10 Do's and Don'ts To Choosing A Downsizing, De-cluttering Company

It’s important to know the difference between a Downsizing/De-cluttering company, versus a Junk Removal company. Knowing the difference can eliminate misunderstandings about what items you wish to keep and what items you wish to get rid of.

The worst thing a consumer can experience when downsizing and/or de-cluttering is to lose items of sentimental value or monetary value because it was mistakenly discarded.

Here are 10 Dos and Don’ts, which will help you select a company you will be happy you hired!

5 Do’s

1. Do select a reputable company. Make sure they have proper insurance coverage to protect you from loss or damages. Typical types of insurance include: business liability, bond insurance and workers’ compensation.

2. Do make sure the prospective company writes down a list of all items you wish to locate and keep. Avoid hiring a service provider who is too pushy and dictates to you what to keep or discard, without your input.

3. Do ask the service provider how they will dispose of your sensitive or financial documents. The company should have a shredder on-site, to handle disposal.

4. Do ask the company if they do background checks on all of their employees. The checks should include both local and state background criminal checks; a pre-employment drug screening and consultation with work references.

5. Do insist on a written contract. It helps protect both the consumer and service provider, while establishing an understanding of the actual scope of work to be performed. Make sure it spells out: the scope of work; any additional charges or fees to complete the work: such as waste disposal, fuel charges, etc. The document should include what happens if the unexpected happens, such as additional unforeseen work or cost overrun.

5 Don’ts

• Don’t select a Junk Removal company when what you really want is a Downsizing/De-cluttering company. Junk Removal companies serve a great need, but they are designed to simply pick up and dispose of unwanted items and debris. Most junk removal companies don’t train their staff on how to organize, sort and take the time to locate your precious items.

• Don’t pick the first company you find. Shop around and get more than one quote. Ask a friend or neighbor if they know of any good companies to refer.

• Don’t select a company merely based on price. Make sure you find out exactly what services you will be getting for the quoted price. It’s always wise to compare apples to apples, rather than apples to oranges.

• Don’t throw away ANYTHING you think has value. A good downsizing/de-cluttering company should be able to refer you to a reputable appraiser.

• Don’t just throw all unwanted items in the garbage. Most items can be donated to local nonprofits, plus you can write off the value of those items from your income taxes as a charitable donation. Also, consider giving the items to a family member or friend, so it can be repurposed.

For more information on residential de-cluttering or to put Decently and In Order to work on your de-cluttering, downsizing or moving project, visit http://decentlyandinorder.us or call 513-259-0143.