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The garage cleanout checklist: how to prep before the crew arrives

Space Savers · Calgary, AB

A garage cleanout doesn't require much from you — that's the point of hiring one out. But an hour of light prep the day before makes the job faster, cheaper, and guarantees nothing you care about ends up on the truck. Here's the checklist we wish every customer had.

1. Walk the garage with one question in mind

"If this disappeared tomorrow, would I notice?" Don't sort everything — that's what the crew is for. Just walk through once and pull out the obvious keepers: tools you use, seasonal gear, anything sentimental. Put them in one clearly separate spot, ideally inside the house or in a corner marked with painter's tape.

2. Flag the "ask me first" items

There's always a grey zone — boxes you haven't opened in years, your kids' old things, that furniture you might refinish someday. Don't agonize over these. Group them together and tell the crew "check with me on this pile." A good crew will confirm anything questionable before it moves anyway, but flagging it up front keeps the day moving.

3. Deal with hazardous items separately

Some things can't go on a regular junk truck, and it's worth knowing before cleanout day:

• Paint, solvents, and automotive fluids — the City of Calgary's household hazardous waste drop-offs at landfills take these free
• Propane tanks and gas cans (even empty ones)
• Fertilizers, pesticides, and pool chemicals

Ask your cleanout company how they handle these. Some will transport certain items for a fee; others will point you to the right drop-off.

4. Photograph anything you might sell

If there's a snowblower, bike, or tool set with real resale value, snap photos before cleanout day and list it that week. If it hasn't sold by the time the crew arrives, let it go with them for donation — the storage space is worth more than the maybe-someday sale price.

5. Clear a path and a parking spot

The crew needs to get a truck reasonably close and move freely between the garage and the truck. Move vehicles out of the driveway, unlock the side gate if there is one, and shovel if it's snowed — this is Calgary, after all.

6. Decide what "done" looks like

Tell the crew what you want at the end: completely empty and swept? Keep-items shelved along one wall? Room for one car plus storage? A clear finish line means no judgment calls made without you.

What NOT to do

• Don't pre-bag everything. Crews load faster from open piles than from a hundred small bags, and they sort for donation and recycling as they go.
• Don't buy shelving yet. Wait until the space is empty — most people overestimate how much storage they'll need once the junk is gone.
• Don't schedule anything else that morning. Most cleanouts finish in hours, but the exact duration depends on what turns up.