📊 Cubic Yards Mastery: The Ultimate Guide to Estimating Volume for Junk Removal & Cleanouts
Why Volume Matters
When you’re hiring a junk removal crew or planning a cleanout, you’re paying for space — not weight, not piece count. Whether it’s old furniture, construction debris, or an entire hoarder house, it’s measured in cubic yards.
🔹 One Cubic Yard = 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet
🧠 Easy Visual Anchors for 1 Cubic Yard
A standard stove
A large armchair
A washer or dryer
About 8–10 filled trash bags
2 standard refrigerators stacked side by side = ~4 cu yd
💡 Why It Matters
✅ Accurate Quotes: Most hauling companies price by cubic yard. Knowing your volume means no surprises.
✅ Right-Sized Trucks: Underestimate, you pay for extra trips. Overestimate, you overpay.
✅ Dump Fees: Landfills charge by weight, but the hauler charges by class of junk (residential/construction) and the volume it takes up.
🛋️ Cubic Yards by Common Items
Item Cubic Yards:
Twin Mattress ~1
Queen Mattress ~1.5
King Mattress ~2
Bed Frame ~0.5
Large Dresser ~1.5
Nightstand ~0.25
Armchair ~1
3-Seat Couch ~2–3
Sectional ~4–6
Coffee Table ~0.5
Loveseat ~1.5
TV (boxed) ~0.25–0.5
Bookshelf (tall) ~0.75
Large Desk ~1
Washer/Dryer ~1 each
Refrigerator ~2
Mini Fridge ~0.5
Stove ~1
Chest Freezer ~1
Small Box ~0.05
Medium Box ~0.1
Large Box ~0.2
Plastic Tote ~0.15–0.25
Bike ~0.5–1
Treadmill ~1–1.5
Grill ~1–1.5
Push Mower ~1–1.5
Hot Tub (cut up) ~5–8
Piano ~3–4
Pallet of debris ~2–4
Bagged yard waste (8–10) ~1
🧱 Room-by-Room Cubic Yard Estimates
| Space | Light Load | Medium Load | Heavy Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | 5–8 | 10–15 | 20+ |
| Living Room | 8–12 | 15–20 | 25+ |
| Kitchen | 4–6 | 8–12 | 15+ |
| Garage | 8–12 | 15–25 | 30+ |
| Basement | 12–20 | 25–40 | 50+ |
| Small Shed | 3–5 | 8–10 | 15+ |
| Large Shed | 8–12 | 15–25 | 30+ |
🚛 Truck & Container Capacity
Pickup Truck Bed 2–4 Small loads, single items
10 ft Dump Trailer 5–7 One small room or a hot tub
12–14 ft Dump Trailer 10–12 Room cleanout, garage
16 ft Dump Trailer 12–15 1–2 rooms or light apartment
20 yd Roll-Off 20 Small home, cluttered garage
30 yd Roll-Off 30 Large rooms, partial house
40 yd Roll-Off 40 Big furniture piles, remodel debris
Multiple Containers 60–150+ Full estate cleanouts, severe hoarder homes, commercial sites
🔑 Real hoarder houses:
One packed room = 10–20 cubic yards by itself.
A medium hoarder home = 60–100+ cubic yards.
Large estates = 100–150+ cubic yards, multiple containers, staged removal.
🧳 Cleanout Checklist
✅ Are closets, attics, sheds full?
✅ Are there packed basements, crawlspaces?
✅ Are there hidden piles behind furniture?
✅ Any heavy items or yard debris?
Add 10–20% for:
Forgotten corners
Awkward shapes
Odd trash in hidden spaces
🌀 Measuring for Weird Items
Measure the max Length × Width × Height in feet.
Multiply: L × W × H ÷ 27 = cubic yards
Example: 7 ft × 4 ft × 3 ft = 84 cu ft ÷ 27 ≈ 3 cu yd
Pro tips:
Cut up what you can
Nest junk inside hollow items
Strap and tarp piles tight
🔹 Mental Shortcuts
1 cu yd = washer or stove
5 cu yd = half a garage with scattered junk
10 cu yd = single cluttered room
20 cu yd = garage or basement fully packed
40 cu yd = big cleanout, major pile, light hoarder job
60–150 cu yd = full house hoarder or estate
✅ Final Word
When you know your cubic yards, you control the cost, the truck size, and the job timeline. Clear estimates mean no callbacks, no extra trips, and no surprises — just a clean property, done right.