From Junk to Jewels: How Red’s Rubbish Removal Turns Junk Into Profit

Company: Red's Rubbish Removal
Founded: 2014
Location: Winthrop, Massachusetts
Services: Full-service junk removal, select demolition, and resale at the thrift shop “Red’s Renewed.”
Website: https://www.redsrubbish.com
Instagram: @RedsRubbishRemoval

Ever haul away a load and wonder how much money is sitting in the back of your truck? In this Hauler Spotlight, we’re shining the light on Tim Sellenger, owner of Red’s Rubbish Removal — a Boston-area junk removal company known for full-service hauling, light demolition, and flipping finds through their thrift shop, Red’s Renewed.

This is Tim’s story, exactly as he shared it — honest, raw, and 100% in his own words.

Tim’s Red’s Rubbish Story

Ever since I can remember, I wanted to work for myself. Both of my parents have worked for themselves my entire life so it was engrained in me and I did whatever I had to to make it happen. When I was younger, I would do job site cleanups for my dad with an old F150 and bring debris to the dump for him. So when I graduated college and ended up hating every job I had (about 8 that I quit or got fired from), I started thinking of ways to make money with my truck. I landed on junk removal as a side job for 2 years and it took off eventually making it a full time job.

Our biggest challenges were getting into the industry and standing out with so many other companies trying the same thing. You really have to grind it out everyday and actively look for jobs to keep the crew busy. There is always someone out there willing to do it cheaper and selling yourself on why you aren't the cheapest is something we constantly do and something I take pride in. I believe we provide some of the best service in Boston.

I started with a Ram 1500 and a small utility trailer that didn't even dump and have grown into 2 dump trucks with a full time crew and just recently got a utility trailer to help with deliveries of resale items.

My philosophy is and will always be, do what you have to do to be who you want to be. And I want to be everyone's first thought when they need junk removed in the city of Boston.

Another service we provide is reselling our items we pick up. I didn't always think about this aspect of junk removal and most of the time the good items were going straight to donation (which we still do) or just going to the dump which I hated doing. I would sell items every once in a while and every time I sold something it was a natural high, I really enjoyed the process. Without having much space to store my items, I bought a big tent to keep pieces under in the backyard of my parents house (I used to live in the basement, no big deal). I would post on Facebook Marketplace mostly and constantly sell stuff, it really became a second job.

Once I bought my house it had a 2 car garage and that became where I stored and sold items before and after work. My garage was always stuffed with junk I was selling and it could become overwhelming at times.

So after we got a job to demo a small office space in my town, we worked out a deal for the space to become my office/thrift store. So now, we have Red's Renewed and we are usually open Friday and Saturdays or whenever the store manager (my Mom) can make it in and open up.

I do still sell items out of my garage of course as some stuff is too big for the store or its just easier to sell when I'm at home. The store has been great for smaller items and clothing that I never would have kept had I not opened the store.

The way we decide to keep stuff is honestly based on what I would personally like. I have gotten a good eye through the years on what people like and what era people are interested in. All mid century furniture is back, and a lot of 80s clothing and 90s toys are always selling. Anything that I would want at my house or in my man cave will be brought to the store. We get a little bit of everything, from pots and pans, to old school coolers, sports equipment and a lot of Christmas decorations which people love.

Most basement and house clean-outs consist of taking time to rip open every bag and every box to see what they are throwing out and if they would be worth something. We always make a keepers pile and once we see something that looks cool or unique we look up what they sell for because there is always someone else that is selling or has sold the same thing.

Once we decide what we are going to keep, I will usually keep space in the back of the dump truck or bring a pickup truck to take all the keepers back to the garage or right to the store. Some items need a little love and cleaning before we sell, and some sell before I even make it back to the shop.

For anyone else out there wondering if it makes sense to sell items you get on jobs the answer is yes. It doesn't happen overnight but the sales will eventually come quick and often especially since we were paid to take the items away and selling them at any price is all profit. It is a lot of work responding to everyone and finding times to meet before, during and after work to sell but its worth it in the end. Reselling has become my favorite aspect of the junk life.

The Junk Afterlife: My Thoughts

Every hauler knows the feeling — you load up the truck, haul away the debris, and somewhere in the back of your mind you know damn well there’s value buried under those bags and boxes. Tim built a system around that truth. And that’s why his operation stands out.

In the junk removal world, every cleared space is an opportunity. Where most see waste, Tim sees potential. You get paid to remove the item, and then you get paid again when someone buys it. It’s simple, honest business — and it works.

Facebook Marketplace becomes the modern-day flea market. A good eye, a decent photo, and some hustle can turn a haul into a second paycheck. But like anything, it’s all about balance. You run a hauling company first. The flipping comes second.

Still — when done right — it adds a nice boost to the bottom line without adding more trucks, more payroll, or more marketing spend.

Finding the right items. Knowing what sells. Not letting it distract from the main operation. That’s the sweet spot. And Tim nailed it.

Flipping isn’t the whole business. But it sure as hell is a profitable part of the junk life when you do it right.

If you want more stories like this — real haulers doing real work — subscribe to The Haulers' Edge and get a weekly breakdown right in your inbox.

And whenever you’re ready, here are a few ways I can help grow your business:

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Justin Hubbard is the founder of Hauling Hubb, created to give junk removal and dumpster rental owners the tools, clarity, and strategies he wished he had when he started.

After a decade in the hauling industry, Justin became obsessed with helping small home-service businesses grow without relying on guesswork, bad marketing advice, or trial-and-error.

The mission is simple: teach real operators how to build profitable, sustainable businesses through smarter systems, stronger marketing, and better decision-making.

Through HaulingHubb, The Haulers' Edge, and Adimize, Justin shares the exact strategies he uses — openly and honestly — so home service pros can build businesses that support their lives.

📈 $Millions in Ad Spend Managed Through Adimize

We run real Google Ads campaigns for haulers nationwide. The data we share comes straight from daily performance across dozens of markets.

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The Next 18 Months Post AI Middle Class Displacement

By Justin Hubbard • February 7, 2026

TL;DR AI is pushing displaced workers into blue-collar industries, and junk removal is one of the first stops. More trucks, more ads, more competition. In the next 18–24 months, ad costs will climb 30–50%, job prices will drop, and margins will shrink. If you don’t build your moat now, you’ll be fighting uphill for scraps. Here’s how to stay untouchable: Reviews: Add 2–3 per week. Outpace your competition with review velocity. Own the Map: Dominate Google Business Profile and map pack before CPCs spike. Paid Ads Lockdown: Test, track, and geo-fence campaigns before click costs soar. Community Presence: Show up at local events, wrap trucks, and make your brand visible. Commercial Accounts: Secure contracts with property managers, contractors, and agents for stable, repeat work. Systematize: Run lean, predictable, and profitable. The operator with the best margins survives every price war. My prediction: CPC: $8–$12 → $12–$18 Lead Cost: $40–$60 → $70–$100 Avg. Job: $350–$450 → $300–$400 Margins: 20–25% → 10–15% The Moat Effect: If you build now, you’ll generate organic leads, command premium pricing, and run efficient enough to profit when others burn out. You’ve got a shrinking window to lock in your position . Build your moat today — because once the flood hits, you’ll either be the company everyone’s chasing, or the one chasing scraps. ------------------------ The Tactical Moat-Building Playbook Your 18–24 Month Checklist to Make Your Junk Removal Business Untouchable The flood is coming. There's not a question of "if" but "when", and it's already happening. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff came right out and said he needs “less heads” on payroll — and AI is the reason. In early September 2025, he confirmed about 4,000 customer support jobs were cut because AI agents are taking their place. AI is pushing displaced workers into blue-collar industries like ours, and junk removal is one of the first stops. More trucks. More ads. More competition. If you don’t build a moat now, you’ll be fighting uphill in 18–24 months, paying more for leads, earning less per job, and wondering why your margins are shrinking. The good news? You can still lock down your position before the surge hits. Here’s the exact playbook. Step 1 – Reviews: Become the Unquestioned Local Authority Goal : Add 2–3 new Google reviews per week until you’re the most-reviewed and highest-rated company in your area. Actions : Train your crew to ask for reviews on the spot before leaving a job. Hand every customer a QR card that links directly to your review form. Follow up by text and email until the review is posted. Reply to every review — good or bad — to show you’re engaged. Pro Tip : Track your review velocity. If you’re adding reviews faster than your nearest competitor, they’ll never catch you. Step 2 – Own the Digital Map Before Costs Spike Goal : Show up in the top 3 Google Map Pack results for “junk removal + [your city].” Actions : Audit your Google Business Profile — fill out every field. Add at least 20 before/after photos with geo-tags in your service area. Post weekly updates (project photos, offers, seasonal tips). Ask customers to upload photos with their reviews for credibility. Pro Tip : Run Google Ads now to build history and Quality Score while clicks are still "relatively" cheap. Step 3 – Paid Ads Territory Lockdown Goal : Secure ad positions before CPC (cost per click) jumps 30–50% in the next wave of competition. Actions : Test 3–5 ad variations to find the best-performing headlines and CTAs. Track every lead from click → close to know your real cost per job. Build campaigns specifically for high-value jobs (estate cleanouts, commercial projects). Run re-marketing ads to follow up with people who visited your site but didn’t book. Pro Tip : Geo-fence your campaigns. Don’t waste money paying for clicks outside your profitable zone. Step 4 – Community Presence That Newcomers Can’t Copy Goal : Become the local brand that people recognize and trust. Actions : Sponsor 3–4 local events per year (sports teams, town fairs, charity cleanups). Show up with wrapped trucks and crew gear — visibility matters. Document everything on social media (short videos, photos, stories). Offer one free junk pickup per quarter for a local nonprofit and promote it. Pro Tip : Price shoppers become loyal customers when they feel connected to your company. Step 5 – Commercial Accounts for Year-Round Stability Goal : Lock down recurring contracts with property managers, contractors, and real estate agents. Actions : Create a one-page service sheet highlighting your benefits (fast turnaround, insured, same-day service). Offer incentives like priority booking or volume discounts. Schedule quarterly check-ins or send small thank-you gestures to keep relationships warm. Pro Tip : One good commercial contract can equal dozens of residential jobs. Step 6 – Systematize for Efficiency and Profit Goal : Run lean, predictable, and profitable — even when prices drop. Actions : Document every step from booking → payment → follow-up. Use software for routing, scheduling, invoicing, and payments. Train crews to follow scripts so the customer experience is consistent. Track disposal costs, fuel, and crew productivity weekly. Pro Tip : The operator with the best margins always survives a price war. The Hard Numbers: Today vs. 2 Years From Now Here’s what the market shift could look like very soon: Why These Numbers Change Google Ads CPC will climb. More operators = higher bids. Even rookies will overpay just to get jobs. $10 clicks could hit $16. Lead costs will spike. Conversions drop as customers have more options. Your $50 lead could cost $80+. Average job prices will drop. New entrants undercut. Customers get conditioned to shop for the cheapest rate. Margins will shrink. Higher marketing costs + lower job prices = less profit unless you get more efficient. The Moat Effect Operators who build their moat now will feel this shift the least because: They’ll generate organic leads (SEO/ SXO , referrals, repeat customers). They’ll command premium pricing as the “safe choice.” They’ll operate efficiently enough to profit when others burn out. Build Your Moat Before the Flood This is a cycle we’ve seen in pressure washing, cleaning, pest control, and moving. High margins always attract a flood of new players. The difference now is AI is accelerating the wave. You’ve got 18–24 months (probably less) to stack reviews, lock down contracts, dominate the map, and build a brand moat that new entrants can’t touch. When the flood hits, you’ll either be the company everyone’s chasing — or the one chasing the leftover odd jobs. That's the Haulers' Edge . See you next week

The Coming AI Flood for Service Businesses

By Justin Hubbard • February 7, 2026

TL;DR AI is triggering the same kind of disruption we saw in the Industrial, Digital, and Internet revolutions, only faster. Just like machines replaced weavers, PCs replaced typing pools, and the internet wiped out Blockbuster and travel agents, AI is about to reshape entire industries in months, not decades. The first wave to get hit will be the middle class — marketing coordinators, paralegals, sales reps, analysts, customer service teams. AI eats their jobs in three phases: Assist → Accelerate → Replace. Millions of displaced workers will be forced to look for fast income. Where will they go? Into low-barrier, blue-collar industries like junk removal, moving, landscaping, and cleaning. These industries are attractive because they’re simple to understand, quick to start, and in constant demand. We’ve seen it before: the pressure washing boom (2015–2018), post-2008 cleaning surge, and the flood of junk removal startups during COVID. Every time, competition spiked, ads got more expensive, customers became more price-sensitive, and only the operators with strong brands and efficient systems survived. For junk removal, the AI-driven wave of competition is coming in the next 18–24 months. As white-collar workers pivot into hauling, ad costs will rise 30–50%, price-cutting will intensify, and margins will shrink. Many of these new entrants will bring strong skills in sales, marketing, or management, making them tougher competitors than past “weekend warriors.” Your only defense is to build a moat now. That means Review dominance so you’re the obvious, trusted choice. Brand recognition that makes you stand out locally. Local SEO + SXO so you’re visible in both today’s Google searches and tomorrow’s AI-driven search. Community integration that builds loyalty beyond price. Commercial contracts that guarantee year-round revenue. Operational efficiency so you stay profitable even when others race to the bottom. Right now, you still have the high ground. But once the wave of new operators hits, it’s too late to start building. You’ve got 18–24 months to paddle before the flood. When it comes, you’ll either be the one everyone’s chasing — or the one chasing scraps.