Cleanouts
Storage Unit Cleanout Services
Somewhere there is a storage unit you have been paying for since you moved, and it holds a couch you no longer like, a dozen boxes labeled "misc" and a treadmill. Every month the rent goes up a little, and every month emptying it gets put off a little longer. A storage unit cleanout ends that. Junk Rhinos empties the unit, hauls everything away, sets aside what you want to keep, and leaves the space broom-clean so you can close the account before the next billing date.
We clear units of every size, from a 5x5 locker of boxes to a 10x30 that holds an entire house. Facility hours, gate codes and move-out rules are part of the plan from the first call.
- Insured, uniformed crews
- Free on-site estimate
- No deposit, no hidden fees
- Same or next-day in most areas
- We donate & recycle first
Why a storage unit clean out takes some planning
Emptying a storage unit sounds simple until you count the rules. The facility has access hours and a gate. Only people on the rental agreement, or people the renter has authorized, are allowed in. The lock is yours, and nobody else can open it. Most facilities want the unit vacated and broom-clean by a set date, usually the end of the month, or the next month's rent is due. And the unit itself was packed by someone, maybe you, maybe years ago, who was optimizing for fitting everything in rather than getting anything out.
Doing it yourself means a rented truck, a full day and several transfer station trips. We bring the truck and the crew, load everything in one visit, and leave you with an empty unit.
What our storage unit cleanout service includes
Unit size, photos and a firm price
Tell us the unit size and send photos if you have them, and we give you a ballpark. The crew confirms the firm, all-in price at the facility before anything is moved. Free, and no obligation.
Access arranged in advance
We confirm the facility's hours, the gate code or check-in process, and who will meet the crew. You make sure the lock is off and the facility knows we are coming.
Sort at the door
You, or someone you authorize, points out anything worth keeping as the unit is unpacked. If the crew opens a box of photos, documents or personal papers, it gets set aside for you rather than hauled.
Load and haul
Everything else goes on the truck: furniture, boxes, appliances, mattresses and the mystery items at the back. Usable goods are separated for donation as we load.
Broom-clean and hand back
We sweep the unit so it passes the facility's move-out check, and you can turn in the key or close the account the same day.
Storage unit cleanouts we handle
People rent storage units for good reasons. They clear them for a short list of reasons.
The unit you forgot you were paying for
It was supposed to be for three months during a move. That was 2019. When the rent paid has passed the value of what is inside, it is time. We empty it, you keep anything that surprises you, and the charge stops.
A relative's storage unit
Settling an estate often turns up a storage unit nobody knew about, with a key in a kitchen drawer and a rental agreement in the mail. Whoever is authorized on the account, usually the executor, can arrange access with the facility. We clear the unit and set aside papers and keepsakes for the family. If the house needs clearing too, our estate cleanout service handles both.
Downsizing overflow that never came back
After a move to a smaller home, the furniture that did not fit went into storage "until we decide." Usually the decision has been made by default: nobody has missed it. Furniture in good condition is exactly what local charities can use, so a lot of it goes on to another home instead of a landfill.
You won a storage auction
Auction buyers usually have a short window from the facility to empty the unit. Take what you plan to sell or keep, and we clear everything else, from broken furniture to bags of clothing, so you can return the unit on time. Ask the facility about its deadline before you bid, and book us as soon as you win.
Business and contractor storage
Old inventory, retired displays, office furniture, archived boxes, leftover building materials. We clear business units the same way as personal ones. One note: we haul boxes of old files, but we are not a document shredding service, so records that need certified destruction should go to a shredding company first. For on-site office or warehouse clearing, see our commercial junk removal service.
The rent went up again
Storage rates tend to creep up, and many renters only notice when they add up a year of bills. A one-time storage unit cleanout can cost less than a few months of rent on the same unit, and it stops the meter for good.
Straight talk
Facility rules: what you need to sort out first
Be on the rental agreement, or authorize us
Facilities only let the renter, or people the renter has authorized, into a unit. If the unit is in your name, plan to meet the crew or add an authorized person through the facility. If it belonged to someone who has died, the executor or administrator usually needs to contact the facility with the paperwork they ask for.
Gate codes and access hours
Most facilities have gated access with a personal code and set hours, often different from office hours. Check both, give us the code or meet us at the gate, and book a time that fits inside the access window.
Removing the lock is your job
The lock on the unit belongs to the renter, and we do not cut or remove locks. Remove it yourself before the crew arrives, or be there to open it. If you have lost the key, the facility office can tell you its process for lock removal, which usually involves showing ID and paying a fee.
End-of-month move-out deadlines
Many facilities charge another full month if the unit is not vacated by a set date, and many require notice to vacate. Book the cleanout a few days before the deadline, not on the last afternoon, so there is room for weather or a full gate.
Broom-clean means broom-clean
Facilities usually want the unit empty and swept before they release you from the agreement. We sweep as part of the job and take any shelving you installed. And do not leave anything beside the facility dumpster: most facilities forbid it, many charge for it, and some will hold your deposit until it is gone. Everything from your unit leaves on our truck.
What we take and what we do not
We take almost everything that ends up in storage:
- Sofas, beds, dressers, tables and chairs
- Mattresses and box springs
- Boxes, bins, bags of clothing and holiday decorations
- Appliances, including refrigerators and freezers
- TVs, computers and other electronics
- Exercise equipment, bikes and sporting goods
- Shelving units, racks and anything you installed in the unit
- Business inventory, displays and office furniture
What we do not take: paints, solvents, chemicals, fuels, propane tanks, and anything containing asbestos. Most storage rental agreements prohibit them anyway; if you find some in your unit, take them to your local household hazardous waste program.
What does a storage unit cleanout cost?
Storage unit cleanout cost depends on how much is inside, not just on the unit's footprint. A 10x10 packed to the ceiling holds more than a 10x15 that is half full. As a rough guide for a reasonably full unit, a 5x5 of boxes and a few small pieces takes a quarter to half of the truck, a 5x10 holding a room of furniture about half to three-quarters, and a 10x10 holding a one-bedroom apartment three-quarters to a full truck. A 10x15 usually fills one to one and a half truckloads, a 10x20 one and a half to two, and a 10x30 that holds a whole house two to three. A half-empty unit is smaller still.
Heavy contents like boxes of books, exercise equipment, or anything with concrete or stone can add to the price, and so can a very long walk from the unit to the truck. The crew confirms a firm, all-in price free at the facility before any loading starts, and our pricing page explains how the truck-space tiers work.
- Priced by the truck space your load fills
- Firm, all-in price confirmed free on-site
- No deposit, and nothing owed until it is done
- Labor, hauling and disposal fees all included
How long does a storage unit cleanout take?
A 5x5 or 5x10 usually clears in about an hour. A full 10x10 or 10x15 takes two to three hours. Large 10x20 and 10x30 units can take most of a day, especially when contents need sorting. Gate check-in and long hallways add a little time.
What happens to the contents
Storage units hold a lot of furniture and household goods that are still usable, and we treat them that way. Furniture, housewares, clothing and linens in good condition go to local charities. Appliances and metal go to recyclers, electronics go to e-waste processing, and cardboard boxes, which every storage unit has in quantity, are recycled. Only what cannot be donated or recycled goes to disposal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to clean out a storage unit?
It depends on how much is inside, not just the unit size. The price follows the share of the truck your contents fill, plus any extra labor for heavy items or a long walk to the truck: a small 5x5 is a fraction of a load, while large 10x20 and 10x30 units typically take one and a half to three truckloads. The firm, all-in price is confirmed free at the facility before any work starts.
Do I need to be there for the cleanout?
Someone on the rental agreement, or someone authorized by the renter, usually needs to be present or to have arranged access with the facility. If you cannot be there, ask the facility how to authorize us, and give us a list of anything to keep.
Can you remove the lock on my unit?
No, the lock is the renter's to remove. Take it off before the crew arrives or meet us there. If you lost the key, the facility office can explain its lock removal process.
Can you clear the unit before the end of the month?
Yes. Book a few days before your move-out date and we will schedule within the facility's access hours. Same-day and next-day slots are available in most areas.
Can you clean out a storage unit I won at auction?
Yes. Take what you want to keep or sell, and we clear the rest within the facility's deadline.
Can you clear a deceased relative's storage unit?
Yes. The executor or administrator arranges access with the facility, and we clear the unit and set aside documents, photos and personal items for the family.
Will you take everything in the unit, even the junk at the back?
Yes, except hazardous materials like paint, chemicals, fuels and propane tanks. Those go to your local household hazardous waste program.
Can you take some items to my home instead of the dump?
We are a removal service rather than a moving company, so we do not deliver items. Take the keepers in your own car, or book a mover for anything large, and we will clear the rest.
Is there a storage unit cleanout service near me?
We have local crews in most areas. Check our locations page or call, and we will confirm availability at your facility.
Ready when you are
Stop paying rent on boxes nobody has opened since the last move. Call (877) 283-1595 or request a free estimate online, and the unit is emptied and broom-clean ahead of your move-out date.