What is the Cheapest Way to Remove Junk From Your House?
When in a situation of what to do with all the stuff that piles up in our lives, what's the cheapest way to approach it? Here we list the top four ways to clear the clutter from cheapest to most expensive! This blog is written with a full house cleanout in mind, so take or leave all that applies.
To start, let's introduce the value equation. The equation is simple. There's Quality, Time, and Money. The rule is you can only pick two that you will save, but you’ll pay for the one left over.
1. DIY (Quality and Money)
Don't worry, we've all been there. When stuck with a lot of stuff but not a lot of cash, a DIY project is just the way to approach the overwhelming mountain of items. The key is not to get too overwhelmed.
From professional to beginner, we recommend splitting each room into quarters. By splitting the rooms, you can approach each section as a sizable chunk to bite off first. Start with the easy throw-away items and work your way through one room at a time. When you finish the trash, come back through and pick up the larger, donatable/keep items. Separate them into one pile to go through later. As you work your way up in size, the job should become easier and easier!
Keep in mind that you will have to dispose of the discarded items. The best way to do that is to take it to the landfill in your vehicle.
All in all, you can do a Junk Removal DIY for a couple of hundred bucks, depending on the amount of stuff and the cost of the dump fees, but you will pay in time.
2. Hire Some Buddies (Money and Time)
This is a tough one to determine the value of, depending on the effort put in by your buddies. If you decide to pay them by the hour, it may get expensive, but you will get it done sooner than doing it all yourself. There's also the chance of having to come in after them and correct any mistakes that were made; after all, they aren't professionals either. Here's what we would recommend if going this route.
Pay by the hour
Don't promise your buddies a pizza party and a firm handshake in exchange for a full day or two worth of work; pay them for their time. Keep a log of when everyone gets there and when they leave, and pay accordingly. This keeps everyone happy and still flexible if they have something come up in the middle of the day that they have to leave for. The more people you have helping, the quicker the job will go, but there is a balance. We recommend four people at the most for a full house clean out, but one for a small pickup.
Have an organized plan beforehand
Don't have everyone show up and not have a clue where to start. Take the time to decide on a start and an ending point. Have a quick walk-through and debriefing before starting, so everyone knows their job and can start without any questions. This will save the headache of being asked what to do next too many times. While a helpful question, we want to limit the number of times it's asked so as not to overwhelm you.
Have the equipment ready
If it's going to be multiple loads to the landfill, know what you're going to use to take everything. The bigger the vehicle, the better!
3. Hire an independent contractor (Money and time)
This route also has the potential to shift in value depending on the contractor you hire. Now, to be clear, I don't mean a contracting company, I mean someone who picks up odd and end trade jobs full-time but isn't a brand. There is a bit of a chance with this because you don't know what you will get. You may score and find someone who is cheaper, more reliable, and does a fantastic job, or you may get someone who is none of the three. It can be tough to determine this beforehand. Here's how we recommend finding these people.
Facebook Construction Groups
Look for a construction Facebook group and post pictures of what you need taken care of and ask for prices. Typically, lots of contractors will respond and send you bids for the job. From there, you can filter through and determine the best fit.
Surprisingly, Craigslist is still alive and well! Contractors can be hired here by searching and reaching out to them.
Any Home Service app
Home service apps like Streetfair, Thumbtack, or Angi are great places to find reputable contractors. They may reflect that in price.
4. Hire a Professional (Time and Quality)
If your goal is to get this done without all the headaches, this is the route for you. Hiring a professional junk removal service will save you time and give you the best quality service. These companies are consistent and perform at a level that is faster and easier than anything else. A whole-house cleanout may take up to a week if you DIY, but a professional can do it in about a day while still maintaining a high quality of work.
What do I mean by quality of work? After all, it's just junk removal!
While it may seem silly to say junk removal is high quality, keep these things in mind.
Damage Control
Professionals are going to have the necessary equipment, skills, and knowledge to do the job properly. That means the chances of damaging a wall or other pieces of furniture are less likely to happen. Even when it does, it becomes the responsibility of the company to repair, and the problem will be solved, as opposed to never seeing them again.
Reputation
We have a reputation to maintain, and the way we do that is by staying consistent and solving problems that come up. Google reviews are our way of showing that we do a good job, and that we complete jobs to customer satisfaction.
Reliable
Time management is often not managed, and we make sure to show up at the time we are supposed to. If something does come up and we have to work around that time, we will contact you and work it out.
Communication
Don't you hate the feeling of not knowing what's going to happen? We remove that feeling by keeping you updated on what to expect. The saying “You can never over-communicate” is true and important to us and our customers.
This shows the different ways you can approach your job! Thank you for reading, and happy junk removing!