Sizing it right the first time
If you can park two cars in the garage right now and the basement is mostly bins, a 10-yard is plenty. If the garage is wall-to-wall stuff or the basement has old furniture and appliances, go 20-yard. You'll thank yourself for not having to call for a second bin.
Sort before you toss
- Keep — actively used in the past year
- Donate — works, but you've replaced it
- Toss — broken, missing parts, or sat unused for 3+ years
- Sell — high-value tools, sporting gear, electronics (Facebook Marketplace before the bin arrives)
Loading order that maximizes the bin
- Heavy and flat on the bottom: old shelving, broken furniture frames
- Bulky in the middle: mattresses, broken exercise equipment, cabinets
- Light and fill-in on top: bagged junk, boxes, foam, packaging
- Stay below the fill line — overfilled bins can't legally be hauled
What can't go in
- Paint, oils, solvents, gas cans
- Tires, car batteries, propane tanks
- Old TVs and electronics (varies by county)
- Refrigerators or freezers with freon