Your three options
| Option | How it works | Cost | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | You sort and haul. Rent a dumpster or make trips to the transfer station. | Dumpster rental, dump fees, your time | Small houses, time to spare, family nearby | Hazardous items, heavy lifting, dumpster permit, banned items |
| Junk removal company | A crew loads a truck and prices by volume. You point and they haul. | Per load; see below | You have already sorted and want it gone | Price by volume; ask what is donated or recycled |
| Estate cleanout service | A company that handles sorting, removal, donation, sometimes sale and sweeping the house clean. | Quote by the job; ask what is included | A full house, out-of-town family, a closing date | Make sure keepsakes and papers are set aside first |
Many families use a mix: sell or donate what is worth it, then hire a crew for the rest. See estate sale vs auction vs consignment vs donation and how to choose an estate sale company.
What a cleanout costs: ranges, not quotes
These are national figures from one industry source. They are ranges, not Massachusetts quotes. Your price depends on volume, stairs, distance to the truck, and disposal fees.
| Load | Cubic yards | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Single item | Under 1 | $60 to $400 |
| 1/8 truck | 2 to 3 | $75 to $125 |
| 1/4 truck | 3 to 4.5 | $125 to $200 |
| 1/2 truck | 4.5 to 11 | $200 to $400 |
| 3/4 truck | 11 to 13 | $400 to $600 |
| Full truck | 13 to 17 | $600 to $800 |
| Whole-house cleanout | Several loads | "Full-scale clean-out can cost over $5,000" |
The same source gives $250 as the national average cost per junk removal job. A house with several rooms, a basement and a garage can take multiple full trucks. Get two or three written, itemized quotes and ask what is included: stairs, sweep-out, disposal fees, donation drop-off, and hazardous items. Always price your own estate, because a packed house costs more than a half-empty one (HireAHelper).
If the house is a hoarding situation, cleanouts cost more and take longer, and there can be safety, mold and pest issues. See hoarder house cleanout.
What to sort first, and the order to do it in
- Safety and valuables. Find and secure cash, jewelry, firearms, medications, keys, and documents (wills, deeds, bank and tax papers, insurance, photographs, IDs). Do this before anyone else enters.
- Heirs’ walk-through. Let each heir claim items. Photograph the contents room by room. The personal representative needs a list for the inventory, due within 3 months of appointment (M.G.L. c. 190B s. 3-706).
- Valuables for appraisal. Set aside art, jewelry, coins, antiques, instruments and collections. See valuing household contents.
- Sell or donate. Run a sale or arrange pickups.
- Hazardous products. Paint, solvents, pesticides, fuels, batteries, pool chemicals. Set them aside for a proper collection.
- Haul the rest. Dumpster or junk crew.
- Clean. A broom-clean house is the minimum; a deep clean helps a listing. See declutter and clean before selling.
Do not clear the house before the personal representative has authority and the heirs have agreed. See what to do with a house after a parent dies.
Dumpsters and permits
Putting a roll-off dumpster on a public street is regulated by cities and towns, and many require a permit or license. A dumpster on your own driveway may be treated differently, so ask. The company you rent from often knows the local rule, but the permit is your responsibility.
What we found: Lynn has a dumpster license process, and its Inspectional Services page says to apply and pay in person, by mail, or online at lynnisdportal.com (City of Lynn); the page does not state fees or who needs one, so ask. We did not find a dumpster rule on official pages for Melrose, Malden, Medford or Peabody, so call the department of public works, inspectional services or the clerk before you order. Plan for a short permit lead time, and for parking restrictions if the dumpster blocks a street.
Hazardous waste and banned items
Household hazardous products. MassDEP lists approved collection facilities for common household items that contain toxic chemicals, and says to call the facility or check its website for items accepted, fees, and hours. The guide covers products such as latex paint and lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium batteries. Some sites are open only to residents of host or member towns (Mass.gov). Your town’s recycling or solid waste office can also tell you about local collection days.
Disposal bans. Massachusetts bans certain items from disposal, including mattresses and textiles (added November 1, 2022), whole tires, large appliances ("white goods"), cathode ray tubes (older TVs and monitors), metal, lead-acid batteries, clean wallboard and some wood and paper (MassDEP). Haulers and facilities have to comply, so ask the crew or the transfer station how banned items are handled and priced.
Firearms and ammunition are never put in a pile or a dumpster. See valuing household contents.
Hiring a company, and a disclosure about JUNKRUN
Ask each company for: a written quote, proof of insurance, how it prices (by volume or by the job), what is donated or recycled, whether it sweeps the house, who handles banned items, and its schedule.
Disclosure: JUNKRUN does junk removal and estate cleanouts. It is a related business with the same owners as Home Options MA, and we may earn money if you hire it. It is one option among others, and other cleanout companies exist. Compare at least two written quotes.
If you are also deciding how to sell, see inherited or probate house. You can compare a cash offer with listing at the comparison tool.