Start With the Areas That Collect Clutter
Spring cleanouts almost always start in the same places: the garage, shed, attic, basement, spare bedroom, porch, and any outbuilding that has quietly become storage. Before the dumpster arrives, walk the whole property once and sort everything into five piles so loading day moves fast:
- Keep — anything going back into storage or use.
- Donate or sell — working furniture, appliances without refrigerant, and usable household goods.
- Recycle — clean cardboard, metal, and electronics that local programs accept.
- Restricted — tires, batteries, paint, chemicals, and anything on the prohibited items list that cannot go in the dumpster.
- Dumpster — the general cleanup debris that is left.
Sorting first is the single biggest time-saver. It keeps you from loading something you meant to keep and from contaminating the load with a restricted item that could delay pickup.
Choose the Right Size for a Spring Cleanout
Most spring cleanouts fall into one of three sizes:
- 12-yard — a single garage, one room, a shed, or light yard debris. About four pickup-truck loads.
- 15-yard — a fuller garage plus furniture, or two to three rooms of mixed clutter. The most common spring-cleanout size.
- 20-yard — a whole-home declutter, multiple rooms, or bulky furniture across the property.
When you are between sizes, size up. A second haul costs more than the next container up. The dumpster size guide walks through it by project, and the prices page shows what each size includes.
Watch for Heavy and Wet Material
Rain is the hidden weight trap of spring. Carpet, mattresses, cardboard, clothing, upholstered furniture, and bagged yard debris can weigh far more after a storm than they did when dry. Keep absorbent material covered until loading when you can, spread heavy items across the floor instead of piling them in one corner, and check the weight guide if the load will include anything dense.
Keep Restricted Items Separate
Tires, batteries, wet paint, chemicals, fuels, liquids, concrete, dirt, brick, rock, heavy fill, tree stumps, and appliances with refrigerant are never accepted in a standard rental. Set these aside during your initial sort so they never reach the container. When you are ready, check current prices or ask FTH about the right size for your spring cleanout.