# Moving cleanout dumpster guide

> Moving cleanout needs a 15 yard container. Whatever did not make the truck, plus packing material. Bulky, light, and almost entirely volume.

Source: https://dumptergod.shop/projects/moving-cleanout/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-17

# Moving cleanout: container, weight and what you cannot throw in

Direct answer
A 15 yard container. Whatever did not make the truck, plus packing material. Bulky, light, and almost entirely volume. Expect $300 to $675 for the rental, and check the material list below before you start — this job produces 4 things worth verifying.

**Recommended**: 15 yd³

**Constraint**: Volume-limited

**Weight limit**: 1.5–3 tons

**Typical cost**: $300–$675

## How much debris this job produces

Most household moves leave 8 to 14 cubic yards behind. Flattened cardboard is the cheapest thing in the pile to compress and the most commonly wasted space.

## Why this size and not the next one

Whatever did not make the truck, plus packing material. Bulky, light, and almost entirely volume. The 15 is the least-stocked common size. Plenty of haulers skip it entirely, so if you ask for one you may be quoted a 20 at the same price. Ask before you assume it is available.

Also reasonable: [10 yd³](https://dumptergod.shop/sizes/10-yard-dumpster/), [20 yd³](https://dumptergod.shop/sizes/20-yard-dumpster/).

## What goes wrong on this job
- In Massachusetts the cardboard, textiles and mattresses in this pile are all banned from disposal — a moving cleanout there needs a genuinely different plan
- Time the container for the day after the movers leave, not the day of. You cannot fill it while the truck is in the driveway

## Materials from this job that need checking

- Conditional ### Cardboard Physically fine in any container, but Massachusetts bans paper and cardboard from disposal, and many municipalities elsewhere require it separated from a mixed load.Massachusetts: Paper, including cardboard, is a banned material. (310 CMR 19.017)We have not verified this material against your state’s own regulator. That means unknown, not allowed — check with your state before you load it.Varies by state Household MA
- Accepted ### Furniture, couches and tables Accepted everywhere as bulky waste. The catch is volume, not permission — one sectional sofa can eat a quarter of a 10 yard container.Hauler policy Household
- Conditional ### Mattresses and box springs This is the clearest case on the site of a question with a different correct answer depending on where you live. Most haulers take a mattress in a general container and add a per-item charge because mattresses wrap around landfill compactor drums. In Massachusetts they are banned from disposal outright.Massachusetts: Banned from disposal since November 1, 2022, including any foundation or box spring. The ban has a real exception: a mattress contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil or hazardous substances is excluded, so a genuinely soiled mattress can still be disposed of. (310 CMR 19.017)We have not verified this material against your state’s own regulator. That means unknown, not allowed — check with your state before you load it.Varies by state Household MA
- Conditional ### Textiles, clothing and bedding Physically unremarkable in a container, and banned from disposal in Massachusetts since November 2022 — which covers bedding, clothing, curtains, fabric, footwear and towels.Massachusetts: Banned from disposal since November 1, 2022. Textiles contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil or hazardous substances are exempt. (310 CMR 19.017)We have not verified this material against your state’s own regulator. That means unknown, not allowed — check with your state before you load it.Varies by state Household MA

## Related questions
- 15 yard dumpster
- Debris weight calculator
- Total cost calculator
- What can go in
- Permits
- Roof tear-off
- Kitchen remodel
- Bathroom remodel

## Sources
- Primary source MassDEP Waste Disposal Bans — Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection · last reviewed 2026-08-17mass.gov refuses automated requests from this build environment (HTTP 403). The ban list was read from the publisher’s own guide through a search index and cross-checked against the October 2021 amendment document below.
- Primary source 310 CMR 19.000 Final Waste Ban Amendments (October 2021) — Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection · last reviewed 2026-08-17

Reviewed by [R. Tiwari](https://dumptergod.shop/authors/r-tiwari/) Last reviewed: 2026-08-17