Putting the Trash Out

Big home projects such as renovations or cleaning out the basement can generate a lot of rubbish. How should you get rid of it? There are a surprising number of options. Here's what you need to know.

1. Hire a Ute

You can drop off rubbish directly at a waste management facility or landfill. To haul it, however, you will need a ute or a trailer. You can hire these vehicles from a removals company or a car hire place. Rubbish can be dirty, so you may want to line the floor of the trailer or the bed of the ute with a tarp. Otherwise, remember to sweep and mop as necessary—most hire places charge a cleaning fee if you return the vehicle dirty.

2.  Recycle as Much as Possible

If you don't like the idea of sending waste to the landfill, you may want to figure out how to recycle as much as you can. There are bulletin boards online where you can offer free items to people. In some cases, you may have luck putting items in your yard with a "free" sign.

Think outside the box. You can obviously give away old furnishings and tools, but you can also entice people to take old building supplies for art projects, concrete rubble for making unique patios or all kinds of other waste that may seem unusable at first glance.

3. Throw Out Waste Bit by Bit

When most of the waste gets recycled, you may be able to fit the remaining amount in your rubbish bin. Alternatively, some people make a pile of the rubbish and they get rid of it slowly over time. Adding just a bit extra to your rubbish bin every week is a time consuming but cost effective way to deal with the waste.

4. Schedule a Pick Up

Some municipalities offer free pick ups for certain types of large waste. For instance, Sydney picks up mattress, white goods and other large waste on Wednesday. However, you have to call the city and book your spot. Additionally, you can't dispose of electronic waste through this type of program. Visit the local government's website in your area to find out about local pickups.

5. Hire a Skip

One of the easiest ways to deal with waste is to hire a skip. A waste management company brings the skip to your home and picks it up when you are done. With this arrangement, you make a single call. You don't have to jump through a lot of hoops.