How long does it take to clear out a whole house?

A whole-house cleanout can often be completed in one appointment, but the time depends on how much is being removed, access to the home, stairs, and whether large items need to be taken apart. The crew can give you a better time estimate after seeing the job.

Whole-house cleanouts can vary widely in how long they take. For one, houses vary greatly in size. But there is also the fact that houses can be mostly empty or completely floor-to-ceiling packed. Square footage alone can’t tell you much about the scope of a junk removal job and how long it will take to complete.

If your house has full closets and a packed basement and garage, that’s a different situation than a sparsely furnished home. But the other major factor is access. Crews work much faster when they can park close to the property with a clear path to the items. Obstacles like tight staircases, long driveways, elevators, and upper-floor furniture will naturally add time to the project.

If you have really big pieces, they might need to be disassembled before removal. This tends to happen with bed frames, shelving units, large desks, and certain sectionals. If you have a lot of heavy items, be sure to mention them when scheduling. The crew can then give you a more sensible estimate of how long it will take to get everything out the door.

For estate or move-related cleanouts, the decision work often takes longer than the hauling. Try to finish the major keep, donate, and remove decisions before the appointment. Once you do that, clearly labeling items and even setting them in a designated area can help a great deal. Then all that's left is for the crew to move items.

Senior downsizing projects can also require extra time for deciding what stays.

Need to clear a whole house in the Nashville area? Schedule your pickup online with The Junkluggers of Nashville and get the cleanout on the calendar.