jhh
join:2005-05-25
Fargo, ND | Disposing of no longer needed items in a storage unit My brother graduated from a dc college in december and at the time figured there was a small chance he could get a job there. So we put his stuff in a storage unit and figured it would be more convenient if he did get job, or we would come back later to pick things up if things didn't work out. The unit contains mostly cheap furniture that you purchase from walmart, along with a few electronics, and pots and pans. Other than the electronics there is at most $500 in this unit. Budget wants $900 plus additional fees and at best we will get 14mpg, and they are unfortunately the lowest. So all I want to do is drive to DC, pick up the electronics, and whatever else we can fit in the car, and dump the rest.
What I need to know is the best way to dispose of unneeded junk in DC. Such as what is the average price to contract someone to dispose of it, can I just abandon it and have the storage facility take care of it, or is there somewhere in dc that a person can actually haul trash to? |
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 Hayward K A R - 1 2 0 CPremium
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL
kudos:1 | Sounds like time for a yard/storage sale... I know of many who have done it... then toss of hopefully recycle the leftover.
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»haywardm.com (Hayward's Key West)
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 The PigI know you want to be mePremium
join:2009-09-11 | reply to jhh
Search for a landfill/garbage dump in the area where the garbage trunks dump their stuff at! |
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 JahntassaWhat, I can have feathersPremium
join:2006-04-14
Conway, SC
kudos:4 | reply to jhh
Can try advertising on Craigslist for a yardsale type deal, or try calling the local Goodwill / Salvation Army centers and see if they'll come pick it up.
Throwing it out seems somewhat wasteful, personally, though I understand the sentiment of it being more of a pain to keep it. |
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 runnoftPremium
join:2003-10-14
Deerfield, IL
kudos:1 | reply to jhh
If you abandon the items in a storage locker, cancel the rental, and stop paying fees, the storage facility people will, within a month or so, cut your lock, replace it with theirs, and follow whatever the local laws or what your storage rental contract says will happen. This might mean they keep it for a short time before declaring it abandoned and collect it with other items abandoned at the facility and then auction them off and keep the proceeds. The rental contract probably gives them the right to bill the credit card/bank account and pursue collections for cleanout and late removal at some ridiculous rate, but whether they actually do that or not, or consider the value of the auctioned off items compensation for their expenses, I can't say.
I too have seen the cost of moving or shipping furniture and household goods around the country escalate to the point where the cost will often exceed their value. But you have to consider the chance in this case that there may be added expenses due to the terms of the storage rental contract.
The last time I moved goods, for our son setting up his first apartment 800 miles away from us, I found it was cheaper, rather than renting a one-way truck, to rent a van locally from Enterprise, which did not charge mileage for a one-week rental under these circumstances and make the round-trip drive, delivering there, coming back empty here. Stuff that was big, bulky, and not too expensive, like a bed, we bought locally there. |
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 beckPremium,MVM
join:2002-01-29
On The Road
kudos:1
 ·Stablehost.com
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Just call the Salvation Army. Arrange a day to pick up the stuff. It can be cheap as long as it's in ok condition.
Then anything left over, ask the storage company how much to get it picked up and disposed of properly.
I just don't understand why people think it's ok to leave things in storage like that. Be responsible.
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Some people are like slinkies - not really good for much.
But they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs. |
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| reply to jhh
I was pretty much in the same situation. I had a whole bunch of stuff in storage in Los Angeles, but my life ended up taking me to New York. Not exactly a weekend drive.
I got 1-800-got junk to remove the stuff for me. The service was pretty good. I didn't need to do anything really, besides open the storage unit door. And they were prompt and on time, which was very important in situations like these. |
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 Frankis chillingPremium
join:2000-11-03
somewhere | reply to jhh
put an ad on craigslist, someone college kids will probably be happy to get free furniture. |
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bkjohnsonPremium
join:2002-05-22
Birmingham, AL Reviews:
 ·Charter
| reply to jhh
Have you contacted the storage place? Some around here have on-site roll-off pans for disposed of items. If your location does not, perhaps they cam help arrange for the Salvation Army or a similar group to haul the stuff off. That would be preferable to just abandoning it to me, on the off chance that doing so could affect your credit. |
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 OmegaDisplaced OhioanPremium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY | reply to jhh
I like the salvation army idea. Give it away if it is in good condition. Don't throw it away if it can be used by someone.
Don't abandon your locker either. You're just hurting the business.
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Whats smells like blue? |
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When I had to empty the unit, the Salvation Army wasn't interested at all. Goodwill, on the other hand took a lot of the stuff, but I had to take it to them. |
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 nerdburgPremium
join:2009-08-20
Schuylkill Haven, PA
kudos:1 | reply to jhh
Also freecycle.org. |
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jhh
join:2005-05-25
Fargo, ND | reply to jhh
What a pain this turning out to be. first, DC forces you to contract out garbage removal. The fee these guys want is a minimum of $200. Goodwill needs a two months advance notice to schedule a free pick up, otherwise I have to haul it and their drop off location is at least an hour drive from the storage unit. |
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 AVDRespice, Adspice, ProspicePremium
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ
kudos:1 | reply to Jahntassa
said by Jahntassa:Can try advertising on Craigslist for a yardsale type deal, or try calling the local Goodwill / Salvation Army centers and see if they'll come pick it up. Throwing it out seems somewhat wasteful, personally, though I understand the sentiment of it being more of a pain to keep it. Donation = Tax Break
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standard disclaimers apply. |
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runnoftPremium
join:2003-10-14
Deerfield, IL
kudos:1 | said by AVD:Donation = Tax Break Only if the brother, fresh out of college, files a return and itemizes deductions for 2010. |
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PM me. I have a friend that will clean it out for free. |
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 swhx7Premium
join:2006-07-23
Elbonia | reply to jhh
For things you're not looking to make money on, well, recently I placed an ad on craigslist in the "Free stuff" category and got an amazing response. This was old, broken junk, and we got 50 emails in 10 minutes. |
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| reply to beck
that is a really good idea |
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Reviews:
 ·T-Mobile US
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Check with the storage company to see if they can auction it off for you and let them keep the cash.
If you stop paying they'll eventually auction it off and the winner is required to clean out the unit in X days.
At least this way they'll have the option to auction and they'll get a few $$ out of it and you'll get rid of the junk.
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This Space for Rent... |
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| reply to jhh
Pick a Saturday morning or afternoon. Take along a book, a soda, and a lawn chair. Put an add on Craigslist and Freecycle that free stuff is available first come first serve between hours of x to x. You'll need to be there to let in people if it's a secured yard at the storage facility.
Whatever is left at closing time, see if the storage yard has a dumpster or two and toss the leftovers in there. |
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