What Size Bin Do I Need for a Home Cleanout in Mesa?
If you’re getting ready to clean out your home in Mesa, one of the first questions is usually: What size dumpster do I actually need?
For most home cleanouts, a 10-, 15-, or 20-yard dumpster will do the job. The right size comes down to how much of the house you’re cleaning out, what you’re throwing away and how many bulky items you have.
A home cleanout can help you reclaim a garage, spare room, or the whole house at any time of year. Choose a schedule that gives you time to sort the items you want to keep, donate, or dispose of.
What Can Go in a Dumpster During a Home Cleanout?
A home cleanout can involve just about every room in the house. Common items we see include:
- Old couches, chairs, tables and other furniture
- Mattresses and box springs
- Broken shelving and cabinets
- Rugs and carpet
- Boxes, cardboard and old storage containers
- Clothing, shoes and general household clutter
- Toys and kids’ items
- Old décor and holiday decorations
- Patio furniture
- Garage clutter
- Small household items
- Remodeling and DIY project debris
- Yard and outdoor cleanup debris
There are some materials that can’t go into a standard dumpster, including certain hazardous materials, chemicals and other prohibited items. We always go over the restricted items at the time of booking – we are also happy to send the restricted items list prior to booking as well.
10-yard Dumpster: Smaller Home Cleanouts
A 10-yard dumpster works well when you’re tackling one area of the home rather than cleaning out the entire house.
It’s a good fit for projects like a garage cleanout, spare bedroom, storage room, decluttering project or getting rid of a few pieces of old furniture.
Like all of our sizes, our 10-yard is a great option when driveway space is limited. If you have a decent amount to get rid of but aren’t emptying multiple rooms, this may be all the space you need.
15-yard Dumpster: The Middle Ground
The 15-yard dumpster gives you a little more breathing room and works well for many typical home cleanouts.
Maybe you’re cleaning the garage and a couple of rooms, getting ready to move or helping clean out a family member’s home. The extra space is especially helpful once furniture and other bulky items are involved.
If the 10-yard sounds like it might work but you’re worried about cutting it close, the 15-yard is usually worth considering.
20-yard Dumpster: Large or Whole Home Cleanouts
For a major home cleanout, the 20-yard dumpster is usually the better option.
This size works well when you’re clearing multiple rooms, preparing a home for sale, handling an estate cleanout, moving out or getting rid of years of accumulated belongings.
Furniture can take up space surprisingly fast. A couch, mattress, dresser and a few chairs can fill a good portion of a dumpster before you even start adding bags and boxes.
Our 20-yard still has a compact, residential-friendly footprint, so you can get the extra capacity without having a massive 22 foot long commercial style dumpster taking over the driveway (most residential driveways cannot accommodate a 22 foot long commercial bin).
Start With the Bulky Items
One of the easiest ways to estimate the size you need is to start with your biggest items instead of counting bags or boxes.
A pile of trash bags can usually be packed around other material. A sectional couch cannot.
Take a quick look around and count things like couches, mattresses, dressers, shelving, tables and patio furniture. Then consider all of the smaller household items that will be going in around them.
If you’re right between two sizes, going with the larger option can make the cleanout easier and give you some extra room for the things you inevitably find along the way.
Make Sure the Dumpster Fits Your Driveway
The amount of debris isn’t the only consideration. You also need to think about where the dumpster will go.
This is especially important throughout Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler, where we regularly deliver to homes with short driveways, decorative pavers, HOA communities and tighter residential streets.
Our compact dumpsters are 7-8 feet wide and 10–11 feet long, depending on the size. Our compact delivery trucks also give us more flexibility than traditional commercial roll-off trucks when placing a dumpster in a residential driveway.
We measure and carefully spot the dumpster to make the most of the available driveway space while keeping sidewalks clear.
We also place Protective Driveway Boards underneath every dumpster so the steel container isn’t sitting directly on your concrete or decorative pavers.
Leave Room for the Dumpster Doors
Another thing to consider is room for loading.
Our dumpsters have double rear doors, with each door approximately 4 feet wide. Instead of lifting furniture, boxes and heavier items over the side, you can open the doors and walk everything straight into the dumpster.
When we place your bin, we don’t just think about where it fits. We also consider how you’re actually going to use it.
What Size Dumpster Should I Get for My Home Cleanout?
Here’s the simple version:
10-yard: Smaller cleanouts, garage decluttering, one room or a few bulky items.
15-yard: Medium home cleanouts, moving prep, multiple rooms or a garage plus household clutter.
20-yard: Large or whole-home cleanouts, estate cleanouts, major moves and projects with lots of furniture or bulky items.
And if you’re still not sure, we are here to help. Tell us what you’re cleaning out and what some of the largest items are, and we can help you choose the size that makes the most sense.
Residential Dumpster Rentals for East Valley Home Cleanouts
Bin There Dump That East Valley provides residential-friendly dumpster rentals throughout Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and surrounding East Valley communities.
Our compact 10-, 15- and 20-yard dumpsters are designed with residential driveways in mind. We use Protective Driveway Boards during delivery, and when your cleanout is finished, we’ll pick up the dumpster, sweep the area and run our magnet to help collect stray metal debris.
Whether you’re finally cleaning out the garage, preparing for a move, or tackling an entire house, we can help you choose a bin that fits in shorter residential driveways and gives you enough room for loading.
-Paul Mauger
Owner of Bin There Dump That East Valley
Get Help Choosing Your Dumpster
Call 480-999-1399 to discuss your East Valley project, or Book Online.
