5 Ways to Get Rid of Kitchen Appliances

Oct 13, 2018

When you want to know where to dispose of old kitchen appliances it helps to have a few tricks from the experts. To get you off to a flying start we’re going to show you 5 ways you can get it done without any hassle. And because you’ll know how to get rid of old appliances you’ll be able to tell your friends and family when they come to do the same thing!

#1 Sell for Profit

If you have a cooker that’s still in perfect working order then the chances are that someone will take it off your hands for a small profit.

Sites like eBay or Gumtree are ideal if you want to be able to sell at the click of a button. Just make sure that you set a realistic price (you’re not going to recoup all of your money) and give it a good polish before taking the listing photo. That way it’ll stand the best chance of selling fast.

#2 Pay the Store You Bought it From

Lots of stores will offer a first refusal removal service on the appliances they’ve sold you in the past. Others will also remove and recycle kitchen appliances for a small fee when you come to buy new units from them.

This can be a really useful way to save yourself time and money because you can organise the removal and the delivery all at the same time. Just make sure you book the day off work so that they can get in and take your appliances away.

#3 Donate to Charity

There’s always a time and a place for a bit of charitable giving isn’t there folks? You should know that when you looking into where to recycle small kitchen appliances the only options aren’t just the local recycling centres.

Charities will happily take these sorts of appliances off your hands as long as you can get them to the store. Not only is this a free way of disposing of your old units; it also ensures you do your good deed for the day at the same time. What could be better than that?

#4 Give it to a Friend in Need

Ever heard the phrase ‘one man’s junk is another man’s treasure?’ If this rings true for a friend of yours then why not make their day by giving them something that will make their life easier? Don’t feel the need to charge them for it. After all, they’re doing you a favour by helping you clear some much needed space for your new appliance!

#5 Phone CJG Today

When you want to know where to recycle kitchen appliances there’s no better option than the team here at CJG. With one quick call we’ll be able to give you a price and a time estimate for your job that you can rely on.

Ideal if you want the peace of mind that only comes from dealing with the best in the business.

4 Reasons to Get Rid of Your Old Furniture

Aug 29, 2018

We all have an old piece of furniture that we’re love with and feel we could never do without, but eventually most good things come to an end. No matter how fond you are of something you’ll be all the better for it if you clear a little space for something new. To give you some food for thought take a look at our Top 4 reasons to make this tough call…

Make Space for New Furniture!

When you want to make space for the new three-piece suite in the lounge there’s only one thing for it: you need to know where to take unwanted furniture. All you really need to know is that the team here at City Junk have your back!

We’re available night and day to help you out, and because we know where to dispose of furniture we ensure that we always get the job done right the first time. No matter where you are and what you need shifting we’ll get it done for you!

Breath New Life into Your Decor

Another reason to Google ‘old furniture disposal near me’ is that when you find us we’ll be able to breath new life into your decor in seconds. Well, maybe not seconds but our part of the transformation won’t take much longer than that!

Once you have space in the living room or bedroom for new furniture you’ll also see that you have the ideal opportunity to get the rest of the room in order. Give the walls a lick of paint, pull up the carpet and sand down the floor and you’ll be able to transform your room in a weekend of DIY magic!

Give it to a Home in Need

Figuring out where to dump unwanted furniture is not all about finding a rubbish dump within a short walk of your front door. It’s about finding a home that will gladly take it off your hands. Just because you feel like its worn out and in need of change doesn’t mean that your bed or seating has to be consigned to the scrap heap.

Remember the saying: ‘One man’s junk is another man’s treasure’ and you’ll soon see that there are dozens of different ways to get rid of your unwanted furniture. What’s more, we can even take it there for you!

Help Out the Planet By Recycling

If sat up late asking yourself ‘where is the cheapest furniture disposal near me?’ then you’ll probably be surprised to know that recycling is often the cheapest way to go about things. We’ll happily shift anything you need and then take along to any number of the green recycling centres that we’ve been working with for years.

They’ll then strip it down and salvage as much as they possibly can so that it doesn’t end up on the scrap heap. Perfect for ensuring that you’ll be able to sleep easy knowing that by clearing a little space in your home you’re doing your bit to help Mother Nature too.

Where Can I Dispose of a Washing Machine?

Aug 02, 2018

A good washing machine should last you years, but at some point you’ll want an answer to the question: “where can I dispose of a washing machine?”. Even if you’ve been able to afford the very best quality washing machine, nothing lasts forever. And, of course, a cheaper washing machine is likely to last even fewer years. So what do you do when it’s time to figure out where to dispose of old washing machines?

Well, first of all, always approach washing machine disposal responsibly. Dumping or fly-tipping is never a good option! It’s irresponsible, selfish, and illegal. Those who do it can end up with a hefty fine – and possibly not be able to afford their new washing machine! Then they’d certainly wish they’d researched where to dispose of washing machines properly. Remember that we should always recycle washing machines wherever possible, and if recycling really isn’t an option, then finding out where to dispose of broken washing machines, or old ones, responsibly should be top of your list of priorities.

If you, like us, are a responsible citizen who cares about the environment, then you’ll want to find out where to dispose of old washing machines pronto – before your new one gets delivered! Here are some great options for you:

Use Your Local Recycling Centre

Your local recycling centre is there for a reason, so why not take advantage of it? Do a quick online search of ‘washing machine recycling near me’ or ‘where to dispose of washing machines near me’ and you’re sure to find somewhere to take it off your hands.

Get It Collected Directly from Your Home

Using a rubbish disposal company is a convenient way to recycle old washing machines and prices can be very competitive. At City Junk & Gardening, we service all of London and the surrounding area, but if you’re not in London, you’re sure to have a great company local to you.

Ask Your Retailer to Collect When They Deliver

When you buy a new washing machine, most big retailers offer a collection of your old one. There’s often a small fee, but it can save you time and hassle if you don’t have any other ways to recycle old washing machines.

Donate to a Local Charity for Resale

Many charities now sell on second-hand furniture and electrical goods, so if your old washing machine is in good working order, they may come and collect it for you. Research your local charities to see if this could be the option for you.

Sell the Parts Online for Money

When it comes to finding out where to dispose of broken washing machines, you may find that there’s money to be made. Online buying and selling sites often list whole machines, or just their parts, for sale and people snap them up! Look them up online to see what your options are.

Where Can I Dispose of a Dishwasher?

Jul 03, 2018

Every ten years or so, you might find yourself wondering “where can I dispose of a dishwasher?”. It’s a good question, as most of us just don’t know how or where to dispose of a dishwasher – or any other white goods – until it comes the time to do it ourselves. The average dishwasher has a lifespan of around a decade, with some giving out after just seven or so years, and others lasting 12 years or even more. Hence why it’s always worth investing in quality to begin with!

Many people choose not to recycle old dishwashers, opting for the lazy option of fly-tipping instead. But doing so is actually a criminal offence – after all poor dishwasher disposal, as well as other types of fly-tipping, is just an extreme form of littering. If you’re caught, you could end up with a hefty fine, costing you more than your old dishwasher did! Of course, that’s not the most important downside to fly-tipping. We all have a responsibility to our environment and our community, which includes recycling old dishwashers, not dumping them on the side of the road or in a field.

“But it’s just not that easy!”, we hear you cry. “I don’t know of any dishwasher recycling near me!”. Well, old dishwasher disposal isn’t as difficult as you might think. There are several options that you can look into and they’re all pretty simple to do.

1. Find Your Local Recycling Centre

A quick Google search for ‘dishwasher recycling near me’ or ‘local recycling centre’ will quickly bring up at least one or two places to dispose of your old dishwasher. You might even find that your local council runs a white goods recycling service.

2. Request a Collection

At City Junk & Gardening, dishwasher disposal is part of our everyday job. We’ll come over at a time convenient to you and dispose of your dishwasher responsibly, donating to charity where possible, or recycling instead. If you’re not based in or around London, a quick internet search will find you your local waste collection agencies in just seconds.

3. Pass It on to Your Retailer

If you’re replacing your old dishwasher, your retailer may well offer a collection service when they deliver your new dishwasher. It can be worth taking advantage of if you don’t have any other recycling options.

4. Donate to Charity

If your old dishwasher is in good working order, you may well be able to donate it to charity. Some charities collect for free, or for a small charge, while others may want you to drop it off. Give a local furniture or home goods charity a call and see what your options are.

5. Sell It Online

You may be able to get good money for your working dishwasher or its parts. Try the likes of eBay and Gumtree. Otherwise, if you’re feeling generous or just want to get rid quick, you might find a taker on Freecycle.

Ready For the Big Spring Clean?

Apr 13, 2018

The green shots are popping up all over the garden. The sun is staying out longer and longer, and the cold days of wind, rain, and snow are fast disappearing into a distant memory.

With spring well on the way isn’t it time you started readying yourself for the dreaded Spring Clean? With so much to do and seemingly so little time to do it all in, we want to take a little bit of the weight off your shoulders by breaking things down with our simple step by step guide. Perfect for getting your home ready for those long summer months that are just crying out for you to entertain your friends and family late into the night…

Decluttering is key

When you go into any room you’re sure to see things that have to be in there. Put those things to one side in your mind and focus on all the little piles of stuff, the boxes of knickknacks, and the drawers full of clutter. Ask yourself if you really need each of them, and don’t be afraid to wave goodbye to things that have been sat there for years. It may feel difficult but if you tell yourself you’re not instantly throwing everything out, you’re just considering it, then you’ll find the process a lot more straight forward than you otherwise would.

Make a list

List all the possible unnecessary items in each room and then sleep on it. Spring cleaning is a marathon not a sprint, so don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t get everything cleared out in a single afternoon.

Take the time to double-check what you need and what you no longer want. But don’t just through the latter pile of stuff out in the rubbish…

Pass it on

Ever heard the phrase ‘one man’s junk is another man’s treasure’? Well, it’s true! Just because you no longer have a need for that rusty old weight bench or box of wood working tools that went blunt years ago, doesn’t mean that someone else won’t want them. Remember the idea here is to make better use of things. You’re trying to make better use of your available space with a Spring Clean, and someone else will almost certainly be able to make better use of your unwanted items than the landfill will!

Get searching

Be persistent with your mission to give away as much as you can rather than simply throwing it away. Set yourself a target and find a way to make it happen and you’ll be amazed at how much success you’ll have. Gumtree and eBay are great places to list things, and you may even find that you make yourself a little bit of money in the process!

Recycle what’s left

If you’ve found a mountain of old newspapers and magazines in the garage don’t just throw them in the bin when the recycling bag is full. If you have some leftover then you can easily source another container from the council or ask one of your neighbours if you can use a little bit of their free space for this week’s collection.

Think of it like this: we want to Spring Clean the whole planet, not just your garage or spare room. Dumping your junk in a landfill is just moving the problem, so let’s all try and pull in the same direction and keep things green!

Make 2018 Greener Than Ever

Mar 15, 2018

With a new year now well and truly under way what could be better than getting your 2018 off to the greenest start possible?

At City Junk & Gardening we’re always looking for ways to help spread the green word, after all it’s everyone’s planet so the least we can do is help look after it for our kids and grandkids! Take a look at these easy to follow tips that will help you make 2018 the greenest year on record!

Walking Is Amazing!

Need to grab a bottle of milk or drop the kids off at their friend’s house around the corner? If you take a few minutes longer by walking you’re not wasting precious time, far from it! You’re doing something amazing to help protect the environment: you’re developing a healthy habit that will last a lifetime.

Before you know it the whole family will be following your example and you’ll be happier for the exercise and fresh air as it becomes a natural part of your day.

Start Composting

The amount of food waste that we throw away is staggering; take it from a team that spends every working day carting the stuff away. People around the world would look at us like we were from another planet if they saw how much delicious and nutritious food we dumped in landfill. Now we aren’t saying you need to eat everything yourself after it has gone out of date, far from it! But if you start composting you can give your food to a whole world of little critters who think it is the tastiest meal they have ever had the pleasure of sinking their teeth into. Once they’re full up and done eating you’re left with rocket fuel for your garden. Perfect for growing your own veg and completing the cycle.

Bags Are For Life Not Just For Easter

Plastic bags are something that we have all seen spoiling the most remote of natural scenes, blowing around never to degrade. Millions are used once and thrown in the bin every year, and what for? A little bit of convenience that is helping to slowly kill off an entire planet? When you put it like that it really isn’t worth it is it? We love bags for life. They’re much stronger and more durable, more comfortable in your hand, and you can fit much more in them. They only cost £1 and are a great way to do your bit and give Mother Nature a helping hand.

There we have it folks, three simple ways that you can do your bit to help make the planet a better place. If you stop and ask yourself will this actually make a difference let us assure you that the answer is most certainly a resounding YES!

The planet is not just ours, it’s something to be enjoyed by our children and our children’s children. Future generations will look back and say: ‘why didn’t they do more’ if we don’t make a few simple changes. And when we all work together a few simple changes go a long way…

Happy Easter Folks!

City Junk Life Hacks: Keeping The Furry Pests Out This Winter

Dec 11, 2017

When the nights get cold it can be all too tempting to toss the black bin out the back door with every intention of carrying it around the corner to your wheelie bin tomorrow. The problem with this is winter is the prime breeding time for rats. They may look cute and playful in the old Disney movies you’ve seen over the years, but when they’re knocking on your door looking for leftovers with their mates you’ll soon grow tired of these furry pests. Let’s take a look at a few quick things you can change up to make sure the hordes don’t descend on your home this winter.

Toss That Junk!

Rats love to hide in places so that they can sneak about and get up to all sorts of mischief — they’ll even chew through electrical cables given half a chance! With that in mind, why not call the experts and get rid of that mountain of junk that’s been piling up in the back garden?

Secure Those Bins

Making sure your bins are securely closed each night is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to keep the furry hordes from your door. Use whatever you have to hand if you don’t have a bin with a built-in fastener, the important thing is to get the job done. It doesn’t matter how pretty things look, plus you can always upgrade later.

Sorry Felix

Your cat may be your pride and joy who you love to let out on all manner of adventures, but how about feeding them indoors over the winter period? A bowl of cat food looks delicious to a pack of rats and is a definite magnet when it comes to attracting pests to your garden. Play it safe and give your little feline friend a bowl of the good stuff on the other side of the kitchen door.

Rats Get Scared Too

Rats get easily scared and are always looking for warm safe places to stay dry and stay off a bigger animal’s dinner plate. Move any large objects like sheets of plywood or other building materials well away from your walls, and preferably into the garage or basement. This quickly removes another potential shelter and therefore makes your garden far less appealing to a passing rat than it otherwise might have been!

Still No Luck?

If all of this still results in rats then there must be something you’ve missed, or you have fallen victim to a particularly determined pest who has a real affinity with your garden. In this case you want to start looking closer at your potential trouble spots so that you can strategically place a series of rat traps. Keep them well out of harms way of other animals like the beloved family pooch, and make sure to check regularly that they are still set. Once you get lucky and catch one of the furry critters make sure to safely and promptly dispose of your prized catch. There’s nothing worse than leaving a used trap only for it to become a breeding ground for all manner of other nasties!

The Simple Way To Prepare Your Home for Autumn & Winter

Oct 30, 2017

With summer soon to be a distant memory its time we turned our attention to the colder months that are on the horizon. With winter and autumn just around the corner we’re sure that the heating needs to be dusted off and popped on, but what other bits can you do around the home to stay warm and cosy over the coming months?

Let’s take a look. After all it may just save you time, money, and a load of piles of junk when you have to replace something in the dead of winter!

Block Those Draughts!

Finding draughts may not sound like the most fun thing to do but it will be far less fun when you’re sat wrapped up but still getting a nasty chill during a heavy downpour in December! A little bit of detective work is all it takes to get to the bottom of the issue and you will be sitting back and relaxing with your feet up right through the festive period, and beyond!

Sweep the chimney

Over the summer all manner of things can become stuck or lodged in the chimney. Book ahead and get a cheaper price and a more flexible callout time by booking in before the nights get really brisk! It may seem like something you can easily skip but if you find a bird’s nest or a piece of debris is blocking the chimney it will cost far more to clean the living room when the smoke backs up and soot is deposited across every square inch of your brand new carpet! Don’t take the risk, book yourself in today. After all you only have to do it once a year folks.

Clear That Guttering

With a period of more intense rainfall on the way there is no better time to get the ladders out and dislodge the leaves and moss that will block up the guttering. It may not seem like the most fun job in the world but it will be far more enjoyable now than in a couple months when the icy wind freezes your hands to the bone! Remember that the guttering is an important part of the house because it helps prevent damp and longterm structural damage. With that in mind, find a spare hour this Sunday, get the ladders out, and give them a good clean folks!

Build Up The Woodpile

Burning firewood is a cheap and easy way to heat the home right through the colder months that are fast approaching. Purchasing a large bag from a renewable source can now be done with the click of a button online, and you can also add any scrap you have accumulated over your summer of enthusiastic DIY. Get the saw and axe out and work up a satisfying sweat outside this weekend so that you don’t have to trudge out after work in the middle of December in source of fuel!

With just a little planning we know that you can power through the winter whilst doing your bit for the environment. And if you find any junk that needs shifting along the way…you know who to call!

Wrap Your Home Up Warm For The Winter

Oct 09, 2017

With summer fast disappearing over the horizon we have begun to turn our attention to the crisp and chilly air of winter that will soon be upon us. Regular readers of our blog will know that we love the environment and never stop looking for ways to do our bit to make sure it has the helping hand that it needs to thrive. With that in mind we have decided to read up on how to keep your energy bills down this winter so that you can have the warm and cosy home without the strain on the environment that can come with it.

Insulation Is Key

When you insulate your home you’re making it harder for the heat to escape to the outside. It may sound simple but you would be amazed at how little thought many homes give to this as they bump the central heating up another notch. Whilst grants can be made available for loft cladding for those who qualify, there are many simpler and lower effort ways you can make a difference…

Shut The Curtains

You lose a lot more heat through your windows than your walls. Not convinced? Get up early when there is a chill in the air and put your hand on your interior wall, and then on the inside of the living room window. The window is much colder right? That’s where the heat is leaking out. Investing in a thick pair of floor length curtains and having them closed when the sun goes down in the early evening is a simple way to make a real difference in the living room. You’re trapping in a load of heat from the radiators, or the fire that just took an age to light, and if you invest in an eye-catching design you can inject a bit of seasonal style into the house as well!

Put The Boiler On A Timer

Many of us leave the heating on day and night in the winter, but to be honest that sounds like overkill to us. If you have it turn on when you are on your way home from work you will be able to walk into a warm and cosy house, and you won’t of had to pay to heat it whilst you were out all day! If you are away for the weekend cut back the timers again. An hour a day in the evening is all you’ll need in particularly cold weather to stop your pipes freezing. Before you get on Google and see people in the US doing all sorts to combat ice remember how mild our winters are here in comparison!

Invest In A Log Burner

Whilst they make require a little saving up and a skilled workman to fit, a log burner is a brilliant long term investment for any family home. A ton bag of logs from a renewable source will cost you less than £100 and last for the entire of winter. This greatly reduces the amount you will spend on coal, and cuts down on your gas and electricity bills at the same time. Not only that, but it also makes for a rewarding and satisfying thing to do when you get in from a day at work and want to do something that occupies your mind and uses your hands for five minutes.

Draught Excluders

Fitting draught excluders to your outer doors and the letter box is great way of stopping those annoying chills that seem to find their way into whichever room you are sat in with ease.

These are just a couple of quick and easy ideas that we came up with after an afternoon of reading up. With winter on the way we guarantee that your home will feel that little bit more cosy, and cost significantly less to run, when you work a few of these ideas into your day.

The Time To Think Green Has Arrived

Sep 03, 2017

At City Junk & Gardening we love to read because it gives us the opportunity to learn all manner of new and exciting things that we can then add to our lives. Recently we were sat out in the garden enjoying a delicious BBQ with a whole host of guests. The setting was relaxing, the food was wonderful, and the evening was so much fun.

When we went back inside at the end of the night we were greeted by a mountain of washing up and food scraps that we had to get through before breakfast. That got us thinking: is there a better way to make use of all of our unwanted organic waste? The answer was starring us in the face the whole time: let’s make a compost heap to give our garden a healthy green touch.

So, what are the reasons you should do the same?

No More Landfill

A staggering 25% of waste that arrives at landfill can be thrown onto household compost heaps and put back into the soil. That’s a massive reduction right there.

Fight Those Greenhouse Gases

When rubbish is left to rot in landfill it releases all manner of harmful greenhouse gases that can compound the problem of global warming. By simply chucking your food scraps onto your compost pile you can do your bit to drastically reduce the atmosphere’s methane levels!

Grow Your Own Vegetables

With a compost heap you not only get a convenient and environmentally friendly way to dispose of your kitchen waste, you also have the ability to grow anything that takes your fancy. As your compost heap grows it literally comes to life and produces a nutrient-rich fertiliser that will take your garden to the next level. Perfect for growing the juiciest tomatoes and biggest potatoes that you have ever seen.

A Natural Pesticide

That’s right you read it right, a compost heap keeps pests away. No longer will you have to spray all manner of chemicals to keep those pests and nasties at bay. Now you can let Mother Nature do her thing as your garden blossoms into a little corner of heaven that you will love to relax in at the end of along day.

Give Your Soil Some TLC

Over the years your soil leads quite a hard life. Starved of rainfall for large periods of time and yet constantly forced to supply nutrition to your beloved plants. After a while it starts to erode as the top few layers become completely depleted of their natural goodness. With your compost pile acting as a constant conveyor belt of nutrient-rich fertiliser all you need to give your soil some much needed TLC is spread on a good helping every couple of months.

Make Your Garden Biodiverse

With all manner of tasty organic treats mixing together in your pile you can create the natural blend of fertiliser that is far better than anything store bought. Mix it into your soil and you’ll be able to introduce a natural balance to your flower beds and vegetable patch like never before.

The next time you think about what to do with those food scraps, think about how easy it is to start your own compost heap. One things for sure, when you do you’ll see the benefit in your garden straight away as everything comes to life when you sit outside on those long sunny evenings.