Spring Cleaning on the Outside!

It’s that time of year again! Break out the cleaning supplies because it’s time to wash out the winter dirt and grime and get ready for a warm, beautiful and CLEAN spring! When we think of spring-cleaning, we mostly think of cleaning out the bathroom, closets and kitchen but what about the exterior of your home? We think it’s just as important to spruce up your garden, porch, deck and other outdoor accessories to keep your home in tiptop shape. Here are a few tips to keep your entire home clean and fresh this spring!

- Get Your Mind IN The Gutter: We know this is one of the LAST things you want to do when the weather is nice but it’s so important to keep water damage out! Scoop out all the gunk that’s been building up in your gutters all winter. Leaves, twigs and other outdoor nuisances should be disposed of so you have no water damage to worry about this year!

- Bring Out the Cars: Keeping your garage clean is so important for the spring and summer, since most outdoor activities are kept safely tucked away in the back of it. Sweep out the dirt that’s been collected all winter and ORGANIZE! Invest in shelves or closets that keep sports in one section, tools in another and storage somewhere else. This will make playing outdoors with the kids so much more enjoyable when you can easily find that old basketball!

- Get the Green Thumb: Before stepping back into your garden, make sure your entire lawn is clean. Get rid of old, soggy leaves and branches that have been in your yard all winter so your grass can grow long and green! Before planting your favorite flower, research your plants to see when is the best time to plant and when they will bloom! This way your garden always looks bright and colorful during the warm months.

- Wash Away the Winter: If dirt has been building on your home and deck all winter think about a power wash. You can hire a company to do it for you, or rent a power washer yourself. This will make your home look that much nicer when entertaining guests outside. If paint has been chipped away, think of adding a new coat this spring.

If you need more storage or there is lots of yard waste call us at GPOD and we’ll deliver a dumpster and/or storage pod right to your home! Order online today!

St. Patrick's Day Family Fun!

It’s been a rough winter, and it may not even be over, but we’ve been looking forward to Spring for a while and March is just the month to get our hopes up! In honor of the big March holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, and in hopes of warmer weather, we’ve put together some fun family crafts you can do whether it’s still snowing or starting to warm up! Be sure to tell us which craft projects you tried and how they turned out in the comment section below or on Facebook!

Snowman Popcorn: If it’s cold and snow comes once again, stay nice and warm inside while still getting the thrill of a snowman. These popcorn snowmen are the perfect snack when stuck inside. So get a hold of the new Disney movie Frozen that is now on DVD, cozy up by the fire and enjoy this delicious treat!

            Simple pop your favorite kind of popcorn, decorate clear plastic cups with sharpie with two black eyes, a carrot nose and a mouth that resembles a snowman! Top it off with some GREEN ribbon to show your St.Patrick’s Day spirit! 

Shamrock Kettles: If the weather starts to pick up and Spring is in the air try this cute activity with the kids. They’ll show off their green thumb while celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and enjoying a wonderful weekend afternoon. Head to your local dollar store and buy small, plastic pots (see picture.) Then stop at your local Home Depot and grab and pack of shamrock seeds! Gather your kids, plant the seeds in the pots and watch them grow during the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day! When the big day comes, see if you grew any four-leaf clovers!

Leprechaun Handprint: Whether it’s cold and you’re looking for an indoor activity, or it’s a beautiful warm day, this activity could be done anywhere! This easy and fun leprechaun painting is a great afternoon activity and will be very festive hung in your home! Simply purchase greed, orange and nude paint (environmentally friendly and safe for finger-painting of course!), plain white pieces of paper, black and gold construction paper and eyes from a craft store. Then follow this picture to make an adorable leprechaun that will bring you luck all March long!

Be sure to let us know which activities you tried and how they turned out! Leave a comment below and/or send us pictures on Facebook! Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

ENVIRONMENTAL VALENTINE

This year our valentine is the Earth! We’re pledging our love and giving back to the earth this Valentines Day and we couldn’t be more excited about it! Yes, we love our significant others, our family, friends and pets and they will be spoiled with gifts on February 14^th but we want to go above and beyond and give back to future generations of loved ones. Here are some family friendly ideas to show your love for the earth this Valentine’s Day:

-       PLANT A TREE: What the world needs is more trees! With the amount of trees being cut down and used for paper products every day the earth could use some more lovely trees! So, gather your family, take a hike in the woods and plant a seed. And this gift keeps on giving! Try to visit your tree each year and watch it grow!

-       ARTS & CRAFTS: To satisfy the environment and your loved ones use recycled paper or cardboard and non-toxic paint to create the perfect Valentines Day Card! Not only will you save money, but the earth will love you right back for this choice!

-       COOK WITH LOVE: When making that romantic Valentine’s Day meal, choose organic. Processed food is not only unhealthy for YOU but the pesticides used and other artificial foods are not sitting well in the earth’s stomach! Stop by your local Whole Foods or organic section of the grocery store to find delicious, healthy ingredients good for you AND the earth!

We’re proud to make the Earth our Valentine and continue to love her all year long by recycling 80% of the waste collected! We look out for the environment so you and your loved ones can live long, happy and healthy lives! Tell us what you did for the Earth this Valentines Day on our Facebook page or in the comments below!

Make 2014 Your Best Year Ever!

With every New Year comes new beginnings, new resolutions and a fresh start to a bright future. Every year GPOD pledges to help the environment, to better themselves and serve the community, but this 2014 we would like to do so much more.

First we would like to say “thank you” to all of our new Facebook followers! We pledged that for every new “Like” we received on Facebook during November and December of 2013 we would donate one canned good to the Trumbull Food Pantry. Together we have donated 363 canned goods! And we promised to donate a sweatshirt to My Sisters Closet or Charities of Hope for every customer who “likes” us on Facebook AND orders a dumpster or storage pod. We have donated ___ sweatshirts this year!

 We have been very blessed in 2013 with amazing customers, an incredible staff and the ability to give back to our community. We look forward to being able to pay it forward in 2014 with more community involvement and continued great service.

Our goals this year go beyond your typical self-improvement. This year we are looking for new ways to save and preserve the environment through waste disposal, and to dedicate more of our time and energy to giving back to those in need and bettering our community. Thank you again to all of our customers and supporters and we can’t wait for a fantastic 2014!

Don’t Throw It Away this Holiday Season!

We know this seems like an odd title coming from a dumpster company, but our new storage pod expansion, recycling roots and holiday cheer have led us to think “recycle” or “donate” before throwing away our old clothes We have put together a few ways to clean, recycle and give this holiday season we know you’ll love.

Let’s Talk Fashion: As the kids grow older their clothes are bound to be left in the back of closet collecting dust. Instead of abandoning them in the closet here are some options:

-       Reuse! If those old jeans are too short but still fit around the waist, try hemming them to make shorts! If a skirt is too short, try adding fabric to the bottom for a fabulous two-toned masterpiece! Check out more great ideas from this pinterest page!

-       Plan a party! If you have clothes that don’t fit anymore, but are still in great condition plan a swap party! Invite friends and family over for some chips and dip and trade your clothes! This saves money, gives you a great new wardrobe and is a fantastic excuse to get together with your loved ones!

-       Dye it! We’ve all been there, the unwanted red shirt in the white load of laundry and all your whites are now pink and spotty. Instead of calling it a loss you can embrace the pink, or go to your local craft store and purchase some dye to make those whites a new bold color! An even more fun activity with the kids would be a tie dying afternoon! Because, who doesn’t love a tie-dyed shirt?

-       Donate! This holiday season there are many people in need. If you have old clothes that don’t fit and are in good condition, look up your local shelter or clothing donation organization to give to those in need. It’s going to be a cold winter so donate those old coats that don’t fit anymore! GPOD proudly works with Charities of Hope, which provides monetary donations to other non-profits through the donations of clothes.  

This holiday season take out those old clothes and do something productive! We know we will be going through our closets to see what we can do to help this year!

Don't forget for every "Like" GPOD receives on Facebook this month we will donate one canned good to the Trumbull Food Pantry! AND for everyone who "Likes" us AND orders a Dumpster or Storage Pod we will donate a BRAND NEW SWEATSHIRT to Charities of Hope or The Thrift Store! So “Like” us on Facebook and tell your friends!

The Power of Paying it Forward

This Thanksgiving Season GPOD is promoting the pay it forward phenomenon. Paying it forward simply means: after receiving a good deed forwarding a good deed to someone else. But don’t think you have to receive a favor to start this going! While standing in that Starbucks line that seems to get longer every fall, offer to pay for a strangers drink. Or, after raking your own lawn take a few minutes to rake your neighbors lawn as well. It’s the simple things that can brighten someone’s day!

This is dear to our hearts because we pay it forward every day by recycling 80% of the waste we collect. We work hard so that your waste doesn’t destroy our beloved environment and so future generations can enjoy a beautiful, clean planet.

This year we asked ourselves what can we do together to pay it forward? We decided, with every new “like” GPOD receives on our Facebook page a canned good will be donated to the Trumbull, CT Food Pantry. The Trumbull Food Pantry collects food for lower income families unable to afford groceries. The past few years have been tough and the Food Pantry has received more and more families in need. If you would like to make another donation yourself click here. So check out our Facebook here and tell your friends and family about this great opportunity!

So, this Thanksgiving Season we urge you to Pay It Forward! Let us know in the comment section below or on Facebook what you did to pay it forward! We can’t wait to hear from you!

Have a Clean & Green Halloween!

Have a Clean & Green Halloween!

Halloween is a spectacular event, but can become very pricey and environmentally damaging! GPOD is a proud supporter of the environment and we have some tips on how to stay clean and green this Halloween Season!

Reusable Trick-Or-Treat Bags – Don’t send your kids out trick-or-treating with a plastic, non recyclable bag! Look for eco-friendly, reusable bags that will last for years to come and won’t destroy the environment.

Plastic bags use millions of gallons of fossil fuels to produce and end up as litter, which kills millions of animals each year. Paper bag production uses 14 million trees a year! Opt for festive bags like a Halloween ChicoBag. Not only are they eco-friendly, but they will hold better and longer than a plastic or paper bag! Buy them online here or at a store near you!

Do-It-Yourself Costumes – Why spend good money on a costume your kids will only wear once? Instead, make a costume together! Take an afternoon to spend time with your kids and make a costume they will love and appreciate. Head to your local thrift shop or use clothes you already own to whip up something magical! Or you can set up a costume swap with your friends and their kids! Free and fun!

Give Organic – Rather than filling the neighborhood kids with unhealthy, non-environmentally friendly candy, shop for organic candy that tastes just as sweet without the stomachache! Also, buy locally when you can to boost your local economy and help out a neighbor. Not big on any kind of candy? Hand out colored pencils or crayons to keep the kids busy all year long!

Throw a Green Halloween Party – Instead of splurging on harmful decorations look around your house. Use old sheets for ghostly appearances and think local for pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples. Serve organic foods for healthy fun and use dishes, utensils and napkins that can be washed and used again. Save any strictly Halloween décor for next year and get more bang for your buck! Also teach your kids to throw away and recycle any candy wrappers they have acquired while at their own Halloween festivities!

But don’t stop there! Keep going green all year long! Become a regular at the local farmers market and learn to compost old foods. Think of reusing old clothing and upcycling for new designs, or setting up a clothing swap with your friends!

And don’t forget to use GPOD for any dumpster or storage pod services. We recycle 80% of the waste we collect and keep an environmentally friendly storage service customized for convenience.