photo — packed two-car garage, door open
Start with the truck-load rule
A 10 yard container holds about three pickup truck loads, a 15 yard about four and a half, and a 20 yard about six. Walk the garage and count how many truck beds the pile would fill. Round up.
Weight is the catch
Garage cleanouts are mostly light: boxes, furniture, lawn equipment. The exceptions are paint cans, tile, and bags of concrete mix. Those hit the weight allowance fast, so mention them when you call.
When to go up a size
If you are also clearing an attic or basement, or the garage has a workshop with lumber and cabinets, take the 20. The difference between a 15 and a 20 is small next to the cost of a second container.
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