As the world is becoming more and more environmentally conscious, recycling is picking up the pace on a global scale. Yet, there are some naysayers that love spreading misconceptions about the restorative practice, bringing down its perception without reason. As a result, people teetering on the brink of becoming either proponents or opponents often find themselves in discussions over the issue but to no avail. Because of the vociferously spread misinformation about recycling, most people end up questioning the effectiveness of it shortly after becoming a believer. Considering this constant back and forth movement between recycling pro-and-anti-camps, we decided to rationally debunk the most pervasive myths regarding recycling goods.

Recycling Uses More Energy Than Making New Products

When the concept of recycling was novel, executing it was undeniably an uphill battle. But as the novelty of it wore off, people got more acquainted with the idea and developed advanced technologies and techniques to smartly recycle goods without consuming a lot of energy. According to the environmental protection agency, recycling aluminum cans saves up to 95% of the energy utilized in making new ones. Similarly, recycling steel and tin cans can conserve 60-75% of the energy used in manufacturing brand new containers. That's not all; recycling paper saves 60% while recycling plastic saves up to one-third of the energy required to produce original products.

Recycling Requires Too Much Effort And Sorting

Another common misconception regarding recycling that stems from the early days when technology wasn't adequately advanced is that recycling warrants meticulous sorting. But that's far from the truth. Yes, when the phenomenon first came about, it required tedious grouping that seemed never-ending. But those days are in the past now; you don't need to put in all that effort today. And ever since the arrival of single-stream recycling in the 1990s, the need to meticulously sort items before tossing them has diminished drastically. The systems responsible for recycling these days are ultramodern and can easily tackle multiple materials simultaneously.

Now you don't need to go online to find out if you need to remove staples from a paper before discarding the item into a recycling bin or whether you can recycle an envelope with a plastic window.

As long as you have the basics down, you don't need to worry about misplacing a recyclable. It will go through washing, shredding, crushing, and eventually be melted, so everything will be dealt with as needed.

Recycled Items Are Of Inferior Quality

​The question on the quality of recycled items is not new; perhaps it is the oldest issue that was raised with regards to recycling. With the advancement in technology, one might assume that this problem must not exist anymore, and while they'd be right to believe that, members of the anti-recycling camp don't want anyone to know that. Therefore, they continue to propagate this baseless idea. However, the fact is that manufacturers of recycled goods have improved their methodology a great deal since the early days, and now they make top-notch products with recycled materials all the same. In fact, various studies show that recycled paper now meets high-performance standards. Moreover, modern-day glass, plastic, and steel containers made with recycled products are even backed up by the FDA. Hence, you don't have to worry about the quality of recycled items.
 
Don't let groundless myths stop you from doing the right thing. Be a responsible global citizen and play your part in sustaining the environment by practicing recycling. And if you feel like you can’t do it on your own, hire a reputable junk removal company and let them do the job for you.
 

As society makes a swift and important change towards sustainable living, minimalist lifestyles are slowly trending and becoming everything.

Here are a few tips that you can adopt for a minimalist lifestyle.

Examination and Evaluation

If you do, in fact, make the decision to move towards a sustainable and minimalistic lifestyle, the first thing that you might have to do is view everything that you currently own and possess objectively. This includes your home, your lifestyle, and your life overall.

Before you call a junk removal company to get rid of your junk, stand back and make an honest assessment of all the things that you can possibly live without, and you don’t really need to survive.

Once you step back and objectively view all your possessions, you will be surprised to find that a lot of things that you own don’t actually serve any purpose for you any longer.

In fact, many of us hoard on to things from the past that hold no material value for us. We have things we might have purchased years ago that we literally have not touched in ages.

While it’s not always easy to let go of things from the past, it is sometimes absolutely necessary to do so, to make way for the future.

De-Clutter Your Current Space

The second step to a minimalist lifestyle is to declutter your current living space. De-cluttering entails looking around to see if you have doubles or triples of something and then getting rid of them.

It’s often the case with humans to keep purchasing for the sake of it. We might end up buying things that we really don’t need, or worse, that we already possess.

It is this constant need to keep buying that can convert even the most modern, most elegant of homes into a junkyard of sorts, taking away from its beauty entirely.

Not to worry, though, because the solution is simple. All you need to do is to declutter!

The easiest way to get rid of your past junk once you have identified it is to contact a junk removal company.

We are one of the most reliable and efficient junk removal companies in Phoenix, Arizona.

Call us at 602-883-2547 or visit our website for more information. Let us help you remove excess waste from your house so that you can make space for actual things that will make your home look beautiful and elegant!
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Organizing your home and getting rid of junk is probably one of the most exhausting household duties that come with being a homeowner. Even if you declutter your home regularly, you can still be pretty overwhelmed every time you do it. But don’t worry, you are not alone. Most people experience the same weariness as you do when tidying up the home. However, there are ways in which you can efficiently de-junk your home without running yourself ragged. And to do that, all you’ll need is a bunch of cardboard boxes and a sharpie to mark them afterward.
Here’s how you can Marie Kondo your house fast.

Don’t Overthink and Pick a Room

Don’t plan too much, just pick a room to toss out junk from and get to work. One factor that tires most people out when it comes to decluttering the house is excessive planning. You don’t need to strategize decluttering too much because it is only going to overwhelm you by making you feel that there is a lot to do. Therefore, start clearing things, and soon you’ll be clutter-free.

Toss the Trash

Out of all the boxes that you arrange for decluttering, mark two or three of them ‘for trash.’ Doing so will be a lot easier for you; you will not have to carry bins to every room. And once you are done, you can sort out the trash.

As you start tidying up the rooms in your house, toss the things you don’t need in one box and the ones you need in another box. By categorizing items, you will save a lot of time and energy. And you won’t have to sort everything right away. You can do that after a few days if you don’t want to do it on the same day.

Rid your Kitchen off Non-Kitchen Items

The kitchen generally becomes the room for hoarding, and everything that doesn’t have a defined place ends up there. So, before you begin clearing out the cabinets and drawers, move all the non-kitchen items out of your kitchen. Just dump everything non-kitchen in boxes and move it out.

If you have time and energy, sort the stuff out right away or stash it away for the time being. By separating decluttering and sorting, you will not only save time and energy but also feel less burdened.

Don’t be in Two Minds

The task that takes away the most time during decluttering is deciding what is useful and what is not. People more often than not end up double-minded over the future of items in their home. They struggle to decide whether or not they will need a particular good in the future or not. The never-ending battle between ‘will I, Won’t I’ eats up a lot of time and exhausts a person to a great degree. Therefore, try to be as focused as possible. Look at an item and pick the first option that pops into your head, and then don’t go over it again.  

And if you still feel a little too less than thrilled about decluttering your home yourself, then hire a professional company, and they’ll do it for you.

You spend about a third of your life in bed. We know that’s hard to believe, but it’s a fact. Considering the amount of time you spend in your bed, a mattress forms a fundamental part of your life. A mattress also plays a vital role in your wellbeing.
The average lifespan of a mattress is 8 years, after which its quality starts going downhill, and it may even have an adverse effect on your health. If you haven’t replaced your mattress for a while now, we suggest you go through the list of health risks of sleeping on an old mattress.

1.     Neck and Back Pain

Even the best mattresses will lose their oomph-factor at some point in time. The mattress becomes saggy, and as a result, it fails to provide your body with the support it once did. It can no more cradle your pressure points.

The lack of support and comfort puts a strain on your body, specifically the neck and back. The quality of your sleep is affected as well. You may try rotating your mattress, but that is only a temporary measure. When you feel body ache right after you wake up, it’s probably the time to get a new mattress.

2.     Poor Sleep Quality

An old mattress affects your comfort and hence, has an adverse impact on the quality of your sleep. Lack of sleep can make you extremely moody and irritable. If you don’t get quality sleep at night, your mental wellbeing can get affected as well. If you find yourself on edge every morning, it’s probably your mattress that’s causing it!

3.     Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are a real threat. An old mattress is an ideal habitat for bed bugs and mites. Bed bug bites are incredibly itchy. The worst thing about bed bugs is that they’re extremely stubborn and hard to get rid of.

In addition, you’ll be alarmed to know that 10 million dust mites can find a home in your mattress and feed on the dead skin cells that your body sheds while you sleep. If you want to be sure that bed bugs or dust mites do not bite you, the best thing to do is get rid of your old mattress!

4.     Bacteria and Mold

An old mattress provides an ideal environment not only for bed bugs and dust mites but also for insects and bacteria. A wide range of pathogenic bacteria and several fungi can find a home in your mattress, and you won’t even know about it. If your room ventilated poorly, mold might develop on your mattress too.

Fungal spores, bacteria, and mold can all lead to many skin and other infections. If your mattress is reasonably old, it’s high time that you consider discarding the old one and invest in a new mattress.

Summary

An old mattress serves you no real good, so it’s best to get rid of it. You can’t just dump it on the road. Hire a professional junk removal company to help you discard your old mattress the right way.

If you’re planning to revamp your office space, there are a lot of things that you have to bring into consideration beforehand. Apart from what the new décor will be like, you also have to consider how you will dispose of your old office equipment.
You just can’t dump all the old office equipment in a junkyard or landfill. Proper office equipment removal is required in such scenarios. Disposal of office equipment can be a daunting task, and neither you nor your employees will be able to do it efficiently. The best way to get rid of old office stuff is to hire a professional junk removal company to do the job for you. Let’s have a look at some of the reasons why hiring a professional is a wise thing to do.

1.     Convenience

The amount of effort and time required to clean out the old stuff, loading, hauling, and disposing of is tremendous. It is not a matter of hours but a matter of days. The work schedule of your employees will be disturbed, and so will the output of your business. Hiring a professional junk removal company is the most convenient way of going about it where the company will take care of everything, from cleaning to disposing of old office equipment.

2.     Risk of Injuries

Carrying heavy office equipment can result in back strains, abrasions, and cuts if not carried the right way. Neither you nor your employees aren’t trained or skilled to do that kind of work, nor are you equipped with the right tools; hence the chances that you will end up hurting yourself are high. A professional junk removal company knows how to load, unload, pack, and dispose of different types of items, and hence, hiring a professional for office equipment removal is the wisest thing to do.

3.     Measurable Cost Savings

One of the many reasons why businesses don’t hire professional junk removal companies for getting rid of their old office equipment is an attempt to save some money. Little do they realize that they’re actually making way for higher expenses in the long run. Firstly, the work for which you’re paying your employees isn’t getting done, and secondly, your employees might have to spend extra hours at the office that makes them eligible for overtime.

4.     Reliability and Efficiency

As much as dumping all the office junk and old equipment into the local landfill sounds convenient, it isn’t always the best thing to do. Some junk can be disposed of legally while some need to be disposed of in a certain manner. A professional junk removal company would know exactly how to treat all types of junk, and thus, they will ensure a reliable and efficient office equipment removal.

Summary

Office equipment removal is not as easy as it may sound. It requires a lot of effort and time. You may not be skilled enough to pull off the job efficiently. Hiring a professional junk removal company will make getting rid of old office equipment easier and a lot more convenient. 

Most of us don’t bother getting rid of the piles of junk in our garages or backyards until the piles become too big. Junk removal is anything but a DIY project. Whenever we replace older things with newer models, the older ones end up in the pile of junk. The removal of junk is a very time-consuming; hence, it’s an extremely daunting task to take up. This is the reason why most homeowners turn toward junk removal companies.
If you are looking for a company that offers junk removal services, you need to make sure that the company is credible and reliable. Only a professional junk removal company can get the job done right. Although professional companies may charge comparatively higher than the new, springing ones, hiring them is totally worth it!

1.     Convenience

The first and foremost benefit of hiring a professional junk removal company is the convenience factor. All you have to do is call them. They will come by your property, evaluate the quantity of junk that needs to be removed, and get the job done smoothly. A professional junk removal company will have heavy-duty equipment and vehicles, which will be sufficient to remove all the accumulated junk at your property.

2.     Safety

The safety hazards of removing junk yourself vary with the nature of junk. If you set out to remove junk yourself, you may injure yourself, get sprains, bruises, or cuts, or in the worst case, develop allergies. Moreover, you will not know the correct way to dispose of waste. A professional junk removal company will not only be equipped with all the necessary safety gear but will also know the techniques and skills needed not only to remove the junk but dispose of it the right way.

3.     Reliability and Quality of Work

Junk removal is not just moving the junk from your property to any other site. Each type of junk has to be disposed of differently. A professional junk removal company will have skilled and trained personnel who will have knowledge about different types of junk and the right way to dispose of each of them. If you are looking for a reliable company that delivers the highest quality of work, a professional junk removal company is your way to go!

4.     Environment- Friendliness 

It is no hidden fact that improper disposal of certain items, such as electronic appliances, is hazardous for the environment. You can’t risk contributing to the already-detrimental impact of waste on the environment. Hiring a professional junk removal company will offer you peace of mind that your junk has been disposed of the way it should have been and that it is, in no way, contributing to the deterioration of the environment.

Summary

​Hiring a professional junk removal company is vital for numerous reasons. It ensures that your junk is being disposed of safely and in the correct way and that it is not contributing to environmental deterioration.  

If you own a vehicle, you may have had to deal with used tires at some point. Millions of tires end up in landfills in the US alone. If you have some tires that you want to get rid of, you can call a junk removal company for the safe disposal of the tires. However, it is also true that most of the times, these tires are not recycled or reused. Instead of giving them away to add to the ballooning problem of heaps of used tires dumped in landfills, you can follow some DIY projects to give a new life to these tires. Here is what you can do.

How to Reuse Old Tires

1. A Tree Swing

If you have a strong tree in your backyard, you should consider installing a tire swing. The process is way too simple: all you have to do is to take a rope and hang the tire from it. The swing will not be solely for your kid as you can also take a few rounds on it and relive your childhood.

2. Use for Exercise

If you have used tires of heavy-duty vehicles - or even the light ones- you can include them in your exercise routine. You can use bigger and larger tires for flipping them. This is a good form of exercise as it helps strengthen your back, hamstrings, and glutes. You can also use light tires for squatting and lateral jumps.

3. Sandbox

You can also use heavy and big tires to create a sandbox. For this purpose, tractor tires are the best. For this project, you will have to paint the tire and then add the sand into it. You can also tie an umbrella in the middle of the umbrella to prevent it from absorbing too much heat during summer.

4. A Hose Caddy

Just like your handsfree, your garden hose also tends to get tangled, making you spend a good five minutes while untangling the hose. The best way to keep the hose organized is to use a heavy tire that can act as an organizer. Cut the tire into half and store the hose into it. This is the best way to keep your hose safe.

5. Decorate Your Gardens

Who said that you have to use one-design pots in your garden. If you want to add some color to your garden, you can use old tires as flower pots. Paint the tires and fill their insides with soil and fertilizer. Now, plant a plant and see it grow.

6. Beds for the Stray

It pains our heart to see homeless and stray animals going from one place to another in search of warm shelter. If you cannot keep more cats or dogs in your house, you can at least provide them a comfortable bed. Use an old tire to make a bed for the stray and keep it outside your house. This easy-to-do project will definitely help a stray animal to have a comfortable sleep.

Summary

​Old tires have a lot of beneficial uses. Before discarding them or making a call for their disposal, have a look at some ways through which you can put your tire to good use.  

We live in a world where we get new electronic devices every year to enjoy the newest models, with older devices either filling up space in our homes or making their way to the landfills. This makes way for more and more non-biodegradable waste that either stays piled up in our garages or is dumped into the landfills along with the rest of the trash.
The waste from electronics can impart a significantly negative impact on our environment. You can limit your contribution to environmental pollution by recycling electronics. A number of electronics recycling services can help you with this task. The question is – why should you recycle your old electronic items?
There are numerous benefits of recycling electronics which have been listed for you below:

1.     Reduced Mining of Virgin Materials and Reduction in Energy Used

The mining of virgin materials uses extensive resources and energy during the mining and manufacturing processes. However, when you extract raw materials from used electronics (urban mining), you greatly reduce the energy used and generate greater profits.

For example, the mining of aluminum would require the use of heavy machinery, energy, and would cost a lot of money. However, extracting aluminum from old electronics not only reduces the amount of energy used but also reduces the costs, leading to greater profits.

2.     Removal of Toxic Elements

Some of the most abundant toxic materials that dominate the waste stream include mercury from LCD TV screens, lead from cathode ray TV tubes, and heavy metals from batteries. It is very important to remove these toxic substances from the waste stream. These toxic substances end up in landfills, which eventually contaminate the groundwater.
When you recycle electronics, you are actually removing the toxic substances from the waste stream. These toxic elements are extracted from the electronics during the recycling process and are destroyed through appropriate processes. 

3.     Recovery of Valuable Materials

A number of valuable resources go into the making of electronics. For example, there is a very small quantity of gold in mobile phones. When you recycle your electronic devices, you can recover these valuable materials. In many instances, the extraction of rare earth metals can give rise to geopolitical conflicts. However, the recycling of electronics will prevent the occurrence of any such conflicts and will also help in the recovery of these materials, which are found in extremely small concentrations in nature.

4.     Good for Economy

Recycling electronics is extremely beneficial for the economy. Not only does it save the energy and money that goes into the extraction of materials and manufacturing components from scratch, but it also uses fewer resources, such as water.

5.     Less Pollution

The most important reason why you should recycle electronics is that it reduces pollution. When you recycle items, there will be less waste, and thus, less material ending up in landfills. The electronics that are dumped in the garbage also release harmful gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. When fewer electronics are dumped, there will be a massive reduction in air pollution as well!

Summary

​Recycling electronics comes with a lot of benefits, such as reduced pollution, lesser waste in landfills, removal of toxic materials from the waste stream, and significant cost saving. 

It is 1995 and you read an article on Wonders of Earth in a magazine. You kept the magazine aside - in your bookshelf - while thinking that you should save this piece of information for the future.

It is 2005 and you are rearranging your bookshelf. You find a book that your grandmother used to have. Old and torn from a few places, the book looked like a find from the ruins. You cleaned the surface of the book and kept it in a safe place on the bookshelf.

It is 2010 and you saw a feature on the shopping habits of consumers in a magazine. You put the magazine aside thinking that this information will come handy in the project that you are working on.

It is 2015 and you find a report in the newspaper about the upcoming elections. You saved the newspaper in the same bookshelf you have been several magazines and newspapers for ages.

It is 2019 and you happen to rearrange the bookshelf. You see the piles of many newspapers and magazines you have saved over the years. Upon skimming through the magazine, you find that the article that you had enjoyed years ago have been completely eaten by silverfish. Not only that, the new books that you have recently bought are also under attack.

​For cleaning the clutter of old magazines, you called the junk removal company to clean the shelf in an efficient manner. But, now, raises the question of keeping the current books save from silverfish. You can use silverfish bombs that are available in the market, but you can't expose your books to too much chemical after every 15 days. Here are some natural remedies that can help you keep silverfish away from books naturally.

1. Thyme

Silverfish detests the smell of thyme. If you want to keep silverfish away, the best thing to do is to cut some sprigs of thyme and keep them behind the books on the shelf. Bruise them a little to release the scent.

2. Make a Trap

Take a mason jar and cover it with masking tape all the way to the top. Now, fill the jar with food attractants like oatmeal, crumbled crackers, dry cookie crumbs, or oats. Place the jars near or on the bookshelf. Attracted by the food's smell, the silverfish will get inside the jar but won't be able to reach the top as they will slip on the glass surface of the jar - the insides are not covered.

3. Lavender Oil

In a spray bottle, take 1 teaspoon lavender oil and 300ml of water. Take out all the books and vacuum the shelf. Now, spray it with the lavender mixture. This will also keep the silverfish away from your books.

4. Baking Soda

Mix 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of baking soda and form a paste. Spread it on small square card. Place the cards on the bookshelf or the surrounding area. Silverfish will nibble on them which will prove to be toxic for them.

Summary

​Silverfish is a great nuisance. If they have attacked the magazines to a great extent, it is better to get the magazines and newspapers discarded professionally.

If you are moving out of your house, you can understand the frustration and the irritation that you feel during the entire process. Packing and moving big pieces of furniture is a very difficult task that requires a lot of hard work.

Even though many homeowners are okay with the idea of hiring a moving company to safely move their furniture items, there is still a lot of precautions that families should take if they want their furniture moved responsibly.  

Here are some tips that will make your moving out process hassle-free.

1. Make a List

Before hiring a professional moving company to move your furniture, you must make a list of the items that you are planning to take with you. Once you have prepared a list, you should also decide which furniture will go where in your new place. This easy step will help you manage the entire moving out process with ease.  

2. Disassemble Furniture

If possible, disassemble furniture items so that they can be carried around easily. For example, detach the legs of a sofa set or put bed frames completely apart. This process will help you in the handling of the furniture and will ensure that your valuable items are not damaged or scrapped.

3. Remove the Items

Before the movers arrive, remove all the items from your furniture items. For example, if you have a bookshelf, remove all the books and pack them safely. Or, if you are moving a closet, you have to take out all the clothes before moving them. This will bring the weight of your furniture down and make it easier for movers to handle them. If you don't remove these items, there is a risk that they will be damaged in transit.

4. Keep Your Children Away

The moving out process can be stressful for children. Also, the kids will be interested in seeing almost every other item that you are packing and will disturb you while you are packing. So, it's better that you drop them off at their grandparents' home or send them off on a playdate so that you can get done with the packing of important stuff while they are gone.

5. Be Careful of Your Pets

The moving out process is quite stressful for pets. In fact, the day the movers come to get the items transported to the new place, the animals found themselves to be in a restless position. They are not used to of seeing strangers barging in the house and taking important items. To reduce the stress levels of your pet, make sure that their room is already decorated in the new house and send them to the new place before you start moving your furniture. This way, the pets will also become a bit familiar to the new place.

Summary

​Make your moving out day stress-free by hiring professionals. The experts will ensure that everything is done efficiently and will remove your furniture items in a hassle-free manner.