a few highlights:

A World War II German army helmet that was brought home by an American soldier as a war relic. The soldier hand painted the names of the battles he had participated in, which included Normandy, Brittany, and St. Lo.

The cremated remains of people and pets. If the estate representative or responsible person decides not to take them, we usually hold onto the ashes ourselves and spread them at the ocean when we visit our friend’s beach house. We think that’s a nice final resting spot. Although I do hope that the person wasn’t afraid of water.

Eccentric Christmas decorations. I love a gaudy holiday (I think the worst argument my wife and I ever had was whether we should use “classy” white or “tacky” colored lights on our tree), so our front yard is packed with vintage plastic Santas and many other elaborate decorations I scavenged on jobs. The neighborhood kids (and many of the adults too) absolutely love walking past our place during the holiday season. Our house doesn’t quite look like the Griswolds, but give it time.

And of course, we’ve found some hilarious items that I’m not sure I want to post about here. This is a family blog, after all. You’ll just have to ask us about it when you book your appointment. I took out the part about you fostering dogs, because the connection to the remains was a little confusing. But it might just need a little more explanation.

Radiator Removal Goes Digitless

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:20:12 GMT

Radiator Removal Goes Digitless

We received a call from a client who asked us to remove some old iron radiators that had been used to heat his 1930s Cape Cod-style house. He warned us that one was quite heavy and he was afraid to try to move it. We brought in a heavy-duty hand truck with plenty of tiedown straps and placed cardboard on the hardwood floor to avoid scratching or damaging it. He hovered over us the entire time, reminding us that it was quite heavy and dangerous and to please be careful.

We strapped it onto the hand truck and tilted it so we could roll it to the door. He reminded us again of the danger. We rolled it over and prepared to take it out of the house. Another warning from the client. Why is this guy so nervous? We brought it down step-by-step, one level at a time, making sure that it didn’t slip or fall or catch any of our fingers. He told us he was impressed so far. We finally got it to the truck and onto the lift gate, where we hoisted it into the back and strapped it down securely. When I walked back to the front door, the client raised his hand and I instinctively slapped it, thinking that we are guys and the guy thing to do after such an impressive feat is high five. He smiled at me and told me to take another look at his hand. I studied it for a few moments before I caught it – he was missing the tip of his pinky. Apparently, he hadn’t hired professionals the first time round.

What happens to the items removed by Reliable Hauling & Junk Removal?

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:16:19 GMT

What happens to the items removed by Reliable Hauling & Junk Removal?

We are asked this question by almost every client. And rightly so.

We do our best to find homes for items that are in good and/or usable condition. We donate thousands of items to local charities each year. Some of these items go directly to people who need them, while others are sold by charities to raise money. Items that are in rougher shape are delivered to a local waste-to-energy plant and recovery center, where glass and metal are recycled. The remaining burnable items are used as fuel in the cogeneration plant to create electricity for local municipalities.

Reliable Hauling & Junk Removal DOES NOT use local landfills.

How to Recycle and Reuse Glass

lewis@bluecrocus.ca (Lewis Vandervalk) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:12:06 GMT

How to Recycle and Reuse Glass

Arlington and Fairfax Counties no longer allow glass jars and bottles in the residential curbside recycling bins. Why the change?

The heavy weight of glass (it is made from sand, you know) makes it more expensive to transport, and its fragility makes it dangerous for sanitation workers, who may injure themselves on shards of broken material. Glass also causes more wear and strain on sorting machines and other recycling equipment.

What now? Arlington and Fairfax counties now provide drop off locations for residents, usually distinguished by their large purple bins . Fairfax County also launched a reuse and recycle pilot program, using ground glass for local paving projects. An estimated 200 tons of glass has already been used this way, keeping them clear of landfills and saving space, money and the environment. Do you have details on how people can find their closest drop-off location?

How to Keep Water Out of Your Basement

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 23:57:30 GMT

How to Keep Water Out of Your Basement

We have cleaned out our share of water-damaged goods from flooded basements. Before calling that waterproofing service, here are a few easy and inexpensive steps to take to keep your basement dry:

1. Clean out your gutters and downspouts regularly [TR1] to keep water away from the foundation. A one-inch rainfall on a 30' x 50' (1,500 sq. ft.) roof equals 965 gallons of water, in addition to the water that falls around the house. Imagine how much an all-day downpour would bring…

2. Clean out your gutters and downspouts. Yes, it's that important and most issues are remedied by this simple step.

3. Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation. If your downspout is emptying too close to the foundation, it’s really just functioning as a funnel to direct water into your basement. Some contractors recommend 3' extensions, while others recommend up to 6'. Shorter lengths are fine as long as the soil slopes away from the house. Which brings me to the next step…

4. Check the soil around the foundation to make sure it slopes away from the foundation. Most municipalities require that the grade slopes 6" in a 10' run from the foundation. That's really not much of a drop, but it keeps water away. Add topsoil to dips, holes and any areas that slope toward the house and tamp it down with your feet or a brick. Fill any holes within 3' of the foundation.

5. Check your basement sump pump. The sump is usually located in a corner of the basement with a plastic lid, or something similar. I occasionally run a garden hose into the sump to make sure the pump activates when the water rises above it. A battery back-up sump pump is easy to install and can be done for as little as $300.

Check out this video to see how to test a basement sump pump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlLJXUNLCr4

6. Check for cracks if your basement walls are exposed brick or block. You can get fillers at most hardware or home stores.

7. Keep drains clear at the basement entrance. Leaves often collect there and block the drain. You may also consider getting a cone-shaped (or similar) drain cover, as long as it's not a tripping hazard.

8. Cover basement window wells and secure them so they won't blow away on a windy day. You can buy covers at your local hardware or home store.

These steps are a great start for ensuring your basement stays nice and dry. Have a warm and flood-free Fall!

Would be helpful to say how often.

Removing the Wrong Junk?

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 23:54:35 GMT

Removing the Wrong Junk?

We take great pains to make sure we remove items the client wants taken away and nothing else. I warn clients on large jobs that I may ask about particular items more than once to make sure of this. We’ve only removed 3 things that the client wanted to keep since starting our business in 2003, and only then because at least one member of the family had told us to take it.

Once, we were loading up my truck when the client’s husband barreled out the door to confront my crew about an item that was missing. It was a family heirloom! His grandfather brought it over from the old country on the Mayflower! (Or grandmother, or aunt, or on the Nina, Pinta or Santa Maria, depending on what part of the story he told). He was certain we had snatched it, knowing it was valuable. How could we think we could get away with this? He demanded that we return it, and not just that – he wouldn’t pay a red cent for this job! What did I think about that?!

I looked at him for a moment and then turned to his wife. She explained that she had moved that particular item to the bedroom after I had informed her that it may have some real value.

We locked eyes. I said nothing. He said nothing. Then he stormed off. I didn’t see him again until we finished the job, when he rushed out and paid a very generous tip to the crew. To me, that was sweeter than an apology.

Woman Are Scared of Mice?

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:47:46 GMT

Woman Are Scared of Mice?

We’ve owned our junk removal service for almost twenty years (I started it as an excuse to get out of the restaurant my wife and I owned). Over the years, many of the neighborhood kids worked for us – especially the jocks. They loved that we basically paid them to lift heavy items and work out.

I remember once clearing out a hoarder house with a number of these young guys. The boys were removing furniture while my wife bagged trash and unusable items. Suddenly I heard someone squeak out, “eek,” so I ran into the kitchen, where I found my wife continuing to bag items. She calmly explained to me that a mouse had leapt out of one of the lower cabinets as she was removing items and run across her thigh. Other than being at little startled, it hadn’t bother her that much. But she couldn’t say the same for the group of big, manly guys who she’d watched flee the kitchen (and subsequently the house).

I’m not sure what was more fun: Tunneling our way through all the garbage, or ragging on my crew for their “manliness.” You know what? I do know. It was the second thing.

The Most Valuable Treasure Found in a Junk Removal Job

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:47:46 GMT

The Most Valuable Treasure Found in a Junk Removal Job

It was late Sunday afternoon and my cell phone rang. On the other end of the line was an elderly woman who needed quite a few boxes removed from her attic. She and her husband were relocating to North Carolina shortly. Their children had recently travelled from around the country to take whatever they wanted from the house and help clear out what they didn’t. The children returned to their respective cities only to find out a month later that no one had bothered to check the attic. Her 85-year-old husband made daily trips up the steep stairs to try to bring down boxes that were so old, they would crumble as you picked them up from the floor. I had just released my crew for the day, and told her as much. She pleaded with me to come right away. Her husband was obsessed with the items left in the attic. She was afraid that he would hurt or kill himself trying to negotiate those stairs with a handful of boxed junk. She was further afraid that he would so drive her to distraction that she might just kill him herself .

Already exhausted, I reluctantly accepted the task and headed over to the house, where I proceeded to bring down the boxes and other miscellaneous items in the attic for the next two hours. They were very appreciative and she thanked me again and again for “saving” him. The next morning, in a rush to offload the material at the recycling center, I hurriedly grabbed one of the fragile old boxes and the bottom promptly dropped out, emptying the contents onto the floor of the truck. In the pile was an Army Air Corp aviator’s cap. I tossed in on the front seat of the truck and continued my day. I later called the wife and asked if she wanted this beat-up old cap. Her excitement was evident and she asked that I bring it as soon as I could. Apparently, she had met her now husband in 1942, and they’d married just before he shipped out to Europe to duke it out with the enemy. He wanted to give the cap to his grandson but never could seem to find it. When I returned and handed the precious cap to the husband, he teared up. My eyes got a little watery too. I think it was a dusty day.

Donation of a Perfectly Good Washing Machine

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:47:44 GMT

Donation of a Perfectly Good Washing Machine

Clients love that we try to find homes for the good, usable items they’re parting with, including big-ticket items. A client recently called to request a pick-up and delivery of a perfectly good washing machine to a local charity. Her frustration was evident on the call, as she railed against the first charity she had reached out to and been rejected by.

Of course, I had to ask. “Why wouldn’t that charity accept it if it’s in perfect condition?”

She quickly replied, “Well, it doesn’t work.”

“Oh. How can you consider it in perfect condition?”

“Well, it doesn’t have a scratch on it.”

How do you argue with that?

Who’s More Interesting than a Junk Removal Professional?

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:22:02 GMT

Who’s More Interesting than a Junk Removal Professional?

I often find myself the center of discussion when guests of parties or dinners discover what I do for a living. As people ask questions and tell me how interesting my line of work is – and me along with it – I begin to think the same thing. Gee, I guess I am pretty interesting.

But then I get humbled by someone else’s story. Not too long ago, we did some work for a client and while we loaded the truck she took time to tell us about her life. She is a Brit who met an American aviator during World War II. They fell in love and soon after got married. He was tragically killed over Germany during a bombing raid. A year later she met another American. There was a familiarity to this handsome Yank and they got along great and so subsequently fell in love again. They too married and started a life together. They survived the war and relocated to the United States where they started a family and a successful automobile business. He continued to fly later in life and performed acrobatic barnstorming stunts in air shows across the country. The walls were covered photos of the two them and their kids and grandkids, starting from World War II to the 1990s. Who was the handsome gentleman that caught her eye and became her second husband that she felt she had always known? The twin brother of her late first husband.

Just when you think you are the most interesting person in the room you get a reality check and find there are always people more interesting!

(The above story appeared in Look Magazine, by the way.)

We appeared in the Washington Post (again)!

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:32:39 GMT

Owner of the 'I66 BLOZ' tag explains why…

Arlington County resident Kyle Clifford has strong opinions about traffic in Northern Virginia, particularly the major east-west thoroughfare Interstate 66. And he's summed it up quite nicely: I66 BLOZ. Yes, Clifford is the owner of the vanity plate that was highlighted in a story we did last month about Virginians' penchant for using personalized tags to express how they feel about the muchmaligned, notoriously traffic-choked highway.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/owner-of-the-i66-bloz-tag-explains-why/2014/11/06/1ab38578-65cf-11e4-9fdc-d43b053ecb4d_story.html