Benefits of Eco-Friendly Junk Removal

We’re going to share our favorite tips and tricks for making junk removal eco-friendly.

The first week of spring has come and gone very quickly. Usually, this is our annual reminder to clean our homes of all the junk we have accumulated from the previous year. If you are a procrastinator like me, then you avoid spring cleaning like the plague.

It’s hard to elude the subtle reminders of all the items I need to clean out. Whether it is the piles of clothes in the corner I have forgotten to take to a consignment shop or the junk drawer that has turned into a junk closet.

Your case may be worse. Do you have a whole garage filled with outdated items? Most homeowners use their garage to hide piles of useless stuff. The garage is chock-full of bicycles, knickknacks, family photos, and Christmas decorations.

There’s an even better hiding place than the garage…the basement! Tanks from pets past, accessories, old furniture, and outgrown kids’ toys are hidden in there too.

Getting started is half the battle. With all this junk, I don’t want to just throw it in a landfill to rot and wreak havoc on the environment. Though I haven’t started cleaning yet, I’ve done my research and set up my plan of action for tackling this mess.

Removing old junk can be overwhelming if you’re trying to be environmentally conscious. Luckily, we’ve done all the hard work for you with details on how to dispose of your junk in an eco-friendly way!

What Junk Can Be Recycled?

When it’s your first time removing big bulk items from your home, it is hard to know what should go to the dump and what used items should be recycled.

The information below will help make junk disposal easy and eco-friendly.

Furniture Removal

Believe it or not, furniture can be recycled. Before you get started on recycling your old furniture, make sure it is free of any personal items. Don’t forget to check in the drawers and between the cushions!

Sort your furniture by type of material. For furniture that is mostly metal, you will want to give those to a scrap metal dealer. Other used furniture such as a sofa or loveseat can be hauled away and donated to a charity.

Below are some of the furniture items that you can have picked up by a furniture removal service like LoadUp:

• Couch
• Sectional Sofa
• Recliner
• Dining Set
• Patio Furniture
• Mattress & Box Spring
• Headboard & Footboard
• Entertainment Center
• Chest of Drawers

Appliance Removal

Appliances cause a lot of waste when disposed of improperly. They also need to be handled carefully as some contain hazardous chemicals. For an environmentally responsible way to dispose of appliances, your best option is probably to call a junk hauler like LoadUp.

Electronics Removal

Make sure to wipe electronics clean of any personal information before disposal. Placing these items on the curb is not ideal because they contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Recycling or salvaging them are the most environmentally safe ways to dispose of your old electronics.

Mattress Removal

Whether you purchased a brand new mattress or just need to get rid of the old one, there is an eco-friendly way to go about mattress disposal. Putting the mattress on the curb will guarantee it ends up in the landfill and you will most likely receive a bill from the city for its disposal. Local recycling centers in some cities will provide pickup services; however, be aware that most will require a drop-off.

How to Get Eco-Friendly Junk Removal

A few of these tips can also be found in our Junk Disposal Guides. Below are more details about the best ways to get rid of your junk.

1. Don’t do it all at once. Set a timeline and a strategy before beginning your thorough cleaning spree. Trying to clean your home all at once is going to send your stress levels through the roof. Start by creating a list of all the different rooms in your home. Prioritize the rooms by whichever ones have the most items. Book time on your calendar and over the course of several small weekend sessions, you will be done in no time. You shouldn’t spend all of your free time cleaning. It should be spent having some fun and enjoying your downtime.


2. Create two piles – Yes or No. No, I am not crazy. When you keep a “maybe” pile, you invite the idea of keeping junk in your home. What’s the point of cleaning if you’re going to keep a majority of the items you do not use? Make a pledge to yourself and your family that you will only sort your items into two piles. As you begin, consider getting a professional appraisal of items that may be of high value so you have an appropriate selling price.


3. Have a garage sale. One way to get rid of the junk items in your “no” pile while being eco-friendly is to pass your items on to other people. Others may find treasure in your trash. Since you will be going through your garage as one of the rooms on your list from step one, you will have the space you need.


4. Post online. The Internet is a great tool to buy and sell items. Listing unwanted items you want to sell can be time-consuming. The last thing you want to do after a huge cleanout is put in more time getting rid of those items. Another problem is you never know who is on the other end of that computer screen. Large items cause other issues, as you never know if the buyer has a big enough car to transport the old appliance or large bulk item from your home. Whatever arrangements you make, be sure to be safe.


5. Donate or recycle your junk. The best way to get make sure your books, electronics, appliances, mattresses, etc. don’t make it to a landfill is to donate or recycle them. Donating items makes us feel good inside. It gives us the feeling that we’re doing something bigger than ourselves. (It also doesn’t hurt when we get a break in our taxes. Make sure you get a receipt!) An issue you can run into is transporting the item to the charity. Large, bulky items are heavy and don’t always fit into your vehicle.

When you are positive you know what should be donated, call LoadUp. We’re a junk removal service that will help take away the items for you. Don’t break your back trying to do a good thing.

We will do our best to avoid the dump. We believe in green living and strive to recycle or donate as many items as we haul away. LoadUp offers recycling and donation services for all junk items. No matter what you need to be removed from your home, condo, or apartment building, we will work with you to find the right solution that fits your specific needs.

If you’re lucky, one of the above ideas will land a new home for your used items. However, it’s difficult to determine how to get rid of the extra items without cluttering the environment, so you want to make sure you engage in eco-friendly junk removal.

Upcycling Your Junk

Have you heard the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” All of your junk may not need to go into the trash. You can always repurpose your unused items in other ways. Get those old rims, coffee containers, and tools out of your garage and drawers. It’s time to put them to good use without destroying the planet.

Landfills are full of some of the items needed below to make these easy DIY (do-it-yourself) projects. You can always drive by your local dump to pick up a few of these items if you don’t have them on hand.

Old Rims Turned Into An Upcycled Firepit

If you have an old tire rim laying around, you can make a fire pit.

• Find a place in your backyard ideal for a fire pit.
• Place the rim with the wheel center face down so the inner wheel shell is facing upwards.
• Surround the rim with brick or stone to protect your hands from the hot metal once you put the fire pit to use. (hint-hint: The added material makes your fire pit look less junky!)

Reuse Your Glass Bowls For Eco-Friendly Planters

Succulents are widely popular. They are great for those who don’t have a green thumb since they are easy to grow and don’t require too much attention. Use your old glass bowls as succulent planters.

• Succulents dislike standing water. Place a layer of small rocks or pea gravel on the bottom of your glass dish.
• Fill your glass bowl with potting soil for cacti.
• Plant the succulents in the bowl using your fingers and firm the soil around them.
• Cover the soil with a layer of small river rocks. This helps to keep the moisture away from the base of the plants preventing them from rotting.

Second Chance Wire Basket or Trash Can

Turn your wire basket or old trash can into an end table or plant stand.

• Turn the basket or trash can upside down.
• Add some paint if it’s a bit outdated or chipped. (You can also add some ribbon around it to give it a different look.)
• Super glue a wood or marble top to the bottom and you have yourself a whole new table.

Eco-Friendly Storage Made From Coffee Containers

You can always recycle your used coffee containers especially since they are made of plastic; however, if you need some ideas for storage then up-cycle your junk.

• Get a wood board.
• Paint the coffee containers and wood board to a color of your liking.
• Let the paint dry.
• Screw the plastic coffee containers to the wood board. Now you have a place to store nuts, bolts, tools, etc.

Make Your Cheese Grater An Environmentally Friendly Jewelry Holder

Want a great jewelry holder? Look no further than your grandmother’s old cheese grater.

• Pick your favorite color to give the cheese grater a fresh coat of spray paint.
• Let the paint dry.
• Use the holes to store your favorite pairs of earrings.

Old Wrenches Turned Eco-Friendly Decor

Our garages can be filled with old tools that we never use. Put the old wrenches to good use by making wind chimes. You’ll be industrial chic in no time.

• Place a wrench horizontally and tie a wire to opposite ends.
• Hang about 4 to 5 vertically from the wrench tied at the top.
• Find a place on your front porch or patio to hang your new wind chime.

Rake Your Old Trash Into Industrial Chic Kitchen Hardware

Turn your old rake into a useful kitchen utensil holder.

• Separate the top of the rake from the wood handle.
• Paint the rake or add embellishments.
• Turn the rake upside down to hang onto your wall.
• Add tongs and kitchen utensils to the rakes tines.

Eco-Friendly Junk Removal Experts

Keeping the environment at the front of your mind after clearing out all of your junk is hard. Your best bet is to have a solid plan of action. We have all fallen victim to our consumer-driven society and have some items we no longer need. Proper disposal can go a long way to help reduce junk in our landfills.

To ensure you’re engaging in the most eco-friendly junk disposal practices, your best bet is to book a pickup with LoadUp. We make the whole process easy, eliminating all of your headaches. LoadUp is a premium, on-demand, nationwide disposal company that will come pick up multiple items or only one.

We will pick up and haul away your unwanted junk items for 20-30% less than other junk removers. At the time of pickup, you don’t want to haggle over the price. It’s important to find a junk removal company like LoadUp that has honest, up-front pricing.

One of the best ways to keep your neighborhood beautiful is with proper, eco-friendly junk removal. Old junk can be left on the side of the road or the curb and destroy your beautiful view. Don’t let the junk pollute your community or become an eyesore. Keep your neighborhood beautiful by disposing of junk properly with LoadUp.