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How to get ready for a junk removal pickup
A little prep gets you a tighter quote and a faster pickup. Here's what to photograph, what to write down and what to decide first.
ME3 Junk Solutions ·
Start with good photos
Photos are the fastest way to a realistic number. For small and medium jobs, ME3 Junk Solutions uses your photos or video to estimate the volume and give you a range. The better the photos, the closer that range is to the final price.
Stand back far enough to show the whole pile or the whole room. Then take a few closer shots. Walk the path the crew will take and photograph that too.
Video works too. A slow walk through the space, saying what goes and what stays as you film, often tells more than a stack of photos.
- A wide shot of each pile or room, from the corner
- Close-ups of anything heavy: a safe, a piano, a hot tub, a treadmill, a gun cabinet
- Anything hidden: under beds, behind the garage shelves, in the attic or shed
- The way out: stairs, narrow halls, gates and the driveway
- Something for scale, like a door or a person standing nearby
Write down the access details
Access is what changes the work, so it's worth a quick note with your photos. Stairs, long carries, tight access and taking things apart can add to the price. With ME3 Junk Solutions, that's settled before work starts, not after.
- Which floor the items are on, and whether there's an elevator
- Gate width, and any lock code or key the crew will need
- Where a truck and trailer can park, and how far that is from the items
- Apartment or HOA rules about move times or loading areas
- Anything fragile along the way, like a new floor or a tight turn at the stairs
Decide what stays and what goes
The most common hiccup on a pickup day is a mix-up over one item. Settle it before anyone arrives. Put sticky notes or painter's tape on what goes. Better yet, move keepers into one closed room.
Pull out anything personal first: papers, photos, keys, medicine and anything with your name on it. Check drawers and pockets. If other family members have a say, get their answer now, not while the trailer is half full.
If it's a rental, an estate or a shared house, tell the crew who has the final say. One person making the calls keeps the day moving.
Pick the service level that fits
ME3 Junk Solutions offers four levels, and the difference is who does what:
If you're not sure, send photos and say so. The crew can tell you which level fits the job.
- ME3 Express: you stage it, we haul it. You put items at the curb, in the driveway or on the garage apron. It's the lowest-cost option.
- ME3 Full Service: you gather it, we do the heavy lifting. You get items to one easy spot, and the crew carries, loads and hauls.
- ME3 White Glove: point at it, we'll take care of it. Removal from anywhere on the property, including upstairs, long carries, tight spaces and taking things apart.
- ME3 Specialty: heavy, unusual or custom work like safes, pianos, hot tubs and demolition, quoted on the scope.
What to expect on the day
Large, heavy or unclear jobs get a walkthrough before a firm price. For every job, ME3 Junk Solutions confirms the scope, access, material and service level, and you get one clear price before loading begins.
After that, the rule is simple: same agreed scope, same price. It only changes if you add material or change the scope. If you find another load in the attic halfway through, that's a new conversation, and you'll hear the number before it goes on the trailer.
When the job's done, the crew loads, hauls and handles disposal responsibly, and can give you before and after photos or disposal paperwork when it's appropriate or you ask for it.
A few last things to handle
Empty and defrost any fridge or freezer that's going. Drain gas from mowers if you can. Keep pets inside. Clear a path from the items to the door, and move cars out of the driveway if the truck and trailer need the room. If neighbors share the driveway or lot, give them a heads-up. Set paint, pool chemicals and pesticides aside, since those need their own route. Our post on household hazardous waste explains where they go.
Then send it in. Request a quote with your photos and notes, or check how pricing works first. If you have a question that isn't covered here, the FAQ may have it.
Want it handled instead?
ME3 Junk Solutions does the lifting, loading and hauling, with one firm price before anything is loaded.