House Doctor | Gary Dymski

October 27, 2005

Lloyd Gutin and Brian Heiser operate 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchises on Long Island; they can make room in your garage for ... your car. (October 27, 2005)

Who doesn't have junk? It lurks in attics, basements or garages, big headaches for so many homeowners.

The problem with junk, of course, is getting rid of it. Most of us don't have enough time, muscle or transportation. Just leaving it at the curb for the town or village refuse service often doesn't solve the entire problem. That's because there can be limits on how much and what types of junk can be left curbside at one time. Plus, large items such as appliances can sit out for days before being carted away. The neighborhood becomes an eyesore. As for stuff that has to be carted away, many homeowners don't have pickup or dump trucks to haul junk to residential dumps.

That's where Lloyd Gutin and Brian Heiser come in. Each operates his own 1-800- GOT-JUNK franchise on Long Island. Gutin's franchise covers the South Shore; Heiser's the North. Together, they are having an impact on junk-ridden Long Island homes.

"The advantage is having immediate service," said Gutin, who had been a mortgage broker before entering the junk-removal industry. "A woman called me several weeks ago and wanted to know if I could have a truck at her house in the morning and then be done by 5 p.m."

It turns out the woman's husband had been promising - for more than a year - to dispose of a pile of castoffs in their basement. "We were out by 5, before her husband got home from work," Gutin said. "She wanted to surprise him. It took us a few hours to get rid of stuff they had in their basement for years."

Gutin said it's funny how many homeowners protect useless junk in their garages during the winter months while leaving their $50,000 SUV or luxury automobile out in the driveway.

If we really wanted to, most of us could probably take care of our own discards. You could rent tools, trucks, Dumpsters - virtually anything needed to dispose of them. But in double-income families, where leisure time is so valuable, most people put off dealing with it, Heiser said.

"It takes time, and it takes work, too," Heiser said. People who rent have to carry debris and then lift the often weighty loads into Dumpsters. People also find that donating items - other than clothes - can be difficult. Many nonprofits won't pick up damaged or worn furniture or appliances. Often, services are unreliable. Other people don't have the manpower to cart heavy items to the curb.

Heiser and Gutin said they have a wide range of customers: A family is moving because Dad has a new job out of state. Or an older relative has passed away, and the executor of the estate has to weed through the deceased's possessions. Or a homeowner is having a special event - a christening, for example - and wants the yard or garage cleaned quickly.

Another advantage in having a junk-removal company handle the work is professionalism, Gutin and Heiser said. "We come in with workers who are in many cases full-time employees or part-time college students earning extra money," Gutin said. "Our workers are trained, the company is licensed and insured, and we have clean trucks. We work quickly and efficiently. We're used to getting rid of, well, junk." Customers can book appointments online (1800GOT JUNK.com) or by calling toll free. Usually, all that is needed is 24-hours notice.

Since the company has more than 100 franchises nationwide, removal rates can vary. The minimum on Long Island is about $100, and a full load - an entire truckload - is about $550. On Long Island, most jobs fill half a truck and run $300 to $350. The service includes sorting, loading, cleanup, disposal and weight charges.

Like most junk-removals, 1-800-GOT-JUNK does not dispose of liquids, including cleaning solvents, paint and fuels. As junk is being carried to the truck, it is sorted into three major categories - recycling, donation and dumping. Construction debris, scrap metal and plastics, for example, are separated for recycling. Clothes and furniture can be donated to nonprofits, and other waste is dropped off at commercial dumping stations. The service even takes brush and tree branches.

Heiser said he is surprised at the magnitude of the junk-removal market. "We're getting repeat customers and word-of-mouth customers," he said. "We've cleaned up a garage, and now the same people want us for their basement."

As Gutin said, "I really never realized so many people were tired of looking at their junk."

Reading up on jettisoning junk

Books with advice on organizing and cleaning up your home:

• "Organize Your Garage . . . In No Time," by Barry Izsak, Que Publishing, $16.95.
• "Prepare Your House For Sale," by Bob Reemsnyder, The Lyons Press, $14.95.
• "Good Housekeeping: The Complete Clutter Solution," Hearst Books, $19.95.
• "How to Survive a Move," Hundreds of Heads Books, $13.95.

You can do it yourself

Homeowners with time can successfully dispose of their own junk. The first step is to contact the town or village for a list of guidelines and restrictions on rubbish disposal. Most communities will pick up and dispose of larger items, such as appliances and furniture, if the homeowner calls ahead. Items often must be placed at the curb 24 hours in advance of pickup.

If tree branches and brush are to be collected, remember that many communities have requirements on the minimum length of branches and guidelines on bundling them.

Companies that rent Dumpsters or containers for hauling debris and junk can be found in the Yellow Pages under "rubbish." Small containers generally rent from about $300 to $350.

Many towns and villages also have drop-off sites for liquids, hazardous waste and recyclable materials. If you're unsure of how to dispose of a hazardous material, a good resource is the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials, www.dec.state.ny.us /website/dshm.

Clothes and household items often can be donated. Try Vietnam Veterans of America, www.wepickup.org, or 631-582-0242, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Long Island, 631-234- 0000.

http://www.newsday.com/features/home/nyp-hsdr-102705,0,6617811.column