Getting the Big Stuff Out: How to Tell if the Couch Will Fit Through the Door, Which Dumpster Holds a Whole House, and Why Furniture Fills by Volume, Not Weight

Where should a furniture cleanout start?

Most whole-house cleanouts stall on the same five or six things: the couch, the sectional, the mattresses, the dresser, the old fridge. Everything else goes out in bags and boxes. Get the big pieces planned first and the rest of the job follows. This edition covers how to tell if they will fit out the door, which dumpster size holds a full house, and what it typically costs, with measuring tips from our friends at ItemFits.

How do I know if a couch will fit out the door?

Start with the piece itself. The team at ItemFits, which makes free will-it-fit calculators, says to measure furniture at its widest points: height, width and depth, including legs, handles, arms and anything else that sticks out. Do not rely only on the manufacturer's listed dimensions if the item has removable or adjustable parts.

What else should I measure besides the doorway?

Then measure the whole route, not just the doorway. ItemFits' second tip is the one most people miss: check door openings, hallways, stairwells, landings and tight turns, because a couch can clear a doorway and still be impossible to turn around a corner or down a narrow hall. Their third tip is to allow for maneuvering room, the angle the piece has to pass at, the clearance above it, and whether there is space to rotate or tilt it safely. Their fourth: if it is going into a vehicle or a storage unit first, measure the usable interior and the door opening, since cargo length and width can differ from the advertised volume.

What if the furniture won't fit?

If it will not fit whole, it usually comes apart. Legs and cushions come off, sectionals unhook, and a door can come off its hinges for an inch or two of clearance. If nobody wants to lift any of it, our junk removal crew loads it for you at a flat truckload price, labor included.

What size dumpster do I need for a whole-house cleanout?

For the dumpster, our sizing rule is simple. A garage or a single room is a 10 yard or a 15. A whole-home cleanout or an estate is a 20 yard, which holds about 110 to 140 full trash bags. A full house with a packed basement and attic, or a hoarder home, moves into a 30 yard or a 40. If you are torn between two sizes, the bigger box is almost always cheaper than a second haul.

Does furniture fill a dumpster by volume or weight?

Furniture fills a dumpster by volume, not weight. Our weight estimator uses about 125 pounds for an average piece of furniture and about 200 for an appliance, so a houseful of couches and dressers fills the box long before it hits the weight allowance. ItemFits' fifth tip is the same rule we give every customer: plan disposal separately and estimate both volume and weight, because flooring, drywall, shingles, tile and wet carpet can hit the weight limit while the box still looks half empty.

Can mattresses and appliances go in the dumpster?

Most of a house can go in the box: furniture, mattresses in most areas, rugs, boxes and small appliances. Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners cannot, because they hold freon, and neither can paint, chemicals, propane tanks or batteries. Our what can go in a dumpster page has the full list, and our edition on trash dumpster rental covers household trash item by item.

What does a cleanout dumpster cost?

Across the states we serve, a 20 yard typically runs about $600 to $825 all inclusive, with delivery, pickup, disposal, 7 days and the weight allowance built in. Yesterday's edition on dumpster prices by state has the range for every size in every state. For your exact number, call (866) 858-3867 or price your ZIP and order online, and run your rooms through the free size calculator first.