Cleaning out an Eichler home in San Jose and the South Bay

The short answer

Eichler cleanouts are priced like any other home, by truck fill or by item, but they need more care. Glass walls, open plans, no attic and limited storage change both what is inside and how it comes out. A lightly furnished Eichler often fills a half truck at $431, a fully furnished one a full truck at $732, and a long-held home with a packed garage can be $732 + $431 = $1,163. Sell mid-century pieces before the cleanout.

Where the South Bay's Eichlers are

Eichler homes, the glass-walled mid-century tracts built across the Bay Area after the war, are a defining part of South Bay housing. They are concentrated in a few places.

• Willow Glen, where Eichlers sit among Victorians, Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes.
• Cupertino, which has roughly 224 Eichlers from the 1950s.
• Sunnyvale, especially the Cherry Chase neighborhood.
• Palo Alto, where 94301's median home dates from 1957 and Eichler neighborhoods sit alongside Professorville's 1890s houses.

Many of these are long-held homes. That makes estate and downsizing cleanouts common, often arranged by adult children who live somewhere else and are working from photos.

What makes Eichlers different inside

Eichlers were designed around open living. Large glass walls face the yard, interior walls are few and the roofline is low. There are no attics, and closet space is tight.

That has two effects on a cleanout.

Less hidden storage. Without an attic or a basement, Eichler owners tend to keep less in the house itself. What overflows usually goes to the garage or carport, a shed or a side-yard storage box. The garage is often the fullest space.

More visible furniture. Because the living space is open, the furniture is on display. Long-time owners often furnished the home in period style, and some of those pieces are now sought after.

Walk the whole property before you get a quote: the main rooms, the garage, any shed and the side yards.

Sell the mid-century pieces first

This is the most important step in an Eichler cleanout, and the one people skip. Mid-century modern furniture has a dedicated following, and Eichler neighborhoods are full of buyers who want period pieces for their own homes.

Look carefully at teak and walnut credenzas, sideboards and dining sets, original lighting, molded chairs and lounge chairs, and anything with a maker's label underneath. A piece that looks dated to you may be exactly what a neighbor two streets over is searching for.

Photograph them in daylight, measure them and give listings a week or two. An estate sale company is another option for a house full of period furniture.

What does not sell can go in the cleanout. If you are not sure, set it aside and decide later. Once it is in the truck, it is gone. We try to donate usable items when local charities accept them, and we recycle whatever we can.

Carrying things out of a glass house

Eichlers are beautiful and unforgiving. Large panes of glass line the living areas, hallways are narrow, and many doors are sliding glass rather than wide swinging ones.

Plan the route before cleanout day. Choose the widest exit, often the front entry or the garage, rather than a sliding door. Take down anything hanging in the path. Move fragile items out of the way. Prop open any doors that will be used.

Let us know it is an Eichler when you book, so the crew comes prepared for glass and tight turns. Vetted, insured local haulers do the carrying, and JunkRabbit is fully insured.

If the home is in an HOA community with its own rules, ask whether anything is required. JunkRabbit can email a certificate of insurance within one hour of booking.

Typical Eichler cleanout prices

Heavy items are priced separately. A one-piece solid hutch with glass doors is $197, a large solid wood armoire $197 and an upright piano $364. A fully furnished home plus an upright piano is $732 + $364 = $1,096.

These are planning sizes, not quotes. Photos set the real price before you book.

Booking an Eichler cleanout

Photograph every room from the doorway, plus the garage, carport, shed and side yards. Upload the photos on the instant quote page. The total is set before you book and only changes if you approve a change.

Choose a two-hour arrival window. Crews work seven days a week from 8am to midnight, and same-day service is often available when you book by 4 PM. That helps when a listing photographer or a buyer's walkthrough is coming soon.

For long-held homes being prepared for sale, also read our guide to estate cleanout costs. Paint is accepted, and other hazardous products are handled case by case.

Frequently asked questions