The Problem with Clutter and How to Solve It

Clutter and junk removal are related. Stuff we no longer need taking up space in our homes and getting rid of it is a pretty common problem.
Clutter happens because most of us buy but don’t get rid of things and because emotions get involved we put it off. People have different strategies on this and I’d like to pass some ideas on.

We buy things to replace old worn-out things like clothes, tools, utensils, material, equipment, etc., but we often don’t get rid of the thing it replaced. We allow the old to sit and accumulate until it’s too much. Some people let old things go as soon as the new one is on site. Others let it build up and do a cleanup once every year or two. If its left too long it can become a big project every so often.

We often believe it still has practical value, thinking we might still need it and its not totally worn out or still looks like new or because it has some emotional attachment as a gift or passed on by a loved one. Or all the above.

Outside, clutter can build up suddenly – a new fence or deck project – and material needs to be cleared immediately. But often we let things build up in a corner of the yard or in the shed over years before we realize its time to do a major clean-up.

Stuff we buy

Shopping is a big part of our lives and gratifying and satisfying for our need to keep up with styles and the latest models and replacing old worn- out items. The trick is to throw out the old when the time is due.

Some folks have a rule to throw out one old for every new.

The problem is, the longer it sits there, the harder to part, because now it’s taken hold of your sentimental side and now it’s a permanent fixture in your closet or corner of the garage or basement.

I might need this one day

Holding on to an old item, because you might need it one day but usually doesn’t, is pretty common until you’re out of space.

A good place to start is realizing that if it hasn’t been used in a year or two it probably never will be and may be time to let it go.

Buying new tools and utensils, clothes and furniture, are a good time to toss the older one. Much of our space is taken up with the old items unused for all time.

Mementos

After a few generations mementos can build up to a big part of our space in our home. These can have tangible and/or antique value and others are special just because of who gave it to you, often a simple stone or piece of wood can have more meaning or be just as important to us as some expensive real art and can be as hard to part with.

Estate Sales and Clean-outs

Estates sales and clean-outs often come suddenly and without notice forcing a parting of many of the things and much of the clutter in a very short emotional time. In our Junk Removal Package, we see families, many from afar, come together having to sort the special from the ordinary over a very short period. Decisions come hard and fast to get the job done usually in a week or two.

Some situations with valuable heirlooms can include an actual estate sale or auction at the property, once everything else is cleaned out. Often, the property is simply a clean-out and a few items are easily divided between the individuals taking part. A whole house clean-out can take many bins to finish up.

Summary

Clutter happens in every home to some degree or another. In our experience, our customers call to do spring clean-up outside and inside. Our Junk Removal Package and crew helps with the physical job and heavy lifting and can finish up in less than four hours.

Whether we keep pace with de-cluttering with our buying or wait until an opportune time, we often hear, “What a relief…” after its done and totally understandable.

Regardless, it’s usually a load off our mind to be rid of those old unused items and freed up space in our homes. In many cases, after years of accumulating too many things, de-cluttering can be an uplifting, freedom inspiring moment and very satisfying.

If junk has taken over your life, give us a call and let go of your junk!

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS
Call us 403-875-3300 and…
“Let go of your junk”

Hoarding Clean-Up: What Families and Landlords Need to Know

Hoarding is a rare but serious issue that can significantly impact families and landlords. It often results from individuals who are unable to part with possessions, leading to an accumulation of items throughout the house and property. Over time, this can make the space uninhabitable.

When it comes to clean-up, the responsibility typically falls on the shoulders of families, friends, or landlords. While hygiene isn’t always a concern, in some cases, the situation can be severe enough to require special measures to protect those involved in the clean-up process.

The duration of a hoarding clean-up can vary widely, from a couple of days to over a week, depending on the scale. It can be an emotional experience, especially when it involves sorting through family heirlooms and other sentimental items, often after a loved one has passed away.

For landlords, discovering a hoarding situation after a tenant moves out can be a shock. It often involves not just the cost of clean-up, but also dealing with property damage and hygiene issues. Additionally, refurbishing the property and preparing it for renting or selling can be a significant financial burden.

(For landlords, be sure to check out our “7 Tips for Landlords” to help prevent such situations in the future.)

At Anytime Bin Rentals, we understand that the clean-up process may already be underway when you contact us. Our “Junk Removal Package” includes a bin and a two-person crew, making it a popular choice, especially when larger items need to be disposed of. We handle everything, from bagging smaller items to removing large furniture and other bulky objects.

Our crew can stay on-site for the four hours included in the package, or longer if requested, particularly if the yard or garage requires attention. For larger clean-ups, we ensure timely bin swap-outs to keep the process moving smoothly. Our 20-yard bins are ideal for bulky loads.

Since these clean-ups are often unplanned, they can turn into impromptu family reunions, with relatives and friends coming together to help. Some families even take shifts to manage the workload while balancing other responsibilities. Meanwhile, landlords often coordinate with contractors for necessary repairs and real estate arrangements.

At Anytime Bin Rentals, we know how important it is to provide professional and reliable service during these challenging times. We’re here to make the process as seamless as possible. Give us a call at 403-875-3300, and let us help you “Let go of your junk.”

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

A Simple Guide to Roll-off Bin Rental in Calgary

As we approach summer in 2024, we can plan how we can make our waste management more efficient and environmentally friendly. One of the best ways to do this is by renting a roll off bin. Whether you’re a homeowner undertaking a major renovation, a business owner managing a construction site, or a property manager in need of regular waste disposal, a roll off bin can make your job easier and cleaner. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about roll off bin rental in 2024.

Why Choose Bin Rental

Let’s first check out why renting a bin is preferable over other waste disposal methods. Renting a bin offers several advantages over traditional junk removal services. Renting a bin enables you to remove a variety of wastes without the high cost of expensive junk removal services. You can leverage a host of benefits by renting the right bin for your project. Keep your home and job site clean and safe by removing waste regularly, remove waste at your own speed and convenience, and choose from multiple bin size options. This allows you to design your waste management strategy to your specific needs, making bin rental a cost-effective and convenient solution.

Choosing the Right Bin Size

Depending on the amount and type of waste our popular 15 yard bin suffices most of the time and typical weights go from 500 kg to 3000 kg. We have 20 yard bins for larger bulkier waste and our 30 yard bin with higher weight limits will accommodate large roofing jobs, fence and garage removal and large scale waste piled up over years. The 15 and 20 yard bins are easy-load 4 foot height and the door opens as well. It’s easy to underestimate the amount of waste you want to get rid up so be prepared for extra bins on large projects and 15 or 20 yard bins work best and fit on driveways, front lawns, back laneways or streetside perfectly.

Serving the Greater Calgary Area

Anytime Bins serves Calgary and surrounding towns and rural properties so call us and we’ll get you going.

Junk Removal Bin Packages

Some folks opt for our popular JUNK REMOVAL PACKAGE that includes a crew and a bin on site to get your cleanup done fast and efficiently. This is especially good for estate cleanups, large yard cleanups, dismantling hot tubs, complete house cleanup, and when there are big, heavy items to deal with. Our professional crew will get the job done usually within four hours but are available as long as needed. Extra bins are brought in for swap-outs as needed.   

Preparing for Your Bin Arrival

A common concern is whether the dumpster will cause any damage to the driveway, a valid concern. Our drivers are trained to drop your bin to avoid damage and we drop on concrete, grass, gravel and other softer material. For extra protection we may place a protective plywood piece under the bin wheels.

Loading your Bin Efficiently

Loading efficiently will maximize your bin capacity and avoiding just throwing your waste into the dumpster. Aim to distribute the weight of the waste evenly throughout the dumpster. Load the heaviest items first, and then fill in the remaining space with lighter items. Break down cardboard and furniture to eliminate dead air space and flat pack as much as possible. Avoid going higher than the top of the bin. Be aware of hazardous materials such as asbestos, fuels, paint, etc., as these have different disposal rules we can explain when you call to book.

Making for a Smooth Bin Pickup

Upon taking your order by phone, our system automatically books for pickup after 5 to 7 days depending on the season. You will receive a notice of pending pickup and you may extend your time with a simple email. Avoid overloading as we can’t pick up over-filled bins for highway safety regulation reasons and overloading may require the driver to refuse the load until some material is offloaded resulting in an unnecessary trip charge. Make sure access to the bin is clear of parked cars or other obstructions. There are weight limits for our trucks or about 3.1 tonnes and important to note that certain materials require special arrangements including for concrete, dirt, gravel, etc., as these are dense and heavy and observing loading maximum depth limits is important – our dispatcher will advise you on all details.

Why Anytime Bins?

Anytime Bin Rentals is a family-owned and run local business in Calgary and great quality service is very important to us and our team. We don’t use an answering service so you’ll always get a friendly live person when you call 7 days a week. Visit our website: anytimebins.ca for more details. See us on Global, CTV and CityTV (Marc and Mandy Show on Saturdays). We look forward to serving you.

Good luck and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help. To rent a bin call…

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

Equity-Building Tips for Landlords

Equity is what its all about and 100% Equity is Gold

The beauty of owning a rental property is that it works for you to build equity by having a good solid property and a responsible tenant who will basically pay your mortgage and operating expenses for you. Buying smart is important.

It’s a challenge to get into but not impossible with some hard work and doing your homework. It involves serious money up front and needs a serious approach and not something to undertake lightly.

Long-term thinking is important. You will probably have a mortgage that is covered by the rent. Over twenty five years your property should increase in value and the mortgage substantially or completely paid off and the property is now yours.

How to Get into Being a Landlord

You need cash to pay down at least 25% to avoid CMHC fees. You may have received an inheritance or a nice bonus cheque. The down payment for a $400,000 property is 25% to avoid CMHC or $100,000. If you have that, you’re off to the races.

Finding the Property

An honest experienced realtor or someone you can trust to find you the right property is a must.

The Property Essentials

This is absolutely crucial.

1. Location
2. Condition
3. Zoning
4. Local rental values

Location

As close to downtown as possible – older neighbourhoods – larger properties – renters may not have transportation and are not going to be interested in an outlying neighbourhood in the farthest reaches of Calgary. Transit must be close by – bus or C-Train are a must. Schools and daycare if children are involved and young parents will seek this as #1 priority. Forget suburbs – properties here are small and will not appeal to renters or the city planners.

Condition

Is it a money pit. Don’t get drawn into a worn-out neglected property. It may look okay at first glance but check closer. A good property inspection by a trusted knowledgeable and licenced inspector is vital. Home repairs are costly and affect equity as the more you spend fixing up a nightmare property the less you have at the end.

Zoning

Simple. Does zoning allow rentals. Check this out. Usually called R2 is important. If not, move on.

Local Rental Values

What kind of rent can you reasonably expect in the neighbourhood you’re considering. Calculate your return based on the rent you can expect. You should break even after mortgage and taxes.

Summary

Being a landlord is a real job and over time can reap great rewards. Never forget, it’s serious business and the more you research and learn the more likely you’ll succeed. A good property with good steady tenants are like gold. Check out my Landlord Tips on how to deal with renting your property.

Good luck and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me on my cell 403-560-0810 – I’d be happy to help. To rent a bin call…

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

Decluttering for Good Health

We all have some clutter as we accumulate things we buy and get and before we know it, it’s everywhere. It creeps in by various means including busy lives, gift-getting, sentimental attachment, impulse shopping and psychological aspects. Some clutter is unavoidable as each year we collect more and more stuff and don’t have time to purge the unused, unneeded and unwanted. Because it accumulates slowly over time we often don’t realize its out of hand and are everywhere in the basement, the garage, the spare room, the shed and the back yard.

At Anytime Bin Rentals we’d like to recommend a few ways to declutter and at the same time free up our homes and our minds.

Busy Lives

Fast-paced living results in juggling work and home and social obligations leaving little time for organizing our homes and eliminating the things that keep building up. Setting aside a time once or twice a year to sort out what you don’t need helps reduce the task.

Sentimental Attachment and “I might need it one day”

These are probably two of the most common reasons we keep stuff long after it’s served its usefulness. We get attached to gifts from friends and loved ones, objects we connect with fond memories, childhood toys and heirlooms. Parting with these is often the hardest because usually these are not “practical” objects but deeply, true to the heart emotional objects we connect with people, places and events.

Plan a day with a friend or family member and tell them your plan to declutter by sorting and sharing the best and dispose the rest.

The “I may need it one day” we all suffer from and similarly needs a planned Saturday with a friend or family member or just yourself to sort and bag to dispose. 

Impulse Buying

This may be the easiest to declutter because its usually inexpensive stuff we never really needed, we don’t use and has no emotional attachment. Set aside an area in the basement, garage and yard and start tossing and then rent a bin and we’ll haul it away.

Psychological

This can result in hoarding and can affect the individual or the family and can result in large amounts of clutter to the point where there is no room for anything else. Families dealing with a hoarder may attempt to declutter but this can be extremely difficult or impossible as the individual can be irretrievably attached to every item they have. At Anytime Bins we get lots of calls from families of hoarders helping to clean up the home or it may be an estate sale with a house full of material. We swap bins as needed just a phone call away.

Health

Clutter can have a significant affect on our health and mental and physical well-being. If you’ve arrived at that point where your living spaces are full of unused items that are driving you around the bend here are some reasons to rent a bin.

Reduce Stress

A cluttered environment can induce stress hormones that can reduce your sense of well-being. Decluttering can bring a sense of orderliness and provide relief and a clear mind to move forward.  

Hindered Concentration

Clutter can affect orderly thinking and create lack of focus. By renting a bin you create a central disposal location to clear your spaces and clear your mind.

Safety

Decluttering eliminates safety hazards, tripping over objects, spilling liquids, falling objects. Rent a bin and get rid of the risk of an emergency because of objects lying around.

Enhancing Well-Being

Decluttering can create a neat living space but can also enhance health and well-being by reducing stress, improving focus, enhancing safety and liberating yourself from objects that are preventing emotional liberation from too many things detracting from achieving that.

At Anytime Bins we experience our customers decluttering and purging of objects that have served their purpose and are doing little more than taking up space and providing no joy. If you’re feeling like things own you and time to let them go, give us a call. We’ll give you prompt affordable service and get you a bin to start that process.

Landlord Property Damage And Getting Police Involved

This blog is about dealing with property damage and theft caused by tenants and recovering that using existing laws and police services.

I’m relating this to you from personal experience helping a friend recently who ran into serious legal issues and damage to his property caused by a tenant. The information below is not intended to be legal advice but to provide steps you can take to protect yourself.

Last year in 2022, I posted a series of blogs on being a landlord including “7 Tips for Landlords” huge hits as landlords contacted me on their tenant issues which relates knowledge I gained myself as a landlord since 1998. Being a landlord can be financially rewarding but has easily avoidable pitfalls.

DEALING WITH THE DAMAGE

My friend lives in BC and signed up a tenant who over three years destroyed the property by damaging floors, walls, cabinets and fixtures and stole all the appliances totalling over $25,000 to repair.

My friend admits he made mistakes and broke Rule #7 – “…do regular inspections…” impossible from 600km away – an important lesson about being close by.

My friend sent the tenant a legal notice that the lease would not be renewed to allow him to sell the property.

The tenant failed to pay the last month rent and received a notice to evict within the required 16 days by law.

ABANDONMENT OF PROPERTY

My friend came to Calgary prior to the end of lease to inspect and arrange the sale and discovered the property was abandoned, unsecured and filled with garbage and damage throughout including missing appliances.

Under the Landlord act, abandonment is defined as the tenant not living there evidenced by obvious signs indicating this.

Further under the act, after abandonment, the landlord is entitled to remove and dispose tenant belongings remaining if the premises is considered toxic due to unsanitary conditions (it was) and any items deemed valued at less than $2,000.

GETTING THE POLICE INVOLVED

I advised my friend to contact Calgary Police Services and he was told by a junior officer on desk duty that he would need to deal with the Calgary Tenant Review Board first – a useless bureaucratic department designed to protect tenants not landlords – important lesson here to not accept the first answer from any authority as often the individual will lack knowledge and/or experience to deal with the issue properly – get a second or third opinion until you’re satisfied.

Instead, my friend then went personally to a local police station and fortunately met up with an intelligent female officer who informed him that vandalism and theft are criminal acts the tenant should definitely be charged. Luckily my friend had obtained a copy of the tenant’s driver licence which helped immensely and a warrant was put out for the tenant’s arrest who could end up in jail. Civil court would be the next step to collect damages.

What landlords have to realize is that vandalism and theft are criminal acts and you have every right to involve the police to lay proper charges.

My friend admits he was an amateur landlord and made many mistakes renting out his property and was not really cut out for this.

SUMMARY

1. Follow my 7 Tips for Landlords – these are tried and true and honed by of landlords everywhere with one property or thousands.
2. Landlords are protected by the law and contacting the police is imperative when vandalism and/or theft occur during any period in the lease – don’t wait till move-out day.
3. Once charges are laid, civil court follows – it’s not expensive and not hard and you can win and get damages – including back rent.
4. Make sure you get a copy of driver licence and social insurance number, employer info, bank, etc., as much information as possible when signing them up for the lease.
5. If you live more than 100km from the rental property, think twice unless you have someone you love and trust dearly to look in on it without fail – distance should not deter you from performing inspections.
6. Evict the moment you see problems arise – no exceptions – you are not the tenant’s friend but a business relationship with responsibilities to be held up both ways.

Good luck and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me on landlord issues on my cell 403-560-0810 – I’d be happy to help.

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

Where Does My Garbage Go?

Some things we take for granted and where our garbage goes is one of these.

Calgary separates household garbage into black, blue and green plus under the sink for organics.

What about the other stuff we collect in our garages, basements and backyards? Most go to one of two city landfills and a few private operators in town. Anytime Bins serves that type of customer and renovation companies.

The City of Calgary has a wonderful garbage collection system. Black is non-organic, non-recyclable, non-yard waste and goes to landfill. Blue is anything that may recyclable such as paper, plastic, metal and other – unfortunately 80% of blue bins still ends up in landfills. Green is yard waste and undersink and is turned into mulch and soil. The City does a great job and is very efficient.

LANDFILL

Calgary has two large landfills hundreds of acres in size on 17^th Ave and Nose Hill for general waste. This is where black bins go.

Blue bins go to the recycling depot on 17^th Ave SE where everything is sorted by type of material. Paper and cardboard gets baled and sold on the market. Plastic and glass are processed for sale as well. Technology is not there yet to do 100% recycling unfortunately and only about 20% of the blue bin gets recycled – the rest goes to landfill.

Green and undersink goes to a mulching plant where it is processed into soil and mulch.

At landfills, City garbage trucks and private companies like Anytime Bins tip our bins which is then plowed under with soil by bulldozers which also pack everything down. Over time, landfills eventually outgrow their location and after special piping is installed to vent gases, and many in other jurisdictions have become ski hills.

We’re proud to have grown to 60 bins and serve Calgary and surrounding areas usually on next day basis. Our motto is “Let go of your junk” so if you have stuff to get rid of, give us a call. See us on Global TV news hours am/pm with our Super Keeley.

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

Estate Clean-Outs: How to Navigate the Process with Ease

We recognize that estate clean-outs may be an emotional and difficult time in a home once occupied by loved ones. We handle many estate clean-outs with our junk removal service and have prepared this to help you in the process.

Estate clean-outs are generally to prepare the home for sale and is usually spelt out in the will as to how property is to be disposed of and to whom.

Estates with a will usually have an executor who is responsible to take charge of the estate process and may assign others to help. Estate clean-outs may involve selling certain items in an “estate sale”. There may be items named in the will to certain individuals who are entitled to receive these. Other items may be of personal value and may be claimed on site subject to the executor’s final word. The rest can be given away or disposed of.

Estates without a will fall under provincial “Dying Intestate” rules and requires a special process usually through a lawyer and these may take much longer to settle.

Here are some Estate Cleanout tips to make this process easier.

1. Allow at least a couple of weeks for the clean-out and plan it out carefully.
2. Arrange a one-day only estate sale should there be a need for one.
3. Do a complete walk-thru of the home including checking the attic, garage, shed and stuff lying around the property.
4. Establish who will be involved in the actual cleanout and set out the rules and procedures.
5. Label items for sale and items going to certain individuals.
6. Bag smaller items from cupboards, drawers, shelves, closets, boxes and containers for disposal as needed.
7. Separate “hazardous” materials in a designated area for things like gasoline, oil, propane, paint, etc., for disposal to a special landfill as required by the city.
8. Bag and label organics for special disposal.
9. Arrange for “Junk Removal” by Anytime Bin Rentals, we are specialists in this area and provide a two-man crew to remove everything for disposal including heavy items such as appliances and furniture, hazardous materials and organics and all your items big or small.

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

The Joy of Decluttering

I recently spoke to a customer who rented an Anytime Bin on a mission to declutter her home getting rid of baby clothes, toys and birthday cards and more (her kids were now young adults). I asked her about the sentimental value and she said very little was actually sentimental and those that were would fit into a really small box.

Estate sales are “too-late decluttering” burdens placed on grown children who see little value in the stuff their parents kept in dozens of old moldy boxes all over the house and toss all of it into an Anytime Bin.

Baby clothes and toys represent an important part of our lives so we keep these as mementos. That old shirt or pair of shoes we hang onto. Those old tools and junk in our garage.

My wife has a good rule. For everything she buys, she throws the old one out. New clothes? New gadget? Old ones go.

Some things are worth keeping. A small pebble your child picked up on a picnic on a beautiful, memorable afternoon with your family. Every time you look at that little pebble now, evokes happy memories that bring joy to your heart. Silly little stuff connects us with our past. But, like art, the value of anything is in its scarcity. Most day-to-day things like old clothes clutter our lives and add no value.

The less we keep, those special little things focus our emotions into specific times and events and people that help make our lives meaningful. Decluttering helps us discover those things that matter and those that don’t.

Keep us in mind when you get into that decluttering mood and we’d be happy to provide you with our economical top-notch bin rental service. For bigger jobs we have Junk Removal with crew – in less than 4 hours your life will be better.

ANYTIME BIN RENTALS

Call us 403-875-3300 and…

“Let go of your junk”

When Your Tenants Go Rogue

Despite your best efforts and following all 7 Tips you get a tenant from HELL.

It happens. A landlord customer of ours last year had tenants that had one unfortunate “life issue” after another one after the other and, BOOM, unfortunately, the landlord’s property was turned upside down – damage was extensive – $8,000 cleanup cost and $50,000+ repairs – new floors, new paint, all new bathrooms, new landscaping backyard that resembled a desert landscape – you had to see it to believe it.  

Was it avoidable? Absolutely. See Tip 7. Inspections.

Things happen but you are either in control of your property’s destiny or you’re not. Being a Landlord is not a passive job but neither is it that difficult. An hour or two a month to drop by to “change the filter” (have it with you and know what you’re doing). How do things look. Clean? Tidy? Good housekeeping? Is it getting better or worse? How does the human dynamic feel inside the home?

You have just a few minutes to assess that your home is safe or ready to explode. If you have any concern, turn up the visits to one per week – drive by and see what’s happening outside. Have that filter ready for that once a month check.

If your spidey senses start flashing – listen. And act. Know your landlord rights and take positive legal action to evict. That can take months but you can save $10s of $1000s in the long run.

Remember, things can change overnight at your property. Divorce. Job loss. Drugs. All can spell disaster. Great tenants can go ROGUE in one day – then downhill from that point on.  

You need to be on top of this and act – not hide your head in the sand figuring out what to do.

Bad tenants need to be evicted immediately. Yesterday. Be prepared for the legal measures – court order to evict – bailiff to change the locks.

Every day you delay, your property goes down and the results can be shocking. We’ve seen it. And it is avoidable.