Moving-out cleanouts in San Jose

The short answer

A moving-out cleanout removes everything that is not going on the truck. Price it by item for a few big pieces, such as $126 for a sofa, $143 for a queen mattress set and $126 for a dresser, or by truck fill for a whole room or garage, starting at $241 for a quarter truck. Book it for the day after the movers leave, or the same day if you book by 4 PM.

Decide what is not worth moving

Moving costs are driven by weight and volume. A cross-country move from the South Bay is priced by how much the truck carries, and every heavy piece of cheap furniture adds to the bill.

Go room by room with three questions. Would I buy this again at the other end? Will it fit in the new place? Is it worth what it costs to move?

Particleboard bookcases, worn sofas, old mattresses and flat-pack desks usually fail all three. A solid wood dining table or a good bed frame usually passes.

Local moves have their own math. Moving from a North San José apartment to a house in Evergreen means more space, so you might keep more. Downsizing from a Cambrian ranch house to a Santa Clara condo means much less. Measure the new place before you decide, especially the doorways and elevators.

Timing: the order that works

The most common mistake is booking the cleanout too late. If junk is still in the unit at the move-out inspection, the landlord's cleanup charge comes out of the deposit.

1. Two weeks out: sell or give away what has value. Local listings move quickly in a region with this much churn.
2. One week out: book the cleanout and, if you are in San José, consider whether the City's free Junk Pickup fits your garbage day.
3. Moving day: movers load what is coming.
4. Same day or the next morning: the cleanout takes everything left.
5. Final day: clean and hand over the keys.

If you are flying out the morning after the movers, book the cleanout for the evening of moving day. Crews work until midnight.

Flat prices for common move-out leftovers

A typical one-bedroom leftover set of a sofa, a queen set and a dresser is $126 + $143 + $126 = $395. Add a desk and an office chair and it becomes $395 + $83 + $61 = $539, at which point a half truck at $431 is worth comparing.

Apartments, towers and HOAs

Most San José moving-out cleanouts happen in buildings with rules.

Managed apartment complexes in North San José, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and downtown often require a certificate of insurance and a reserved elevator. JunkRabbit emails the COI within one hour of booking. Reserve the elevator for both the movers and the cleanout, back to back if possible.

Older garden complexes often have exterior stairs and tight parking. There is no stairs fee.

HOA communities in Evergreen, Silver Creek and Almaden Valley often frown on furniture left at the curb, even for a City pickup.

Japantown and SJSU-area rentals can have very little street space. Leaving a couch by the curb overnight on a narrow street rarely goes well.

In each case, a pickup from inside avoids the problem completely.

Using the City's free pickup when it fits

If you are in San José and have time, the City's Junk Pickup is free for owners and renters. It takes up to 12 items per request, on your regular garbage and recycling day.

You request it through 311 and get confirmation within two business days. Items can be set out no more than 24 hours before the appointment, on the street by the curb, away from red zones, hydrants and parked cars.

It works well for a house with a driveway and a garbage day that lands before your move date. It works less well when the garbage day is after you leave, when you have more than 12 items or when everything is on the third floor.

Some people combine the two: the City takes the curb-friendly items, and a paid pickup clears the rest from inside on moving day.

Booking a move-out cleanout

Take photos of each room as it will look after the movers leave, or tag what is staying behind and photograph it in place. Get your price on the instant quote page. The total is shown before you book and only changes if you approve a change.

Choose a two-hour window, seven days a week, from 8am to midnight. Same-day pickup is usually possible when you book by 4 PM, which is a lifesaver when the movers run late.

Vetted, insured local haulers carry everything out from any floor. We try to donate usable items when local charities accept them, and we recycle whatever we can. You hand over the keys to an empty unit.

Frequently asked questions