Category: Decluttering

I Found an Old Chemical Barrel Cleaning Out My New Property, What Do I Do?

Leave a comment

You are excited to get out into that  old structure on the back of your new property. There’s lots of junk in there: metal that would have to be scrapped, parts of things that crumbled or broke as you moved them. But you weren’t expecting this.

There under a tarp are a couple of barrels of some sort of liquid. Perhaps you can read the label or perhaps they are covered over with grime and dust from years of neglect. For some reason the previous owner could not dispose of what’s ever inside these barrels, or else they believed it would one day come in handy and kept it safe.

But now it is yours.  and you don’t know what it is.

What should you do?

esist your urge to see

First you have to resist your curious urge to check what is inside. It is natural to want to pry open the lid and have a look at this new mysterious liquid you own. You might be thinking to yourself, “How bad could it be?”

In actuality it could be really bad. After all there is a reason the previous owner did not dispose of it. It is possibly extremely hazardous material. Opening it could pose a hazard to you and others working in that area, and could even make the space uninhabitable.

Worse yet, some sealed materials deteriorate over time, and when you open the barrel, exposing them to oxygen could give them fuel they need to burst into flame.

Call the fire department

If the label on the side of the barrel is clearly labeled and  you can read the numbers,  you should call your local fire department and speak with a firefighter. This firefighter can tell you what exactly is contained in the barrel and what you need to do to safely dispose of it.

If the label on the side of the barrel can’t be read,  firefighters will respond to your location. They will bring the apparatus they need to investigate what’s in that barrel in a way that keeps everyone safe by preventing a fire or sickness from inhaling noxious or dangerous fumes.

It is easy to forget that firefighters strive to prevent problems rather than merely responding to them.  one phone call allows them to do their job and helps to keep you and your property safe.

Let firefighters tell you what is in the barrel. Picture by HafisFox via Pixabay.

 

Disposing of Your Artificial Christmas Tree Responsibly

Leave a comment

Your artificial Christmas tree may save you a trip out in the cold winter weather to cut down or purchase a living one, but after years of sweeping away the plastic needles you may be debating on if it’s time to let it go.

Before tossing it to the curb, consider two more eco-friendly avenues of disposing of your artificial Christmas tree:

Donate it!

Local charities may be open to accommodating your used Christmas tree. While finding ways to sustainably dispose of your tree are good options, donating it for reuse and repurposing is the most eco friendly! Charities such as Goodwill and Salvation Army are good options to start with, so long as your tree is in decent shape. You could also try online buyer-seller avenues such as Facebook marketplace.

Recycle/repurpose it!

While correctly recycling your artificial Christmas tree is a viable option, you should not throw it in with your regular weekly or bi-weekly recycling. This is due to a common component of artificial trees: PVC, a material that many recycling plants cannot properly process. If your city has the capability to process a wider variety of plastics, it is worth checking if they are also able to process your tree. Otherwise, err on the side of caution and call your local recycling center.

Your local recycling center may be able to accommodate a special pickup and disposal of your artificial tree for you. Call ahead to make sure this is an option, but it is likely that there is a source for properly recycling your artificial tree in your area. This will ensure proper handling and processing of the plastic. Before doing this, make sure that you have completely taken down all of your decorations, leaving a bare tree. Leaving non-recyclable items or that can’t be accommodated items on your tree can further disrupt the recycling process.

If neither of those options seem to be the right one for you, feel free to look for inspiration on other websites that give options for repurposing your tree and its parts. While the tree as a whole may not be fit for another year of Christmas/holiday celebration, smaller components like the base or individual branches may be able to be crafted into smaller mantelpieces, centerpieces, or door frame decorations.

Before hastily disassembling your artificial tree and throwing it away, there are many sustainable options you should consider before tossing it to the curb!

Dispose of your artificial Christmas tree responsibly.

Photo by Ryutaro Tsukata from Pexels

Cleaning Up After Christmas Might Not Require a Dumpster

Leave a comment

You’ve had a big holiday house party with your family, neighbors, friends, and more. Now what? There are holiday decorations in the doorways, on the tables, and all about your living space. There are plates and dishes scattered on your counters, leaving the dining room and kitchen looking cluttered and chaotic. While your first instinct may be to grab a big black trash bag and scoop it all inside, there may be other options before throwing it all away.

First, while the large messes left by the whirlwind of people coming and going may be overwhelming, it’s best to attack one space at a time. Take the time in each room to separate trash from recycling, and pull out what is reusable for the next year. Trying to clean each room at the same time will leave you exhausted and feeling pulled in a hundred different directions. Make a list of things you need to do in each room to help you stay focused; this will also help fight the need to simply dump everything in a trash bag and move on.

Second, once you’ve avoided the urge to throw everything away, recognize what is able to be reused. All plastic dishware should be put in the sink for washing, and most Christmas decorations can be put in a box and in storage for next season. Not only is this a more sustainable route to take while cleaning up, it will also save you the need to go out and buy new supplies for the next year. If you find yourself having to dispose of a lot of your holiday material this year, consider looking for more reusable decor for the future!

Lastly, make sure you have a designated place for each item. Knowing where each decoration or utensil item will go as you begin to clean up will streamline your tidying process and eliminate the need for a trash bag completely! If you are done with certain decorations after a year, have a designated place for donation items. Taking these things to be reused and repurposed will decrease the amount of trash you produce and give your items a new home for the next year.

So, before pulling out your big trash bag determined to get the cleaning done as fast as possible, take the time to limit your waste and stay organized for the holiday seasons to come.

Cleaning up After Christmas doesn’t have to bring out your inner Grinch

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Properly Dispose of Your Real Christmas Tree This January

Leave a comment

The Christmas season is winding down, and it’s time for the annual “what do we do with the Christmas tree?” discussion. While you could throw it to the curb to be collected, there are several more sustainable options for you to consider.

The first option is to take it to a composting site. Check with your local composting sites to confirm if they accommodate Christmas trees, and if they do, drive it there to be properly disposed of! Composting centers will know how to most efficiently break down the wood and its parts, rather than a dumpster site that will likely just pile it amongst the other holiday waste produced. Composting will also turn the tree into nutritious soil for other planting endeavors.

Secondly, you could turn it into wood chips for sustainable landscaping. This does require extra equipment, but if you are in need of more mulch for your front yard, look no farther than your tree. The wood chips made from your Christmas tree will also naturally break down in your yard, enriching the soil with the nutrients it contains. If you have a wood chipper available, consider this option as an eco-friendly way to reuse your tree year round.

Another option is to peplant it if it still has the roots. Most Christmas trees are sold pre-cut or in a way that lets you cut it yourself, but in the case that it was sold to you with the roots still attached, there are ways to replant it. Confer with a botanist or plant nursery on the best way to do this, or if there is a place that replants trees.

Lastly, an option you have is to take off the branches and make a wood pile, both as a habitat for animals and insects and for firewood. The dry needles and branches will be quick and easy firewood for your or your neighbors. Creating a pile will also create a small living area for small animals such as chipmunks, and insects and arachnids like beetles and spiders.

All in all, consider alternative options to simply throwing away your real Christmas tree at the end of the holiday season. Though this is only the start of a long list of ways to sustainably dispose of your tree, it is a great starting point as you clean up for the New Year!

 

This is improper Christmas tree disposal

Photo by Simon Berger from Pexels

Cut Through The Dumpster Clutter

Leave a comment

Use this handy guide to determine the dumpster you need

1. Examine the work you need to do

Before you even pick up the phone, look closely at the work you need to do. Remind yourself of this important rule: a broken thing generally takes up more space in a trash can or dumpster than it would take up if you simply folded or collapsed it.

2. Clarify what size dumpster you need.

As you envision the amount of debris your project will generate, remember too that the dumpster is not only for demolition. It can be handy for construction too. Where will you place the wrapping for your supplies and leftover or waste materials? Think about how you might rent just one dumpster for the life of your project, and get it all taken away at once.

Review the 10 cubic yard, 15 cubic yard, and 20 cubic yard options at the Big Daddy Dumpsters dumpster sizing page to get a better picture of what you will need.

3. (If applicable) determine how many dumpsters it will take to haul away the whole job

Most home projects can be completed with only one dumpster. Professional contractors working on larger projects, however, will want to consider how much debris and waste their project will throw off in a given period of time. These contractors will want to consider how frequently they will trade a full dumpster for an empty one and work that into their order.

4. Review your project budget and determine haul-away allowances

One line of your budget for a large project should be dedicated to waste disposal. While many people live in a municipality with some waste provisions, many projects generate more than their neighborhood trash company will haul away at once. And no one wants to store their old waste on their property, ruining the visual effect of completing the project!

5. Call Big Daddy Dumpster

 

Once you have taken all of the steps above, you now have the answers you need to have an informed conversation with your Big Daddy Dumpster representative. Call them today with the parameters of your project: dates, dumpster size required, number of dumpsters needed, and then ask any other questions you have.

Our friendly and knowledgeable representatives will be glad to assist you today!

Dumpster Near Me. Determine your dumpster budget, then call Big Daddy Dumpster.

Controlling Odors in Your Dumpster

Leave a comment

You imagine the complaints rolling in as Big Daddy Dumpsters delivers your dumpster to your construction or work site at the requested time.

“Your dumpster smells terrible!”

“Property values are plummeting and my house is on the market!”

“Eww, get that thing out of here!”

Don’t dumpsters smell? You wonder to yourself. Will my neighbors be annoyed?

Eliminate a smelly dumpster from your list of complaints today.

Here are some things you need to understand about dumpsters, and how to make sure that yours is a respected part of the construction project instead of a terrible distraction and annoyance to the crew and the neighborhood.

Photo by Steve Harvey on Unsplash

Watch what you put in it

You know the old adage, “You are what you eat?” Well, in some sense, the same is true for your dumpster.

Your construction dumpster should be used primarily for the specific purpose you had in mind. Most likely this is destruction, demolition, or cleanout. And most of the time, though your cleanout might involve some old moldy or soiled items, it should smell … well, not at all. It should be neutral, or a little dusty.

So the first rule of responsible dumpster management is to put in only those things that are supposed to be put in.

So if your project is typical, you will not have to worry at all about odors.

If you’re putting food or rotting material inside, read on.

Change what you put in your dumpster

A common cause for smelly dumpsters, just like trash cans, is food that has not been properly secured. Sometimes on a work site, a crew can get in the habit of throwing food waste into a dumpster. Discourage this practice.

Instead, offer your team a place to put food waste in a separate bag. Then, properly seal the bag. This can then be added to the dumpster.

Food should not be laying out in the sun and exposed to flies or other pests, because it is an invitation they will not refuse!

Cover the smell of what you put in your dumpster

If it’s too late, and your dumpster reeks because the contents are rotting, it is time to do some olfactory emergency triage.

Add copious amounts of kitty litter or baking soda to the offensive area of your dumpster. Or, if you can’t tell where exactly it is coming from, you can spray the dumpster with a water-based disinfectant. Be careful to use the right amount – enough to reach hard-to-get smells, but not so much that you are leaking irritants and chemicals into the ground and storm drains.

It’s Time to Clean: Is Your Family Member a Hoarder?

Leave a comment

It is likely by now that you have seen the popular show “Hoarders” on the A&E network. Nominated for an Emmy, and winner of a Critics Choice award, each episode focuses on one house where items have been piled dangerously high.

 

Or, more accurately, each episode focuses on one person. A person whose emotional baggage has prompted them to acquire a great deal of physical baggage.

 

Not surprisingly, the name “hoarder” has been used more broadly to describe people caretaking over all sorts of messes we might find in back rooms of old buildings, or in our aunt and uncle’s garage. We almost always mean it as a gentle joke.

 

But how can we tell when someone has crossed over the line from collector to hoarder?

 

Collector? Or hoarder?

 

The Hoarders website reminds us that “hoarding is a serious pathological condition.” That is, there is more to the hoarding than merely collecting a lot of stuff. But that is the primary symptom and it is visible to those who are closest to the person.

 

Here are some signs that point in the direction of hoarding. Remember, though, that observing the characteristics is very different from a diagnosis. Psychology Today reports that hoarding is often “affected by co-morbid factors such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADD, ADHD, anxiety, and depression.” It is also likely that these issues were made worse by the isolation that came with the COVID quarantine.

 

You simply can’t diagnose a psychological disorder with a simple visual scan.

 

 

Signs to worry about

So what are the signs that, when you see them, should cause you to worry?

 

Collections gone wild

One sign of hoarding is when a person claims they are collecting something, but the collection is unrecognizable. The collected items are not visible beneath the piles of other items, and can’t be found easily or at all.

 

Safety concerns

In a house where hoarding is happening, there are obvious safety concerns. Piled items are at risk of falling on occupants, and key rooms like the kitchen or bathroom are unusable.

 

Health concerns

Is a serious hoard, there are concerns about pests or mold that is untreatable or unreachable. The risk is not imminent (like with something falling) but is nonetheless serious because mold and pests carry or can cause illness that will harm the occupant.

 

If you see two or more of these signs, you should seek help to approach your friend or relative.

Perfect Your Summer Cleanout With a Big Daddy Dumpster

Leave a comment

Whether it is a basement, a garage, the storage room at church, or an entire apartment, your summer cleanout will be epic.

 

Pizzas, pop, chips, and a gross of trash bags means you;re off to a good start.

 

You;ve invited your friends, family, or members of the church and marked your calendars weeks in advance.

 

Don’t forget the best part: renting a Big Daddy Dumpster for the cleanup.

 

Renting a dumpster was never easier

For folks in southwestern Ohio looking to haul away a load of trash efficiently and cheaply, Big Daddy Dumpster is the solution.

 

Delivered to your location, and hauled away at the agreed-upon time, there is simply no easier way to handle a big mess.

 

Don’t waste your time hauling bags of trash to the curb, then asking your guests to try and pile them higher and higher. You can’t balance them perfectly to keep them out of the street or the sidewalk right of way.

 

You need a dumpster that is one phone call away.

 

A Big Daddy Dumpster.

 

 

Dumpsters hold what Rumpke won’t take

 

Sure, the best thing about renting a Big Daddy Dumpster is the low price. And the convenience is great.

 

But getting to stack a wide range of trash inside, including damaged furniture and other items that curbside pickup won’t take in most communities, means all your trash can essentially go in one place.

 

Of course, there are always restrictions on items that might be considered hazardous waste, but the restrictions are few, and the possibilities are many.

 

Clothing, broken items including most electronics, non-recyclable metals, many engine parts, boards rotted from weather and water or simply age … all of these can go inside your rented dumpster.

 

And then they will be hauled away by our experts, and voila! Your cleanup is done.

 

So let your imagination run wild this summer. What can you clean? What’s the big task at work or at church or in your community that always seemed too much to tackle?

 

Who owns that lot you;ve been hoping would get cleaned up down the street? With a little cooperation, you could create a win-win event that brings the neighborhood together and leaves the place cleaner and more welcoming than ever.

 

What are you waiting for? Call Big Daddy Dumpsters today.

This Spring, Host a Neighborhood Clean-up

Leave a comment

The snow has melted, the leaves are budding, and everyone in the neighborhood has fired up their lawnmowers and leaf blowers for another season of outdoor activity. You even see some new hardware on the block – Stan seems to have gotten a new push mower, and Michael’s apparently switched over to all electric tools.

Further up the street, Mrs. Cooper has plans to take out her trellis.

As you look at the clutter in your own garage, you realize that you might need a dumpster in order to get rid of all the crap you’ve accumulated over the years. The door you took out in the remodel? There’s no place for it in the house now, it is an orphan. That last 8 feet of quarter round? It’s now warped from being under the chicken wire. And the chicken wire? Bent and a little rusted from years of anticipation but no real duties.

Then a brilliant idea forms.

You could host a Neighborhood clean-up day

You’ve noticed that other people are in the same situation you are in. Their basements and garages are cluttered. (Well, not Trevor. Trevor’s is spotless, like everything else. But that’s how he deals with his own issues.) And they have projects they would like to do, but they just need a friendly shove in the right direction.

What if you announced a date, and got a few neighbors to go in on a dumpster for the neighborhood?

Suddenly you and your neighbors are sharing the cost of waste disposal, and providing a big push towards getting your neighborhood spruced up all at the same time.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Choose a date a month from now and circulate it through word of mouth or with a door flier
  • Ask people to let you know the things they hope to be able to throw away
  • Work with local re-use agencies like St. Vincent DePaul to set up a way to donate items that can still be used
  • Work with a Big Daddy Dumpster representative to determine the right size dumpster for whatever remains
  • Ask people to provide a contribution toward the dumpster.

When dividing the cost, don’t worry about precision and fair cost – you’ll never get the math to work out perfectly, and why would you want to? Instead, just ask people for what they think is fair. What you will find in the end is that you likely recover the full cost, and you have enough to buy food for a Saturday Evening cookout.

Spring Is Here! Organize a Life-Changing Garage Clean-out Day for Your Neighborhood

Leave a comment

We have all been there. We have accumulated junk in our garage and basement for a couple of years, and we find ourselves at the awkward spot between too much to throw in the trash, but not enough to justify renting a dumpster.

 

Last year the solution was easy: you closed the door on the garage and ignored it for another year. Good for you – you found some time! But you did not solve the problem.

 

Well this year what if you try a different strategy?

 

This year, go together with your neighbors to organize a neighborhood clean-out day, and utilize the Big Daddy Dumpster three-day rental option. This will create a targeted, specific window of time for getting the work done, making it easier and more fun.

 

 

Garage clean-out challenges

There are lots of challenges involved in cleaning out your garage.

 

First, some of the things in your garage don’t belong in a dumpster. For instance, you should not put flammable liquids or biohazards in the dumpster, and you likely have a few gallons or more of these items in the back corner, over there beneath the shovels.

 

Second, some of the things you need to throw away are too heavy or too bulky to include in your regular trash. You can’t put that old lawnmower frame in the trash can. You need a little more space.

 

Third, some of the things you need to lift or move are pretty heavy.  that old door you removed in the basement remodel? You can probably move it yourself, but do you want to risk your back again?

 

These and other similar problems are solved by having a neighborhood garage clean out day.

 

 

A neighborhood garage clean-out day solves these problems

First, the problem of hazardous items.

 

It feels a little wasteful to carry one or two gallons of expired paint thinner and paint to the appropriate county drop-off location. But if you join together with your neighbors, suddenly you find that you have a small truckload. Now one person, or maybe two of you, are taking the trip for the whole neighborhood. Now you are building friendships, helping others out, and really building the spirit of community.

 

Second, bulky items. When you go together with your neighbors to split the expense of a dumpster, you help everyone dispose of all their bulky items at once.

 

Third, heavy items. Good news, everyone is working outside this weekend. And you neighbors who just lifted one heavy thing and threw it in the dumpster will be glad to help you with throwing something else in. That’s just the energy of a good, productive day.

 

Transform your community this summer with a three-day rental from Big Daddy Dumpsters for a neighborhood garage clean-out day!

 

1 2 3 4 5 6