Clean Up Time

It was a cold, crisp spring morning when we decided it was time to focus on my Dad’s property. We carefully stepped through piles of goat poop trekking through tall grass littered with abandoned cars, broken appliances, small mounds of tree branches and construction remnants. Both my sister and I wore looks of repulsion, okay, maybe even disgust.

Dad died several years ago and since our reclusive step-mom still lived on the large, country property with a caretaker, there just wasn’t a lot of need to do anything and there was definitely not a lot of time to deal with the “ranch” as my Dad often referred to it. But the Shelter-in-Place order took away the leisure of mountain and beach trips and forced us to deal with the inevitable: Fresno—mainly because we now had the time.

For most of us sheltering in place, the first week of staying home was all fun and games as we settled into something more like a spring break mode than a serious COVID-19 pandemic, but now that we’ve had to stay home for longer… Like many people, we’ve been given ample opportunity to clean things up as now, we are REALLY in our homes.

The result of this new ‘Stay Home’ order is that junk removal companies and hardware stores are bustling with folks fixing, improving, or cleaning out.

Clutter, garage accumulation and piles of debris in one’s yard or home adds stress to people’s lives because they often make us feel overwhelmed and unsure of what is at the bottom, according to an article in Psychology Today Magazine.

“In light of the times, we can help,” said Monica Baugher of Top Dog Junk Removal and Clean Out Services. “We started in this industry in 2018 and have found a growing market for our work. During these times, people may need help cleaning out or having junk removed to make more space for a family member or just want to complete house or yard projects while at home.”

She is an advocate of the ideas that if you don’t use it or don’t want it; get rid of it! You can toss it, recycle it, or donate it, but don’t keep it. Remembering the old adage that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, this company does the job of recycling, repurposing, or hauling things to the dump.

“Times are tough right now so we can help make your shelter-in-place phase relaxing and inviting for you and your family to enjoy,” she said. Due to the dump closing, only companies like this one have access.

Working with Karl Nicholson, long-time general contractor who grew up in Dixon, the Top Dog team also helps real estate agents and property managers, but also does demolition work, such as shed or deck tear downs and spa removals, remove dirt, concrete, or other building materials and cleaning services. Nicholson is the reason the company added ‘handyman services’ to its name.

“Karl and I met on one of his general contractor jobs when he called to have some construction debris hauled off. We worked so well together, we wound up helping each other out on jobs,” said Baugher. “Realizing the skills we could offer our customers as a team, we decided to partner together to create Top Dog.”

“We make the property more valuable to sell and often do apartment clean outs or come in after evictions or clean hoarder homes,” Nicholson said. “The work is endless and this is an essential service.”

Baugher likes meeting the customers and enjoys marketing the business, but also discovered a creative outlet in repurposing ‘junk’ into eco-friendly items. One idea utilized was a large, 4-drawer filing cabinet that when drawers were removed and it was turned sideways, it transformed into an useful lawn tool organizer. She proudly posted pictures on their website.

“I’m passionate about this business because I really enjoy helping people to change their home or yard spaces into something wonderful by removing the unwanted,” she said. “It eliminates stress and we haul away what people can’t haul away themselves physically or they don’t have the means to without a trailer.”

Nicholson agreed adding that he feels good helping others.

“I’ve always been about this community,” he said and talked about an older couple losing their ranch and had to clean it out. “We did a lot of extra and helped them haul their personal belongings to their new home. That made me feel really good that we could do that for them.” When people buy landscape or construction materials, he can go pick it up and deliver it to them.

In the near future and once a quarter, the Top Dog Team will be doing a ‘volunteer haul’ through the collaboration of Dixon’s branch of Community Medical Services for patients who have been ordered to clean up their yards or homes and don’t have the means to do that.

“We want to make a difference in the community,” said Baugher. Top Dog serves Dixon, Vacaville, and other surrounding areas including Sacramento so there’s no reason to put things off when you can finally close the file drawer in the cleanest possible way. For more information, call (707) 302-9546.