Garage Cleanout in Boise When the Last Owner Left Their Junk

You close on the house, hit the garage door button, and watch it roll up on four bald tires, a rotting workbench, a dozen paint cans and a recliner that's been out there since the Bush administration. Pick whichever Bush you like. Congrats on the new place, but before you can park in it you've got a garage cleanout in Boise to deal with.

This happens more than you'd think. Sellers run out of time, run out of energy, or decide the garage doesn't really count.

Here's how I'd handle it. I'm usually the guy who ends up loading it anyway.

Check your contract before you touch anything

Pull out your purchase agreement first. A lot of them say the house gets handed over broom clean with the seller's stuff gone.

If yours says that and the garage is full, call your agent. Sometimes the seller's side pays for the cleanup. Sometimes it's three weeks after closing and nobody wants to fight over a recliner.

That part is between you and your agent. I'm just the guy with the trailer.

One more thing. If you find anything personal or valuable, like photo albums, tax paperwork, a locked safe or a box of military records, set it aside and let your agent reach the seller. I'd rather it sit in a corner for a week than end up at the landfill because somebody was in a hurry.

Tip: Take a few photos of the garage before you move anything and keep them with your closing paperwork. If there's ever a back-and-forth with the seller about what got left, you've got a dated record. Those same photos are what you'd text me for a quote, so you're knocking out two jobs at once.

What a left-behind garage cleanout usually turns up

Do enough of these and you start seeing the same stuff. Old paint is the big one. Just about every older garage on the Boise Bench or in the North End has a shelf of half-used cans going back a few decades.

After that it's tires, a mower that hasn't started since 2015, scrap lumber and a roll of old carpet. There's almost always a dead chest freezer. And at least one exercise bike, because of course there is.

Newer places in Star, Meridian and Middleton tend to be lighter. You'll get moving boxes, a busted patio set and leftover flooring from when the builder finished the house. Older homes in Nampa and Caldwell usually have more years stacked against the walls.

Timing matters too. Close in July and that garage is an oven by two in the afternoon, so sort early in the morning. Close in January and you're digging through it with numb fingers. Either way, it's not going to sort itself.

What I can haul, and what needs its own trip

Most of it is easy. Furniture, lumber, boxes, tires, appliances and mowers (with the gas and oil drained) all go on the trailer.

Metal and appliances get recycled. Anything still usable goes to Idaho Youth Ranch or St. Vincent de Paul instead of the dump, which beats burying a perfectly good dresser.

Chemicals are where people get stuck. Oil-based paint, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals and old propane tanks can't ride along with a junk load. Ada County takes household hazardous waste out at the Hidden Hollow landfill, and Canyon County runs its own program, so check hours before you load the car.

Latex paint is easier. Once it's completely dried out, it can usually go in your regular trash. Pop the lids, stir in some kitty litter or paint hardener, and give it a few days to set up.

Is handling the chemicals separately a pain? A little. It's still better than finding out what happens when a can of thinner gets crushed in a trailer.

How a garage cleanout gets priced around the Treasure Valley

It comes down to how much space the junk takes up and how heavy it is. A few things in one corner costs a lot less than a garage packed to the rafters.

Heavy stuff pushes it up. Wet carpet, broken concrete and a pile of tires all weigh more than they look, and weight is what the landfill charges me for.

The easiest way to find out is to text me a couple of photos. I'll send back an actual price, not a fuzzy range, and if it works for you it's usually gone within a couple of days. I run out of Eagle, so anywhere from Boise to Caldwell is an easy drive.

Could you do it yourself? Sure. Borrow a pickup, make a few runs out to Hidden Hollow, pay the gate fees and lose a Saturday or two.

And yes, I'd love your business. But if it's three boxes and a broken chair, feed them into your trash cart over a couple of weeks and keep your money. If it's the whole garage, that's when calling someone starts to make sense.

The bottom line

Finding somebody else's junk in your new garage is annoying, but it's a pretty easy fix. Check your contract, pull out anything personal, set the chemicals aside, and get the rest hauled off in one trip.

Whenever you're ready, text a photo of the garage to (208) 391-0221. I'll get you a price, and you can figure out where your car's going to live.