Junk removal for an inherited house in Quincy and the South Shore
Not every house needs a full cleanout. Sometimes it is a basement and a garage, a few rooms of furniture, or what is left after an estate sale. A junk removal crew loads what you point to and takes it away.
This page covers when junk removal is the right fit, what Massachusetts does not allow in the trash, what Quincy will pick up or take at the DPW Yard, and what to ask before you hire.
Junk removal or a full cleanout?
Junk removal works when you know what needs to go: specific furniture, appliances, a basement or garage, yard debris, or leftovers after a sale. You point, they load.
A full cleanout fits when the whole house is still full and nobody has sorted it yet. A cleanout crew clears the whole house, and some cleanout companies also drop off donations and give receipts. See the estate cleanout guide.
If there may be furniture, tools or collectibles worth selling, look at an estate sale first, and bring in junk removal for what does not sell.
Before the crew arrives
1. Check with the personal representative.
In Massachusetts, the personal representative appointed by the Probate and Family Court is the person who can generally decide what is sold, donated or thrown out, unless the will or a court order limits that. Get their OK before anything leaves the house.
2. Pull out papers, valuables and keepsakes.
Mail, bank and tax papers, deeds, titles, keys, jewelry, cash and photos should be set aside before any crew starts. Put them in one room and tell the crew that room is off-limits.
3. Mark what goes.
Tape or sticky notes on each item, or a clear rule like “everything in the basement goes,” saves time and avoids mistakes. Tell the company about stairs, tight hallways, and where the truck can park.
4. Point out anything hazardous.
Paint, chemicals, propane tanks, old thermostats and fluorescent bulbs may need special handling. Ask the company what they take and what they leave behind.
What Massachusetts does not allow in the trash
MassDEP waste bans. These materials are banned from disposal, or from being hauled for disposal, in Massachusetts. A hauler has to recycle them, donate them or take them somewhere that accepts them:
- Mattresses and box springs (since November 1, 2022)
- Textiles, including clothing, shoes, bedding, towels and curtains (since November 1, 2022)
- Large appliances like stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers
- Old tube-style (CRT) TVs and computer monitors
- Metal, both ferrous (iron and steel) and non-ferrous (like aluminum and copper)
- Recyclable paper, cardboard and paperboard, and glass, metal and plastic containers
- Car batteries and other lead acid batteries
- Leaves and yard waste
- Asphalt, brick and concrete, and clean gypsum wallboard
- Wood (banned from landfills) and whole tires (banned from landfills)
Mercury. Massachusetts law does not allow mercury-added products to be thrown away. Thermostats, thermometers and fluorescent bulbs have to be recycled or handled as hazardous waste.
Asbestos. Asbestos has to be removed by a licensed asbestos removal contractor. If you suspect it, tell the junk removal company before they quote.
Quincy, if you are handling part of it yourself (City of Quincy DPW, checked November 2026). Fees and rules change. Confirm with the town before you go.
- Furniture: up to 2 bulky items a week (sofas, chairs, recliners, lawn furniture) can go out curbside on trash day.
- Mattresses: not picked up on regular trash day. Call (617) 837-1299 or schedule online (link on the city's Waste and Recycling page) for a curbside pickup. South Shore Recycle lists it as free for Quincy homes, condos and buildings with 8 units or fewer.
- Appliances, TVs, monitors and computers: call (855) 533-3400 to schedule a curbside pickup for your regular trash day. Call by 3 p.m. one full business day ahead for most items, and at least 2 full business days ahead for TVs, monitors and refrigerators.
- Carpet: can go curbside if cut into 3-foot lengths, rolled and tied, no more than 5 rolls at a time.
- Electronics, metal, rechargeable batteries and mercury items (thermostats, thermometers, fluorescent bulbs): drop off at the DPW Yard, 55 Sea St., Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays mid-April through mid-December 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Refrigerators are not accepted at the yard.
- Clothing, shoes and bedding: textile bins at every Quincy public school yard and at the DPW Yard, open 24/7.
- Books: book collection box at the DPW Yard.
- Latex paint: not hazardous. Dry it out with kitty litter or sand, leave the lid off, and put it in the trash.
- Oil-based paint, chemicals, fire extinguishers: hold for Quincy's Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day at the DPW Yard. It is for Quincy residents only, and a Massachusetts driver's license with a Quincy address is required. As of November 2026, the city lists the next date as to be determined.
- Medications: drop-off kiosk in the lobby of Quincy Police headquarters, 1 Sea St., open 24/7.
- Asbestos: must be removed by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.
- Construction debris, toilets and building materials: not picked up by the city. Hire a private hauler.
For other towns, see the town's page on this site. Checked facts are listed there with their source; anything not checked yet says so.
Hiring a junk removal company
- Permit: Massachusetts law requires anyone who hauls garbage or other offensive waste through a town's streets to hold a permit from that town's board of health. The Quincy Health Department issues a yearly permit for transporters of rubbish. Ask whether the company holds one for the town where the house is.
- Insurance: ask for a certificate of insurance before the crew comes inside.
- Price: many companies price by how much of the truck the load fills, or give a flat quote after seeing the house. Get it in writing, and ask whether labor, stairs and disposal fees are included.
- Where it goes: ask what they donate, what they recycle, and whether they give donation receipts. To donate items yourself, see where to donate household items.
- Payment: if the bill is being paid from an estate account, ask the company what they need for that, and keep every receipt.
TODO: typical price ranges only once they come from the companies themselves or another named source.
What to ask a junk removal company
- Which towns do you cover?
- How do you price: by how much of the truck the load fills, or a flat quote after seeing the house?
- Is the quote in writing, and does it include labor, stairs and disposal fees?
- How soon can you come?
- Where do the loads go? What do you donate or recycle?
- How do you handle mattresses, clothing, TVs and appliances under the Massachusetts disposal bans?
- Do you take construction debris, paint or chemicals?
- Do you hold a rubbish hauling permit from the town's board of health?
- Are you insured? Can you send a certificate of insurance?
Local junk removal companies
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Questions families ask
Junk removal or a full cleanout?
Junk removal crews take the items you point to: a few pieces of furniture, a basement, a garage, or what is left after an estate sale. A full cleanout covers the whole house, often with sorting and donation drop-offs. If papers and valuables have not been sorted yet, do that first either way.
Can a junk removal company take mattresses and clothing?
Yes, but in Massachusetts mattresses and textiles are banned from the trash, so they need to go to recycling or donation. Ask the company where they take them. Your town may also offer its own mattress or bulky item pickup, so check with the public works department. Quincy residents can also book a free curbside mattress pickup through the city's mattress program.
Will they take paint and household chemicals?
Ask before the crew arrives. Oil-based paint and household chemicals are hazardous waste. Latex paint is not, and can be dried out and put in the trash.
Who pays for junk removal at an estate property?
It is usually treated as an estate expense, paid by the personal representative from estate funds. If a family member pays up front, keep every receipt. How they are paid back is a question for the personal representative and the estate attorney.
About this page
Inclusion is not an endorsement or a guarantee of work. Please vet any company yourself, check its permits and insurance, and get written quotes before hiring.
Disposal rules and city services change. Check with your town's public works department before you rely on a date or phone number here.
This page is general information and is not legal, tax or financial advice. For questions about a specific estate, talk with the estate's attorney.