In 2019, over 3,000 Michiganders decided to move to a new home. Moving isn’t always the easiest process, especially if you have more stuff than you can take with you–or you have quite a bit of renovating to do when you get to your new home.
How can you make the relocation process easier on yourself? Rent a trash dumpster to consolidate all of your waste and let us take it from there.
If you’ve never had this big of a project before and don’t know what to expect from working with a dumpster service, you’ve come to the right place.
Read on to learn one of the most important parts of renting a trash dumpster: learning how to load it up efficiently!
The Do’s of Loading a Trash Dumpster
First, let’s talk about what you should do in order to load up your trash dumpster in an efficient way. The goal is promote safety while also getting the most bang for your buck by wasting as little space as possible!
Bulk Goes First
Let’s say you’re throwing out a ton of your belongings before making your next big move. If you have any large pieces that need to be tossed–think mattresses, couches, chairs, dressers, and even things like large lighting fixtures–you should always start with those.
While it’s okay if you forget one or two larger items until later on in the clean-out, it’s going to work out best if the bulkiest trash goes into the bottom of the dumpster.
Weight Distribution Should Be Even
As you’re loading up the big stuff, do your best to create even weight distribution. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you need to get out a scale and start weighing your trash before tossing it! Just use your best judgment to make sure that one side of the dumpster doesn’t weight significantly more than the other.
One of the best ways to avoid uneven weight distribution is to approach the dumpster from all sides. If you keep tossing in your trash from the same side or corner, that side or corner will end up a lot heavier than any other spot!
Fill In Gaps as You Go
By starting with the bulk, you can see any gaps in the dumpster that can hold your smaller stuff. For example, you might find a nook under an old bedframe that’s perfect for the pillows you’re throwing out. There might be space between the legs of a chair to stuff old papers or fabrics.
The objective is to use as much of the dumpster’s square footage as you possibly can.
Break Things Down
How can you avoid wasting perfectly good square footage in your trash dumpster? Break things down as much as you can before tossing them!
Boxes are a must when it comes to breaking down your trash. Keep a box cutter or pair of scissors on hand and cut down your boxes so that you can fold them flat. Boxes that are still in their box-form are going to steal quite a bit of empty space, otherwise!
The same can and should be done for furniture. If you can take apart a desk or a chair and reduce it to smaller pieces, go for it. That way, you don’t have to work quite as hard to fill in all the gaps.
Finally, even if what you’re throwing it consists mostly of large solid objects that come from the more popular, large-scale home renovations–think drywall, asphalt, or particle board–you should still try to break it up as much as you can. Remember, safety equipment comes in handy when you’re breaking apart these kinds of building materials! Always wear the proper footwear and a pair of goggles to protect yourself from jagged edges.
The Don’t’s of Loading a Trash Dumpster
Naturally, if there are dumpster “do’s,” there are also dumpster “don’t’s!” Let’s take a look at the two biggest dumpster no-no’s that we ask every one of our clients to avoid doing.
Don’t Ignore Load Lines
No matter what kind of trash you’re throwing out, you should never ignore the load lines on your dumpster. If your waste is piled up higher than the sides of the dumpster, itself, you’ve gone too far! That includes lighter objects like textiles and even pillows.
The problem is that when we go to load up your rental trash dumpster and drive it away from your property, all of that excess waste poses a threat to us and to everyone else on the road! If the dumpster lids can’t shut all the way, that’s a sign that you’re going to need another a dumpster.
Don’t Ignore Weight Limits
In addition to load height, we also need to think about load weight. If the majority of what you’re throwing out is furniture and other household items, you can generally load the dumpster up to the top. However, if you’re throwing away heavier waste, the rules may differ.
Typically, if you’re filling a dumpster with extremely heavy materials like asphalt or roofing, you need to leave about 12″ of space between the top of the waste pile and the top of the dumpster.
Make Relocation or Renovation Easy With Dumpster Rentals
If you’re moving, relocating, or renovating, we have a solution for you that will make life easier: trash dumpster rentals! With our guide, you can fill that dumpster up the smart way and get the most for your money.
To find out more about trash dumpster rentals from Plummers Disposal Service, contact us for a free estimate. Give us the details of where, when, and why you need a dumpster and we’ll let you know how much you can expect to pay–without any obligations!