Moving-out cleanouts in Pittsburgh

The short answer

A moving-out cleanout clears what is not coming with you, before or after the movers. For a few pieces, use per-item prices: a sofa is $126, a standard fridge $164 and a queen mattress set $143. For a mixed pile of leftovers, a quarter truck is $241 and a half truck $431. Inside the City, the curb takes only two bulk items a week, so a whole house of leftovers needs another route.

Who is moving out of Pittsburgh houses

Move-outs in this region come from a few directions. Corporate relocations are a steady source around Cranberry Township, where Westinghouse moved its headquarters in 2009, and around the Southpointe office park near Canonsburg and the airport corridor in Moon Township. Those moves often come with a deadline and a company-paid mover who packs what is on the list and nothing else. Downsizing is another, especially in the South Hills; Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair have many long-time owners moving to smaller places. Then there are first-time buyers trading a City rental for a house, and families leaving older rowhouses in Lawrenceville or Bloomfield for more space. Each kind of move leaves a different pile behind. Relocations leave garages and basements. Downsizing leaves furniture that will not fit the new place. Renters leave the bits that were never worth moving.

Movers do not take everything

Moving companies move belongings; most do not dispose of them. What is left after the truck pulls away is usually a predictable list: the old sofa that is not worth the moving cost, the basement fridge, a broken dresser, mattresses being replaced at the new place, a garage of yard equipment, cans of paint, an old TV, and boxes of things nobody wanted to decide about. Movers also typically will not carry paint, chemicals or propane tanks for safety reasons. Trying to dispose of all that on your own in the last few days before closing is how move-outs go wrong. The City's free bulk pickup is limited to two items a week, refuses freon appliances, TVs and construction waste, and only collects from the curb. A planned cleanout handles the leftovers in one visit, so the house is empty for the walkthrough.

Timing it around closing or lease end

The best time for a move-out cleanout is usually after the movers have loaded and before the final walkthrough. That way, nothing you want gets hauled by mistake, and nothing you do not want gets moved. If the house is being sold, think about a second, earlier cleanout before listing photos, to clear clutter so rooms look bigger. A basement that has been emptied photographs far better than one full of boxes. If you are renting, check your lease for move-out conditions; leaving furniture behind can cost part of a deposit. Keep a day of buffer, because closings and moving trucks slip. JunkRabbit works 7 days a week from 8am to midnight, with same-day pickup when you book by 4 PM, which helps when a closing date moves at the last minute. You choose a 2-hour arrival window, so the cleanout can be fitted between the movers and the cleaners.

Typical move-out leftovers, priced

If a list of items starts to approach a truck tier, compare both totals and use the lower one. Either way, the price is shown before you book and only changes if you approve.

Prep checklist for move-out day

A few steps make a move-out cleanout fast. Label clearly what is staying, what is going with the movers and what is going in the cleanout; colored tape works well. Empty drawers, cabinets and appliances before the crew arrives. Defrost and dry out any fridge or freezer going in the cleanout. Have gas appliances disconnected by a plumber or the gas utility, and electrical items such as a hot tub disconnected by an electrician. Gather paint cans in one place; JunkRabbit accepts paint, at $30 for a 1-gallon can. Other chemicals are handled case by case, so ask first. Take photos of every room and the garage, plus the path to the street, and include any outside steps. In a City house on a narrow street, think about where a truck can stop. If your building or HOA needs a certificate of insurance, ask when you book; it is emailed within 1 hour.

Donate what you can first

Moving is a natural time to give things away. The Habitat for Humanity ReStore at the Swissvale Shopping Center accepts furniture, appliances, building materials and décor, and offers free donation pickup. Book it early, because its calendar may not match your moving date. Friends, neighbors and buy-nothing groups can take smaller items. Anything that is still left over can go in the cleanout. We try to donate usable items when local charities accept them, and we recycle whatever we can, but we never promise a specific item will be donated, because that decision belongs to the charity. Remember that the City curb is still a fine option for one or two accepted items in the weeks before your move, as long as they go out after 6 p.m. the night before trash day. Starting early with the free options keeps the paid cleanout small.

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