01The short answer
A one-car garage of household clutter fits a 10-yard roll-off, which holds about three pickup-truck loads and costs $425 with half a ton included. A two-car garage packed wall to wall usually needs the 15 or the 17. Sort everything into four piles before the can is full, and keep paint, fuel, propane and pool chemicals out of it: both counties take those free at their household hazardous waste sites.
The figures below are Precision's own rate card and the county rules as published on 1 November 2026.
02Size it in pickup loads
Nobody can picture ten cubic yards. Everybody can picture a pickup bed heaped level with the cab. Stand in the doorway and count how many of those the garage would fill, then match the count to the can:
| Size | About | Weight included | Price | A garage that fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | 3 pickup loads | ½ ton | $425 | One bay, or a two-car garage that is mostly boxes |
| 15 yard | 4 to 5 pickup loads | 1 ton | $465 | A full two-car garage |
| 17 yard | 5 pickup loads | 1 ton | $495 | Two bays plus the attic or the shed |
| 20 yard | 6 pickup loads | 2 tons | $550 | The garage as part of a whole-house cleanout |
If the count lands between two sizes, take the bigger one. A second can costs far more than the step up, and garages always hold more than they look like they do: the shelving comes down, the space under the workbench empties out, and the attic hatch opens.
03Four piles, in this order
Start at the door and work to the back wall, one section at a time. Everything you pick up goes to one of four places, and nothing goes back on a shelf until the floor is clear.
- Keep. Into the house or onto one side of the drive. Be strict: if it has not been used since the last hurricane season, it is not a keep.
- Sell or give away. Into the car the same day, or it drifts back into the garage. Set a date, and whatever has not sold by then goes in the can.
- Hazardous. Paint, fuel, oil, pesticides, pool chemicals, propane and batteries go in one box by the door, lids on. Section 05 says where it goes.
- Toss. Straight into the can. Flatten boxes, break down shelving, and load the heavy, flat things first so the rest packs on top.
Have the can delivered the morning you start, not the night before you finish. Loading as you sort is what makes it a weekend job instead of three.
04Watch the weight, not just the space
Household junk, furniture and boxes run about 150 to 400 lb a cubic yard, so a 10-yard can of ordinary garage clutter rarely gets near its half ton. Garages hide the exceptions: a set of free weights, bags of old concrete mix, leftover tile, a pile of pavers, a dead lawn tractor. A few of those use up the allowance before the can looks half full.
Tell us about anything heavy when you send the photos. It may make the 15 the better buy, since it carries a full ton, and the weight limits guide works through the numbers. Keep the load level with the top rail, too. An overfilled can has to be cut down before it can travel.
05What stays out of the can
The landfills refuse liquids and household chemicals, and a load with them in it can be turned back at the gate. The full list covers every county we work in. For a garage, the box by the door goes here instead:
| County | Where and when | Limits worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Polk | Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 5 Environmental Loop S., Winter Haven. Friday 8 AM to noon, Saturday 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Mobile day 5 December 2026 at the Rueben Williams Sports Complex, Winter Haven, and 23 January 2027 at Davenport High School, both 9 AM to 1 PM | Polk households only, no charge. Paint up to 20 gallons a year, electronics five pieces a visit |
| Hillsborough | Saturdays 8 AM to 2 PM: first Saturday at 9805 Sheldon Rd, Tampa; second at Gibsonton; third at Hillsborough Heights, Seffner | Photo ID with a county address. Paint up to ten one-gallon or five five-gallon cans a month, propane up to five 30-lb tanks. Electronics go to the community collection centers instead |
Ordinary alkaline batteries are the exception: both counties say they go in the household garbage. A fridge or freezer from the garage can come with us, but say so up front, because one with refrigerant still in it costs more to dispose of.
06Can or crew?
A roll-off suits a garage you want to sort yourself over a weekend. If the job is mostly heavy furniture, an old fridge and a workbench, and you would rather not lift any of it, junk removal is the better fit: we load it, haul it and sweep the floor, priced from your photos before anything moves.
The can sits on your own driveway, which needs no permit anywhere we work. A can in the street is another matter, and the permit guide has each city's rule. Plywood goes down under the rollers on pavers and fresh asphalt if you ask for it.
07Questions people ask
What size dumpster do I need for a garage cleanout?
A one-car garage or a two-car garage of light clutter fits the 10-yard, about three pickup loads. A packed two-car garage usually needs the 15 or 17 yard.
How much does a dumpster for a garage cleanout cost?
$425 for the 10-yard with half a ton included, $465 for the 15-yard and $495 for the 17-yard with a ton included. Delivery, pickup and disposal are in the price within 50 miles of Lakeland.
Can I put paint cans in the dumpster?
No. Take liquid paint to the county household hazardous waste site: free for Polk and Hillsborough residents, within each county's limits.
Can I throw away an old lawn mower?
Drain the fuel and oil first and take those to the hazardous waste site. Tell us about the mower when you send photos so the weight is planned for.
How long can I keep the dumpster?
As long as the job takes. Tell us your dates when you book so the pickup is on the calendar.
Will the city pick up my garage junk instead?
Furniture and appliances, often, on the city or county bulk day. Building materials and big loads, rarely. The Polk and Tampa and Hillsborough guides have each place's rule.
More reading: weight limits, Polk bulk pickup, Tampa and Hillsborough bulk pickup and all our guides.