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How to spring clean your clothes
Photo via kimchi.deviantart.com
Spring is here (for most of us anyway)! You can see signs of the season throughout the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Junktion (our office) in the form of white shoes, pastel pants and short sleeves. I love pulling out my spring/summer clothes and rediscovering favorite pieces. It’s also time to store winter sweaters and wool pants until the brrrrrr of next year. If you want to keep your clothes in good shape while they’re in hibernation follow these tips. Read more…
An Organized Junk Drawer in 6 steps!
(This blog post is written by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s Public Relations Intern, Stephanie Whalen.)
Everyone has that one hidden space in which we throw the odds and ends that don’t quite fit anywhere else. Yes, I am referring to the junk drawer. I have always been curious about the history behind the junk drawer. How did this concept evolve into such a common household characteristic? Who knows why we all feel the need to chuck random artifacts into a drawer, why not just throw that JUNK away?! If you are at the point where that drawer no longer closes, here are 6 steps to organize and clean your junk drawer once and for all. Who knows, you may even find some hidden treasures along the way! Read more…
Your Top 6 Priority Areas to Spring Clean
(This blog post is written by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s Public Relations Intern, Stephanie Whalen.)
Happy spring everyone! It is time again to embrace the sunshine, enjoy all that is in bloom and tidy up our lives! Tradition has it that when spring has sprung, we clean out the junk that is bringing us down. We shake out that throw rug, we clean out our closets, and we scrub the floors. Families, couples, singles and roommates- we all feel motivation from the glorious sun rays to make things sparkle! This chore however, can be daunting. So make it easy by following our 6 Priority Areas to Spring Clean.
- Kitchen- Your kitchen is the most frequently used room in your home, therefore it needs the most attention come spring. The kitchen hosts dinners, parties and lots of commotion, which means there are bound to be some left-overs stuck in the cracks of the oven. By scrubbing your oven, fridge and sink, you are going to feel inspired to host a whole new batch of summer parties!
- Bedding- Each night after a stressful day, your bed is there to comfort you. It is important that you not only clean bed sheets but your pillows too (once a season.) Luckily it is spring, so you can hang your clean sheets and pillows out to dry, soaking up the fresh air.
- Carpets and Rugs- The floor that we walk on takes some serious abuse. Whether it is your kids’ muddy shoes, the family dog’s paws or just feet in general, our carpets and rugs have seen some dirt. For this task, consider renting a carpet cleaner to get the deepest clean possible (You can rent these machines from your local hardware store and even some grocery stores.) Another option is to hire someone to tackle the task for you, which will cut back on your duties.
- Windows- How will you enjoy the summer sunshine with foggy windows? Spray down your screens, and squeegee the winter grim away to let the fresh air and vitamin D in.
- Garage- The garage is a junk magnet. It is so easy to chuck whatever doesn’t quite fit in the house, in the garage. Unfortunately, we do this all too often and before you know it, our cars no longer fit. There are some great garage organizers you can purchase but make sure you’re taking into account what you actually need…if you haven’t used it in over a year, you may need our service: we love getting those cars back in their ports by hauling away the junk!
- Digital- Junk isn’t limited to our physical space anymore so don’t skip out on digital spring cleaning. Organize the files on your computer and sync all your devices to each other properly. Delete angry birds version 1.0 along with any other apps you no longer use on your smartphone. Sweep up Facebook….get rid of those unfortunate pictures that have somehow made it to your timeline, they will only hurt you down the road.
Leave a comment below this post telling us your favorite thing to clean in your house or your digital realm!
How to properly dispose of toxic items
Photo credit: Moon Paper Stars
The dark days of winter are passing us by and small spring buds are burgeoning from the warming soil. It’s spring! Got that urge to clean? Yes? No? It’s a primitive call to action, I’m sure. Read more on spring cleaning in a previous blog post. One of the most commonly asked questions we receive it how to properly dispose of toxic items. Here are our top tips to get this chore done easily.
- Identify toxic products. Oftentimes people don’t even realize when a product is toxic. Assume your item needs special disposal care if it’s got a toxic symbol, is ignitable, or is corrosive. Common items include: paints, cleaners, oils, pool chemicals, batteries, and pesticides.
- Make a list. Yes, Mother’s advice to make a list was good! Walk through your home prior to spring cleaning day and jot down items that will need special handling/disposal.
- Contact your local government office. Every community is different, but the local government is always the contact for waste disposal services so start here. You will discover if the local transfer station or landfill accepts some of these items. You will also learn if there is a special pick-up service for hazardous waste. Finally you can ask for local contacts for disposal items that the city does not take care of.
If you are working with a local junk hauler, they should be able to refer you to local hazardous waste disposal facilities also.
Never, ever pour anything you suspect could be toxic down the sink or toilet. This practice can be very harmful to the local environment. Many city collection services do accept hazardous waste in the garbage; however, this is not a good solution either. One phone call and you should have most of the information you need to do the right thing. Feel good about your environmental practices, knowing you have not contributed to further pollution of our landfills.
Happy spring cleaning!
1-800-GOT-JUNK? Franchises of the Year!
Bo Eason’s motivational keynote
We recently had our annual 1-800-GOT-JUNK? conference, called ‘Kickoff’, which is the time for all franchise partners, managers, and head office staff to come together to share ideas, learn new things, catch up with each other, and celebrate the previous year’s successes. One of the most exciting parts of Kickoff is the awards gala, where people are recognized for their achievements.
While we had many fantastic award-winners that night, I’d like to take a moment to highlight this year’s ‘Franchise of the Year’ winners, each of whom has done fantastic things in their region and really embody what it means to be a part of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?:
Good Times last weekend at the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Annual Conference. In keeping with our “blue wig spirit” we kicked it up a notch for this year’s Franchise Partner photo with our brand of the “Harlem Shake.”
If you’ve seen our Founder and CEO, Brian Scudamore in the media or speaking at an event, this challenge should be easy for you. If not, familiarize yourself with him by checking out our You Tube Channel and clicking on “Our Founder and CEO.” Then watch our dance moves closely and be the first to email us with Brian’s whereabouts. Include your name, full address, and email in your response.
The first 3 correct respondents will be sent a $25 Starbucks Gift Card.
Happy viewing!
