The wind finally quits around midnight. By morning, the yard looks like a tornado of sticks hit it. There are limbs across the driveway, shingles in the flower bed, and your neighbor's trampoline is somehow in your azaleas.
North Georgia storms move fast, and the cleanup can take a lot longer. This game plan covers how to stay safe, what to do first, and when it makes sense to call in help for storm debris removal.
Before You Touch a Single Branch
Storm cleanup injuries are common, and most of them happen in the first few hours. Take five minutes to look around before you start dragging limbs.
Stay clear of downed power lines. Treat every fallen line as live. Keep your distance and report it to your power company right away.
Look up, not just down. Cracked or hanging limbs can drop without warning. If a tree is leaning on your house, a fence, or a power line, call a licensed tree service first.
Take pictures before you clean. Photograph damage to your roof, fence, vehicles, and yard. Your insurance company may ask for them.
Your Storm Cleanup Checklist
Work through these in order, and check them off as you go.
Clear the driveway and walkways so cars and people can get in and out safely
Pull branches and debris off gutters, downspouts, and storm drains so water can drain
Gather loose shingles, siding, and broken glass, wearing gloves and sturdy shoes
Drag fallen limbs and sticks into one pile away from the house
Rake leaves and small debris off the lawn before they smother the grass
Set aside damaged items like patio furniture, trampolines, grills, and fencing
Decide what you can bag yourself and what needs to be hauled away
That last step is usually where the cleanup stalls. Small branches fit in a yard waste bag, but a pile of limbs, a crushed fence section, and a ruined trampoline won't.
DIY or Call Junk Dudes?
Some storm cleanup is a weekend chore. Some is a job for a truck and trailer. Here's a quick way to tell the difference.
The situation
Handle it yourself
Call Junk Dudes
A few small sticks and leaves
Yes, bag it for yard waste pickup
Not needed
A big pile of fallen limbs and branches
Possible, but it takes many trips
Yes, we load and haul it all
Broken fencing, shingles, or siding
Hard to fit in a car or trash can
Yes
Damaged trampolines, grills, or patio furniture
Awkward, heavy, and sharp
Yes
Debris and old junk in the same yard
Two separate jobs
Yes, one trip clears both
A tree on the house or a power line
No
No, call a tree service or your power company first
Storm Debris Removal From a Local Crew
Junk Dudes is a husband-and-wife-owned junk removal company, and when the weather turns, our neighbors are the ones calling. Once the area is safe, we haul off fallen limbs and branches on the ground, broken fencing, roofing and siding scraps, and storm-damaged outdoor furniture and play equipment. While we're there, we can also clear out the junk that's been sitting in the yard or garage.
Pricing starts at $75. Text us photos of the mess and we'll send your quote before we show up.
We provide storm debris removal and yard cleanup in Woodstock, Canton, Cartersville, Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta, Adairsville, Rome, Calhoun, and communities across Cherokee and Bartow counties.
Storm hit your yard? Text photos to 770-383-1331 or visit www.junk-dudes.com to book. You point, we lift, and your yard gets back to normal.
