Bin There Dump That: One Man's Trash Blog

A new house! It’s one of the most exciting milestones, so you want to give your happy friends or family the perfect housewarming gift.

A plant? Too predictable. Wine? They’ll drink it as soon as you give it to them, then forget you got them anything. A puppy? You want to stay friends, right?

It might not be the first thing to pop into your head, but a dumpster rental is the perfect housewarming gift. Naturally, we’ll tell you why:

Mistakes. We all make them.

Don’t worry, we won’t go into great detail about that perm you got in the 80s or the time you thought for sure the garage door was all the way up before you drove in.

We like looking out for you. So take a look at these seven common mistakes homeowners make when renting a dumpster.

Then, don’t make them. You’ll thank us later.

If we said we know how to make moving your entire house or apartment full of belongings more fun, would you believe us?

Nah, we wouldn’t believe us, either. But we can offer some moving tips and tricks to make your move easier. Some of them will actually make you mutter out loud: “Genius!”

You can thank us later, after you unpack your perfectly protected glassware, your efficiently organized kitchen utensils and your magically unspilled hair products.

Some things are best to arrange before you even start packing. Check out these eight helpful reminders to consider before you even get out the boxes and packing tape.

It’s that time of year again, when everything outside looks gray and bleak, so we long for some refreshing zip inside.

Honey, let’s re-do the kitchen! And remodel the bathroom! The attic has so much potential, don’t you think? Our bedroom is shabby. Take a look at these 1,300 paint chips I brought home...

Whoa. Love that enthusiasm, but you might want to tackle one re-do at a time.

How to choose?

Here are 5 of the top home remodeling trends for 2016. Pace yourself.

The good news is, we’re not asking you to confess your home renovation slip-ups and goofs here, in public.

But we all make them.

That time you ordered the dishwasher that was too big for the space. The paint that cracked and peeled off in big hunks before it was even dry. The embarrassing trip to the emergency room because you... well, let’s not get into it here.

Some home renovation mistakes are so common the experts find themselves talking about them time and time again.

Homeowners, in 2016 and beyond, do your best to avoid these 10 common home renovation mistakes.

You might assume you missed the boat on tackling that home renovation project. It’s winter, after all. Time to settle in for a few months of good television, popcorn and your couch.

Nice try.

Winter is actually a great time to re-do your basement, remodel the bathroom, and (or) tear out that kitchen backsplash that’s been bugging you since 2003.

But can you rent a dumpster bin in the snowiest, blowiest season? You bet.

Here’s a look at a few things to keep in mind when it comes to winter dumpster rental:

Love those house flipping shows on TV? They make it look easy, don’t they? Even when major problems arise, everything is tidily wrapped up after a couple commercial breaks.

Well, it isn’t easy.

But it helps if the flipper has a few qualities that give them the fortitude and know-how to get in, get the job done and get out. With profit.

What are some of the qualities of successful house flippers?

Sometimes a house needs a lot of work.

Seriously, A LOT of work.

Maybe it’s your house (sorry). You might have outgrown it, but you love your neighborhood and don’t want to move. Maybe you’re a house flipper who got a great deal on a fixer-upper and you’re looking for a big profit.

Do you renovate or do you tear the thing down and start from scratch?

We’re not gonna lie — either way, be prepared for some turmoil. No home-cooked meals for a while. Dust everywhere. At least two missing toothbrushes. Serious threats to your sanity.

And that’s if everything goes perfectly.

Which way to go? Here are a few factors to consider when deciding between renovate or rebuild.

If you have to stare at those shabby varnished kitchen cabinets and speckled pink countertops much longer, you’re going to scream.

A kitchen remodel — starting with a really big sledge hammer — is the only way to save your sanity.

Real-estate experts are with you on this one. Wisely chosen home upgrades can pay off in the long run with increased home value. But you have to come up with the money to get things rolling.

Time for a home equity loan, right? Well, maybe. If you have enough equity in your home.

But since 2008, when the sub prime mortgage bust hit, many homeowners have seen their home equity disappear.

If that’s the case, you’ll have to look for other funding sources. The good news is, there are options that don’t require collateral. Pink speckled counters, buh-bye.

Here are six suggestions for how to finance a remodel without equity.

Everybody knows the kitchen is the heart of the home — and the room that can make or break the sale when you have a house on the market.

When you’re flipping a house, timing is everything. You want to get in, fix it up, and make the sale.

So what’s the best way to attack a kitchen remodel when you’re flipping a house? Let’s take a look. But before you dive in, know that remodeling a kitchen for resale isn’t the same as redoing a kitchen for yourself.

First, a few kitchen renovation tips to keep in mind: