Haul Away Trash: Costs, Options & Same-Day Pickup [2026]

Trash haul away costs vary by volume and service type:

Single item or small load:

• •City bulk pickup: Free (2–9 week wait)
• •Self-haul to dump: $10–$50
• •Dropcurb curbside: from $59, priced per item (five trash bags come to $99)
• •Local independent hauler: $50–$200

Half truckload (3–5 large items):

• •Dropcurb: a sofa, a queen mattress and a refrigerator come to $168
• •traditional full-service junk removal: $200–$400
• •traditional full-service junk removal: $300–$500
• •Dumpster rental (DIY): $286–$400

Full truckload (garage or room cleanout):

• •traditional full-service junk removal: $400–$800
• •traditional full-service junk removal: $500–$1,000+
• •Dumpster rental: $400–$600+ (you load over 5–7 days)

The average professional trash haul away job costs $225 according to industry pricing data. Franchise services average $240+ per job due to their overhead structure — royalties, branded trucks, and two-person crews.

Several options to get rid of trash and junk for free or near-free:

City bulk trash pickup (free) — Most municipalities offer scheduled bulk collection. Call 311 or visit your city's public works website. Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Houston, and most major metros offer free programs. Limitations: 2–9 week wait, item restrictions, and limited pickups per year (often 2–4).

Donation pickup (free for qualifying items) — Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Goodwill pick up furniture and appliances in good condition at no charge. Items must be clean, functional, and sellable. Damaged or heavily worn items don't qualify.

Curb alert (free) — Post items on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or Buy Nothing groups as "curb alert" or "free at curb." People come pick them up. Works best for furniture and appliances in decent condition. No guarantees on timing.

Self-haul to dump ($10–$50) — Load items into a truck and drive to your local transfer station. Dump fees run $10–$50 per load depending on weight and municipality. You need a truck, the ability to load heavy items, and a few hours.

Hauling trash means picking up, transporting, and properly disposing of waste that doesn't fit in your regular curbside bin. This includes:

Bulk items — Furniture, mattresses, appliances, exercise equipment, and other large items that your regular trash service won't take.

Accumulated junk — Boxes, bags, and miscellaneous items from cleanouts, moves, renovations, or decluttering projects.

E-waste — TVs, monitors, computers, and electronics that require special disposal in most states.

Trash haul away is different from regular trash service. Your weekly garbage pickup handles household waste in standard bins (typically 64–96 gallons). Anything too large, too heavy, or too much for your bin requires a separate haul away service.

For most residential jobs, a haul away service beats a dumpster rental on both cost and convenience.

Haul away service wins when:

• •You have 1–10 items to remove
• •You want it done in one day
• •You don't have driveway space for a dumpster (apartments, townhomes)
• •You can't load heavy items yourself

Dumpster rental wins when:

• •You're doing a multi-day cleanout (estate, renovation)
• •You have 15+ cubic yards of material
• •You have a 60ft+ straight driveway for placement
• •You can load it yourself over several days

A 10-yard dumpster rental averages $350–$450 for a week. That's enough for a small garage cleanout. A haul away service handles the same volume for $200–$400 — but does it in one trip and you don't load anything.