After sorting refuse into separate bins for trash, compost and recyclables, there remains the task of dragging the bins to the curb, and then collecting them again the next day. For many in the Lamorinda area, this means struggling with long or steep driveways, or finding someone to deal with the bins when the homeowners are away. Amber Johnson of Orinda saw a need and started a business to fill it.

    Curbside Solutions is the company that Johnson and her husband founded. They hire mostly college students and sometimes go out and do the work themselves. Johnson owns other businesses, so the human resources side of things did not present a challenge for her. The company is licensed and insured.

    The company offers many flexible options.  They can take care of bins on a regular weekly schedule, billed monthly. Or they can step in for just one week or a few weeks if the homeowners are going to be away.  They also provide some small-scale hauling, and may, in the future, include bin washing in the services they offer.

    Johnson said that she and her husband were looking for something “low-tech” and were inspired by another bin management company that doesn’t operate locally. She notes that they have about 25 customers who are quite fussy about how their bins are handled, wanting them to go into precise positions, for example. 

    Currently Curbside Solutions is operating in Lamorinda, mostly in Orinda. They also have clients in Danville and Pleasant Hill. They have about 30 clients in Lamorinda and about the same further out. To grow their business, they look for local forums, including Lamorinda Families Facebook group and a senior expo in Pleasant Hill.

    Customers can access the services, choose exactly what they want, and pay for it in advance through the company’s website, curbsidesolutions.com.