Tips for Saving Money on Your Next Dumpster Rental
A dumpster rental in Virginia Beach may be necessary to clean up a home remodeling project, finish spring cleaning, transition between renters, or sell an estate.
While curbside trash pickup in Virginia Beach can handle certain items, a dumpster is necessary for disposing of many bulk trash items. However, the costs of dumpster rentals can accumulate quickly; home and business owners need a strategy to minimize their expenses without compromising on the quality of the cleanout.
This blog shares tips and strategies for saving money on a dumpster rental in Virginia Beach. Regardless of the type of cleanout, disposal costs can be minimized by choosing the right dumpster for the project, understanding weight limits, loading it efficiently, and scheduling it properly.
1. Choose the Right Size

Ideally, the dumpster you rent needs to be big enough to hold both the dimensions and weight of the trash without requiring multiple trips or additional rentals. However, renting a dumpster that is too big for the project unnecessarily increases costs.
Choosing the right size can be much easier with the help of a local waste management company, but these guidelines can help:
- 10-yard: The smallest dumpster size can fit in most driveways and can often be enough to handle minor renovations, cleanouts, or yard debris. They hold around 1 ton of debris at once, which is about three truckloads.
- 20-yard: This size is the most versatile for medium-sized residential projects like renovations and landscaping projects. These dumpsters hold around 3 tons and can be used in most projects.
- 30-yard: For large-scale projects that generate more waste, such as estate cleanouts, full renovations, and commercial constructions, 30-yard dumpsters hold around 5 tons of debris.
Larger sizes may be available for even more extensive cleanup projects. Rely on a waste management team to better decide what the project will need.
2. Account for Weight Limits
Although renting a dumpster that is too large can waste money, choosing one that is too small or not able to hold the necessary weight can be just as inconvenient. Helpful tips to reduce the weight of the load include:
- Cover the dumpster when not in use: A tarp or lid can prevent the dumpster from being rained on, which can not only accumulate rain water directly, but can increase the weight of absorbent materials like fabric and cardboard.
- Recycle as much as possible: Recyclable materials should not take up precious space. To save weight, cardboard, plastic, metal, and paper can be recycled using local city pickup services or direct deliveries to the appropriate facility.
- Donate when possible: Item donation can help reduce strain on the dumpster while doing good for the community. Many organizations accept items like furniture, clothes, or even empty cans.
- Prevent compression: Yard trash like leaves and other debris can compress and take up space. When bagged properly, most light debris items can be collected by city waste management rather than taking up space in the dumpster.
Dumpster rental companies will list the weight of each dumpster size. Exceeding this weight at pickup can cause unexpected overage fees due to the extra effort, fuel, and equipment strain required to haul it away.
Pro Tip: Partner with established, local dumpster rental companies that focus on eco-friendly options. This can help with donating and recycling to reduce your weight load!
3. Load Dumpsters Efficiently
Efficiently loading a dumpster can save money by preventing the need for multiple trips or a larger dumpster. Follow these tips to maximize dumpster space:
- Start with heavy items on the bottom, especially those that have a flat surface like a tabletop or drywall panel.
- Prevent tipping and other issues by keeping the bulk trash evenly stacked.
- Once the heavy items are loaded, gaps can be filled with smaller debris.
- Furniture and other items that are too worn to donate can be broken down to prevent an inefficient use of space.
4. Schedule the Pickup Correctly
Pickup scheduling needs to be done according to the company’s rental timeline. Exceeding this timeline can lead to unwanted overages, so planning the cleanout and pickup is a significant cost-saving measure.
Some rental companies even offer renters discounts for longer rentals, so planning the project from start to finish in advance can save money at both ends and create a buffer for your project for any unexpected issues you may run into.
5. Get Multiple Quotes

Property owners should get multiple dumpster rental quotes from local providers to get a sense of the market and find the best price. However, cheaper does not always mean better. Getting multiple quotes should also include comparing the services they offer, their policies on extra fees, and their online reputation.
Working with a local provider means having a company that understands and adheres to local ordinances for disposal processes, start to finish.
Book Your Dumpster Rental in Virginia Beach Today
At Full Strut Disposal, our local waste management team helps property owners match their projects to the right dumpster, avoid overages, and schedule deliveries correctly. Our goal is to minimize our clients’ costs and stress, while maximizing the efficiency of their project. Even if you’ve never rented a dumpster before, our team makes the process simple.
Contact Full Strut Disposal today to learn more about saving costs on dumpster rentals in Virginia Beach without compromising your cleanout.



