About the Department
The backstory on who we are, why we started, and why it matters where your stuff ends up.
Our Story
For years, saving vintage furniture from the landfill has been more than just a project — it’s been our passion. What began as a small effort to rescue forgotten heirlooms eventually became Magpie Reclamations, founded on the principle that business can be a force for positive change. Since then, we’ve saved thousands of furniture items from the worst fate imaginable — and worked to educate our clients on sustainable purchasing along the way.
Every Magpie piece is sustainably sourced, reduces waste, limits plastic production and deforestation, and reduces your carbon footprint as a consumer. Each one also carries a unique historical and cultural element you simply won’t find in a store-bought piece.
But the retail model could only do so much to combat the growing wave of waste from discarded home goods. So we took our mission one step further by founding the Department of Junking — a new kind of junk removal service designed with sustainability at its core. Together, Magpie and DOJ form a complete circular model: we clear homes, recover value, and put good things back into circulation.
What sets us apart is the depth of knowledge behind every walkthrough. Our team brings over 40 years of combined experience identifying and valuing antiques, gold, silver, coins, and collectibles — so when we tell you something in that estate is worth holding onto, we mean it. Most cleanout crews can’t tell a Depression-era sideboard from a Craigslist dresser. We can.
We’re based in the DC metro area and proud to operate in a city that takes its institutions seriously. The name is a joke — but the work isn’t.
Why It Matters
Most of it — high-quality wooden furniture, antiques, home décor — ends up in landfills. Once there, it contributes to deforestation, plastic pollution, and carbon emissions. Traditional junk removal companies often send 100% of what they collect directly to disposal, regardless of the value or environmental cost of what’s inside.
Many of these pieces are made from valuable hardwoods or contain materials that can be reused, repurposed, or refurbished. We believe there’s a better way — one where quality goods get back into circulation instead of buried.
Tons of furniture and furnishings thrown away in the US each year
What traditional haulers typically send to landfill — regardless of what’s inside
Diverted from DC metro landfills by DOJ in 2025–2026 through resale, donation, and recycling
In Practice
In early October, we had the chance to put our mission into action on a property purchased for renovation. The home was sold “contents included” — which meant it was packed full of furniture, décor, and miscellaneous items. Nearly eight tons in total.
Rather than call a traditional junk removal company, the client reached out to our team, along with our friends at Urban Redeux, a fantastic local vintage home décor business. Together, we sorted, reclaimed, and responsibly redistributed everything we could.
The job came in well under the cost of a traditional junk removal service — and 80% of the materials got a new life instead of a landfill.
The results
The Mission
In 2025 and 2026, we’ve diverted over 50 tons of goods from local landfills across the DC metro area — through resale, donation, and recycling. That’s not a marketing number. It’s what actually happens on a typical job.
Our goal is to empower clients to make meaningful, consumer-driven choices that positively impact our community. Every cleanout is a chance to do this right. We take that seriously.
Our estate experts have a keen eye for value and handle every item with care — from removal through donation or resale.
We divert the maximum amount of home goods away from landfills and into the hands of someone with the same passion for great stuff as the original owners.
We work around your schedule. Sometimes houses have got to be ready to sell yesterday — we pride ourselves on confidently reaching that goal.
We treat every home with respect. Whether it’s a family estate or a quick cleanout, we show up professionally and handle it with care.
Give us a call or text. We’ll walk you through what to expect, give you a straight quote, and get on your schedule.
(202) 656-1661Get in Touch
Reach out and we’ll show you how much we can keep out of the landfill — and back where it belongs.
Or email: hello@departmentofjunking.com
Open Daily 10am–7pm