Storage Unit Cleanout: Cost, Process & When to Let Go

Americans spend over $40 billion per year on self-storage — and a surprising number of storage units contain items worth less than the cumulative rent paid to store them. If you have been paying $100-$300 per month for a storage unit you rarely visit, it may be time to clean it out. Whether you want to sort through everything or just want it all gone, here is how storage unit cleanouts work and what they cost in Massachusetts.

How Much Does a Storage Unit Cleanout Cost?

| Unit Size | Cost Range | Approximate Contents |

|-----------|------------|---------------------|

| 5x5 | $200 - $350 | Small closet worth of items |

| 5x10 | $300 - $500 | Half a room of furniture and boxes |

| 10x10 | $400 - $650 | One full room of furniture and boxes |

| 10x15 | $500 - $750 | Living room + bedroom worth |

| 10x20 | $600 - $800+ | Full apartment or small house |

| 10x30 | $800 - $1,200+ | Large house worth of items |

The Math: Cleanout vs. Keep Paying

| Monthly Rent | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years |

|-------------|--------|---------|---------|

| $100/mo | $1,200 | $3,600 | $6,000 |

| $150/mo | $1,800 | $5,400 | $9,000 |

| $200/mo | $2,400 | $7,200 | $12,000 |

| $250/mo | $3,000 | $9,000 | $15,000 |

Ask yourself: Is the stuff in your storage unit worth more than the rent you have paid and will continue to pay? For most people, the answer is no. A one-time cleanout fee of $400-800 saves thousands in future rent.

How Storage Unit Cleanout Works

• Call for a quote — tell us the unit size and general contents
• Meet at the unit — we can meet you there, or if you provide access, we can handle it without you
• Sort (optional) — if you want to keep some items, we work with you to separate keepers from junk
• We load and haul — everything goes on our truck
• Unit is empty — cancel your rental and stop the monthly payments

Common Storage Unit Contents

After cleaning out dozens of storage units in Middlesex County, here is what we typically find:

• Furniture that did not fit in a new home
• Boxes from a move that were never unpacked
• Seasonal decorations stored and forgotten
• Old mattresses and bed frames
• Exercise equipment
• Business inventory or office furniture
• Childhood items stored by parents

Tips Before the Cleanout

• Visit the unit first to assess what is there
• Set aside valuables — jewelry, documents, photos, sentimental items
• Check for damage — water, mold, or pest damage may have ruined items
• Coordinate with the facility — let them know you are scheduling a removal crew
• Confirm access — make sure the removal crew can get a truck close to the unit

Ready to Stop Paying Storage Rent?

Call McDumpsters at (978) 375-2272 for a free storage unit cleanout quote. We serve all of Middlesex County including Billerica, Chelmsford, Lowell, and Tewksbury. Same-day service often available.