It’s easier than you probably think.

Renting a roll-off dumpster for a home improvement project may seem daunting to some homeowners. Something about the size of even a small dumpster rental is a little intimidating, especially if this is the first time you’ve ever rented a dumpster. Certain questions may come to mind.

How do you know what to put in a roll-off dumpster rental?

What size container should you rent?

And is there a right way to pack a dumpster?

These are all valid questions. The Kansas City dumpster rental experts at Small Haul Containers have all the answers. Most can be found in the FAQ page of the website. But let’s address one of the questions here.

What is the best way to pack a roll-off dumpster rental?

Here’s Where to Start

While there really isn’t a right or wrong way to pack a residential dumpster rental, there are ways to fill it that make more sense than others. The first thing to keep in mind when throwing things into the dumpster is which things can’t go in.

Small Haul has a list of items that can’t be thrown in a dumpster for obvious reasons; they’re explosive, flammable, hazardous, toxic, or infectious. These items could be dangerous to anyone loading or unloading the dumpster, so they have to be handled in other ways. There’s a complete list of items that can’t go in a dumpster on the Small Haul website.

Another thing to keep in mind before you start loading is that yard waste has to go into a separate container. This means if you’re working on a landscaping project, you’ll need to make sure no other household waste gets mixed in with the dirt, trees, bushes, and other compostable items.

Time to Start Loading

Now that you’ve sorted out what can’t be disposed of in a residential dumpster rental, let’s get started with the loading.

Break it down. You want to get as much into your small dumpster rental as possible so you can maximize the space! Start by breaking down everything that can be broken down. Break up furniture and cut drywall into smaller pieces. Large pieces of Styrofoam can also be broken down, as can old bookshelves and drawers. The more items you can lay flat on the bottom of the dumpster, the better.

Flatten boxes. Boxes take up a lot of space, most of which is empty air. It may not seem like flattening boxes is that helpful, but when it comes to filling a dumpster, it makes a big difference. Yes, boxes will crush when heavier stuff is thrown on top of them. But you’ll still have air pockets taking up space. Flattening boxes before tossing them into a dumpster helps you maximize the available space and get the most from your waste disposal dollars.

Bulking up. Now it’s time to start loading the big stuff. Put heavy and oversized items in first. Things like old yard equipment, furniture, appliances, plumbing fixtures and the like go on the bottom of the load. Tearing off an old deck? All those boards can go in the bottom of the dumpster too. Do your best to spread out the weight of the load across the bottom of the container. This helps when it’s time to haul the dumpster away. A well-balanced load is safer to transport than a lopsided load.

Also, load the container from back to front. You shouldn’t be walking over all the trash you’ve already tossed into the dumpster. It’s dangerous, and someone could get hurt. Walk items in and drop them at the back of the dumpster, then work your way forward.

AtSmall Haul Containers, we believe in safety first. All our dumpsters have barn-style doors that swing outward and make loading oversized, bulky items quick and easy. Just grab a buddy, walk the item in, and set it down. There’s never a need to lift objects over the top of the dumpster, which could result in back strain or other injuries.

Load kitchen appliances last. Put old kitchen appliances like stoves and refrigerators as close to the dumpster doors as possible. These items are often sorted out separately at the landfill and hauled away to be disassembled and recycled at other facilities. Stashing them last — right in front of the dumpster doors — helps landfill workers identify and process these items quickly so they can get to the rest of the load.

Don’t overfill. Small dumpster rentals have to be safe to transport on highways. Overfilling runs the risk of items flying out, damaging a vehicle or hurting someone. When filling a residential dumpster rental, make sure you keep the load at or below the top edge of the container. Overfilling a dumpster may result in extra fees. Also, pay attention to the weight of the dumpster. Most roll-off dumpster rental companies charge a fee for containers that are overweight.

Take a Break. As you work through packing your dumpster, periodically step back and look at what you’re doing. Once you have a “base layer” down, use smaller items to fill in gaps. Remember, the more efficiently you pack the dumpster, the more you’ll be able to haul away!

Kansas City Dumpster Rental Made Easy

When the dumpster is full, don’t worry about how you’ll get rid of it. That’s our job! Small Haul takes the stress out of home cleanup and improvement projects. Our small dumpster rentals are the perfect size for nearly any house project, from adding on a room to cleaning out the basement or attic.

Visit our contact page or call (913) 991-1595 for more information or to rent a dumpster for your next project. Now that you know how to pack a dumpster, your project will be finished in no time!