Start sorting junk four to six weeks before a McKinney move, and book the city's bulky item pickup early, since it runs by appointment. Use moving week for the last big pieces. Cowboy Site Services can clear what's left in one trip, priced by trailer space from $189.
Why junk is the hidden moving problem
Most people plan the move itself and forget about everything that isn't coming along. Then moving week arrives, and the garage is still full. The couch nobody wants is still in the living room.
Every item you move costs you time, boxes and truck space. Every item you leave behind becomes a last-minute scramble. A simple timeline fixes both.
Four to six weeks out: sort and decide
Walk the house room by room with a roll of tape. Mark what's moving, what's being sold or donated, and what's getting hauled. Start with the garage, attic and closets, since they hide the most.
Make decisions on big furniture first. A sectional or dresser you won't use in the next home shouldn't ride along. Our moving-out junk removal plan has a fuller room-by-room list.
Three to four weeks out: book the city pickup
McKinney offers bulky item collection, but you have to plan for it. The city's residential trash page says collection is by appointment only and allows up to 12 free collections a year.
Requests go through the city's Waste Wizard before noon the business day before collection. Set-outs must fit within 3.5 feet tall, 3 feet deep and 9 feet long, or be two large household pieces.
The city charges a fee after the 12th collection in a year or for excessive quantities. For everything the program covers, see our McKinney bulk trash and brush pickup guide.
Two weeks out: list, donate and sell
Give your sell pile a firm deadline. Anything that hasn't sold a week before the move goes to donation or the haul pile. Waiting on one more buyer is how good intentions end up in the next garage.
Pull out anything we can't take, like wet paint, chemicals, motor oil and tires. Those need their own drop-off, and it's easier to handle them before the movers show up.
Moving week: clear the big stuff
This is when a hauler earns their keep. The movers take what's going, and the junk needs to leave the same week. Anything too big for the city's set-out limits needs another way out.
Our junk removal service handles mixed loads from anywhere in the house. We carry it out, load the trailer and sweep up. You don't need to drag anything to the curb first.
For a house with a lot of big pieces, our furniture removal service handles couches, beds, dressers and tables. Pieces in good shape go to area charities when we can place them.
After the truck leaves: the final sweep
Once the moving truck pulls away, walk the house one last time. Check the attic, the back of closets, under the stairs and along the side yard. Something is almost always left behind.
That last load is usually small. A minimum pickup often covers it. If you're selling, a clear house makes the final walk-through and closing much easier.
What gets left behind most often?
After a lot of move-outs, the same things tend to stay behind. Plan for them early and moving week gets a lot calmer.
- The old couch or recliner that won't fit the next living room
- Mattresses and bed frames being replaced after the move
- Patio furniture and broken grills
- Exercise equipment
- Boxes of paperwork, old decor and outgrown toys
- Shelving and workbenches in the garage
Moving-out timeline at a glance
Here's the whole plan in one list. Save it and work through it as the date gets closer.
- Four to six weeks out: tag every room as move, sell, donate or haul
- Three to four weeks out: book McKinney's bulky item pickup if it fits
- Two weeks out: set a deadline for the sell pile
- Two weeks out: drop off paint, chemicals and other items haulers won't take
- Moving week: schedule a haul-off for everything left
- After the truck: walk the house and clear the last few things
What does a move-out haul-off cost?
We price by how much room your load takes on our 14-foot trailer. A minimum pickup starts at $189, a half trailer load at $515 and a full trailer load at $759.
Text a few photos for an honest estimate up front. We confirm a firm quote on site before loading, and it doesn't change after you say go. There's no distance surcharge anywhere in our service area.
Let the junk leave first
We're Veteran-owned and based right here in McKinney. You deal with the owners, not a call center, and same-day service is available when the schedule allows.
Send photos for a quote. Pick a time. We haul it off and sweep up.