Moving out? A junk checklist, week by week

Four weeks out: decide

• Walk every room, the garage, the attic and any storage unit. Sort into keep, sell, donate and toss.
• Measure the new place. Furniture that won't fit is easier to sell now than to store later.
• Look up your city's bulk pickup schedule and rules. See our move-out rules by city.
• Ask your movers for their list of items they won't take.

Three weeks out: sell and give away

• List furniture and appliances online, with a firm pickup-by date.
• Offer family and friends first dibs on anything you're giving away.
• Schedule donation pickups for furniture in good shape. Habitat for Humanity ReStores in Garland and Dallas offer donation pickup.

Two weeks out: the hard-to-get-rid-of stuff

• Paint and chemicals: take them to a household hazardous waste program. See where to take paint and chemicals.
• Propane tanks: many hardware stores take them for exchange.
• Old electronics: wipe phones and computers, then recycle them. See our electronics drop-off options.
• An old fridge or freezer you're not taking: the store only takes it if it's delivering a new one. See will the store haul it away?

The week of the move: book the final haul

• Book junk removal for a day or two after the movers leave, before closing or your final walk-through.
• Empty and unplug any fridge that's staying behind for pickup, so it can defrost.
• Don't set piles at the curb early. Some cities fine or add fees for early set-out, and Rockwall doesn't allow discarded furniture to be stored outside.

Moving day and after

• Mark anything the movers should leave, so it doesn't end up on the truck.
• Walk the house after the truck leaves: closets, the attic, the garage rafters, the backyard and the shed.
• Whatever is left is one haul-away. Text us a photo for a ballpark price before we come.

Renting? Check your lease for charges on items left behind, and ask the leasing office before leaving anything by the dumpster. In Dallas, city bulky pickup is only for houses and duplexes.