The short answer
Sort room by room a few weeks out, book your city's bulky item pickup early because programs like the City of LA's and Santa Clarita's need notice, and set aside paint and chemicals for a hazardous waste center. Whatever is left in move week, or anything that can't wait for trash day, is what a hauler is for.
Want it handled for you? See our same-day junk removal.
Three to four weeks out: sort every room
Start with the rooms you use least: the garage, the hall closet, the patio and any storage cage. Those are where the junk hides.
Give every item one of four labels: keep, sell, give away or toss. Measure the big furniture against your new place before you decide. A couch that won't fit through the new door is a toss, not a keep.
Sell or give things away early. Buyers and pickups fall through, and you want time to try again before the last week.
- Garage, side yard and patio
- Closets, under the beds and the top kitchen cabinets
- Old furniture, mattresses and broken appliances
- Boxes you never unpacked from the last move
Two to three weeks out: book the city bulky pickup
City bulky item pickup runs on the city's schedule, not yours, so book it early. Lead times we checked on the official pages:
- City of Los Angeles (LASAN): book at least one business day before your regular collection day. Items go out on your regular trash day. The program serves homes and small buildings, generally up to 4 units, on City trash service; larger apartment buildings use private haulers through RecycLA.
- City of LA: LASAN won't take cardboard at the curb unless you have a scheduled "Move In/Move Out" service, so ask about it when you book.
- Santa Clarita (Burrtec): schedule at least 48 hours before your regular service day.
- Mission Viejo (WM): schedule 48 hours before your collection day.
- Costa Mesa (Costa Mesa Sanitary District, CR&R): pickups may be one or more weeks out from your request.
- Westminster and Midway City (Midway City Sanitary District): call or email at least one week ahead.
More on this: bulky item pickup rules for every city we cover
Sources: LA Sanitation & Environment: Schedule a Bulky Item Pickup; Burrtec: Santa Clarita City Residential; City of Mission Viejo: Recycling for Residents; Costa Mesa Sanitary District: Large Item Collection; Midway City Sanitary District: Bulky Item Service, checked Nov 2026
“I was in urgent need to clear out some things before moving out.”
Two weeks out: set aside hazardous waste
We don't take paint, chemicals, solvents, pool chemicals, propane cylinders or other hazardous waste. Put it in one box away from everything else.
In Los Angeles County, the City of LA's S.A.F.E. Centers take household hazardous waste and e-waste free from City of LA and LA County residents.
In Orange County, OC residents can drop off household hazardous waste free at the County's four collection centers, Tuesday through Saturday. The County limits each trip to 15 gallons or 125 pounds.
More on this: where to drop off paint and chemicals in LA and OC
Sources: LA Sanitation & Environment: Los Angeles-Glendale S.A.F.E. Center; OC Waste & Recycling: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers, checked Nov 2026
Move week: when a hauler makes more sense
City pickup has limits. Items go to the curb, they leave on trash day, and some cities cap how many you get a year. If you're out of pickups, can't carry a dresser down three flights, or need the place empty by a set day, that's the gap a hauler fills.
Our crew carries items out from inside, upstairs, the garage or the yard. Loading, hauling and cleanup are included. Pricing starts at $190 and depends on truck space, the type of material, weight, access and labor. Text photos to (562) 219-9266 and we'll text back an estimate. Same-day or next-day pickup depends on availability, so text as early as you can.
Move-out day checklist
Walk the place one last time before you hand back the keys.
- Open every closet, cabinet and drawer
- Check the garage rafters, the storage cage and the patio
- Empty and unplug the fridge if it's going
- Take photos of each empty room for your own records
- Leave anything that belongs to the unit, like window coverings or a landlord's appliance
A simple timeline
Short on time? Squeeze the steps together. The order still works.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 to 4 weeks out | Sort every room into keep, sell, give away and toss |
| 2 to 3 weeks out | Book city bulky pickup; check your city's lead time |
| 2 weeks out | Box up paint and chemicals for a hazardous waste center |
| Move week | Text photos for a haul-out of whatever is left |
| Move-out day | Final walk-through and photos of the empty rooms |
Sources
- LA Sanitation & Environment: Schedule a Bulky Item Pickup
- Burrtec: Santa Clarita City Residential
- City of Mission Viejo: Recycling for Residents
- Costa Mesa Sanitary District: Large Item Collection
- Midway City Sanitary District: Bulky Item Service
- LA Sanitation & Environment: Los Angeles-Glendale S.A.F.E. Center
- OC Waste & Recycling: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers
Rules change. Check the city or county page before you rely on a limit, fee or date.