Need to Clean Out An Apartment You Own? Here’s How to Get it Done Quickly and Easily

by Jonathan Morey | Dec 10, 2021 | Home Improvement

Whether you’re overseeing a routine apartment cleanout or are feeling the pressure after evicting a tenant, it’s not easy to clean out an apartment in its entirety – especially when you’re in a time crunch. Though a DIY apartment cleanout can be a good way to save money up front, it can more often lead to a bunch of pain points and inefficiencies that ultimately hurt your cash flow. So, how can you clean out an apartment without wasting time, energy, and resources? Today, we’re going over what some of your options are in order to make apartment cleanouts easier (and our recommendation for the most efficient turnaround time). Let’s get into it.

Revamp Your Cleanout Policies

It doesn’t hurt to refresh your apartment cleanout policies in order to put stricter rules in place about items left behind. By adding fines or keeping safety deposits when items – especially large ones, like electronics or furniture – are left behind, you’ll dissuade tenants from using your property as their personal dumping ground when they move out. With that said, it’s important to consider that fines only work on tenants who want to remain in good standing with you (or who haven’t lost all hope in getting their deposit back).

If you’re dealing with an eviction, stricter cleanout policies won’t do much to prevent junk from getting left behind. It’s still a solid idea to take a look at your lease agreement and make updates in this area, but don’t rely on it as your only solution.

Invest in the Right Equipment

If you’re committed to doing apartment cleanouts yourself every time, it could be a good idea to invest in equipment that will help you do it faster and easier. The amount – and size – of the equipment will depend, of course, on how many properties you own. If you rent out one or two apartments with reliable tenants, some heavy-duty gloves, construction-grade masks, and coveralls should suffice to keep you covered in an unexpected DIY cleanup situation. If you manage more units than that (or are dealing with problem tenants who you may need to evict), it’s a good idea to consider renting some more “intense” equipment for the cleanup: wheelbarrows, dollies, and a solid pickup truck (or dump truck) are all probably going to be necessary.

Of course, bringing in your own equipment–even when renting–can be a big investment, and it’ll probably take a great deal of time until you see a return on it.

Hire Someone to Help You

If you have the work scope and revenue for it, it might be a good idea to hire someone (whether that’s full-time, part-time, or on a case-by-case basis) to help you take care of the apartment cleanout. Hiring help is an especially good option if you’ve already gotten some evictions or hands-on apartment cleanouts under your belt and can anticipate dealing with more in the future. Two hands are better than one, and you’ll get everything done a lot faster with someone to help you out, especially if you find yourself having to do this kind of work often.

Keep in mind that finding someone you’re comfortable trusting with an apartment cleanout can be quite the process, so unless you manage a large amount of units or have a major cleanout project coming up, it could be more trouble and time than it’s worth.

Outsource the Job

We’ve saved our most-recommended option for last: the easiest, quickest, and sometimes-cheapest way to clean out an apartment is to outsource the job to a company you can trust. By hiring a solid junk removal provider each time you need services, you don’t have to commit to expensive equipment or a new employee. You also don’t have to take on the burden of carrying out the entire junk removal process yourself. Outsourcing an apartment cleanout to an experienced provider who specializes in junk removal means you get to save a great deal of time and energy, which you can then dedicate to finding better tenants and growing your income.

Cleaning out an apartment doesn’t have to be a pain, even if it’s in the aftermath of an eviction. To learn more about getting junk removal services you can count on, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

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We don’t just get it – we’re prepared for it, and we’re here for you. Our team of guys is all about teamwork, trustworthiness, and terrific service. We’re committed to excellence along every step of the junk removal process, and we leverage our expertise into a seamless, easy experience for you.

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Junk Reduction does not accept or remove items such as: fuels like gasoline, herbicides and pesticides, car fluids (such as oil and antifreeze), biohazard materials, items in dangerous areas, bleach and similar cleaners, wet paint, pressurized containers, or any other hazardous materials. Junk Reduction reserves the right to refuse service to individuals or areas that do not comply.

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