House Cleanout vs. General Hauling: Which Service Do You Need?

When you need items removed from your home, you have options. Understanding the difference between a full cleanout service and general hauling helps you choose the right solution and avoid overpaying or underserving your needs.

What is General Hauling?

General hauling services focus on removing specific items you've already identified and prepared:

• **Scope:** Individual items or small loads
• **Examples:** A couch, old appliance, mattress, or a few boxes
• **Preparation:** You identify exactly what goes
• **Process:** Quick pickup—items are loaded and removed
• **Best for:** Single items, post-renovation debris, or small cleanups

What is a House Cleanout?

A house cleanout is comprehensive. It involves clearing all or most of a home's contents:

• **Scope:** Entire rooms, floors, or the whole house
• **Examples:** Estate clearing, pre-move purging, hoarding situations, rental turnovers
• **Preparation:** Minimal—the cleanout team handles sorting and removal
• **Process:** Multi-step—assessment, sorting, removal, donation coordination
• **Best for:** Major life transitions, property sales, inherited homes

Key Differences at a Glance

When to Choose General Hauling

You have specific items to remove:

• That old couch that's been in the basement for years
• An appliance that needs disposal
• Construction debris from a project

You've already done the sorting:

• Boxes are packed and ready to go
• You know exactly what's leaving

It's a small job:

• A truckload or less
• Can be completed in under two hours

When to Choose a House Cleanout

You're dealing with volume:

• An entire garage, basement, or house
• Decades of accumulated belongings
• Storage units overflowing with items

Sorting is part of the challenge:

• You don't know what's in all those boxes
• Decisions need to be made during the process
• Some items may be donatable, others not

Time or physical ability is limited:

• You can't physically handle the heavy lifting
• Deadlines require faster completion
• The emotional weight makes DIY impossible

Life transitions:

• Selling a home and need it cleared
• Dealing with an estate after a loss
• Helping aging parents downsize

Pricing Considerations

General Hauling is typically priced by:

• Item (e.g., $75 for a couch, $50 for a mattress)
• Truck load ($250-$500 for a quarter/half/full load)

House Cleanouts are typically priced by:

• Volume (cubic yards of material)
• Time and labor (crew hours)
• Project scope (per room or whole home)

For small jobs, hauling is more economical. For larger jobs, cleanout services offer better value because the comprehensive approach saves you time and labor.

The SpaceBack Approach

At SpaceBack, we offer both services because we understand different situations call for different solutions:

For smaller needs: Quick, efficient item removal with fair per-load pricing

For larger projects: Full-service cleanouts with sorting assistance, donation coordination, and responsible disposal

Not sure which you need? Request a free estimate and we'll recommend the right approach for your situation.

Common Scenarios

"I'm moving and need to get rid of a few things."

→ General hauling. You know what goes, we take it.

"My parent passed and we need to clear their house."

→ Full cleanout. We'll handle the volume, sorting, and emotional labor.

"I've got a garage full of stuff I haven't touched in years."

→ Likely a cleanout, unless you've already sorted everything.

"Just need my old mattress and couch picked up."

→ General hauling. Quick and easy.

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you need two items removed or two floors cleared, we're here to help. Get your free quote today.