5 tips to get the most out of (and into) your skip bin

Whether you’re doing a home renovation or landscaping project or it’s time for a major clean out, hiring a skip bin is a huge time-saver when it comes to getting rid of household trash.

But, before you Google skip bin hire Melbourne, there’s a few things to consider. It’s important to understand what you can and can’t put into a skip bin and how to get the most out of your skip bin hire.

Before you book your bin, you need to consider these three factors:

• What size bin do you need?
• What weight restrictions are there?
• What are you looking to dispose of?

The size of the bin will depend on how much material you’re looking to dispose of, what type of material it is and how much it can be compressed or broken down.

The weight restrictions depend on the bin size and the vehicle load specifications. It’s important to discuss weight restrictions with your hire company before selecting your bin.

And finally, it’s important to know exactly what you’re planning to dispose of and what you can and can’t put into a skip bin. So, let’s start with that.

What can go into a skip bin

When it comes to mini skip hire in Melbourne, there are three types of waste that can go into your skip: general household waste, green waste, and renovation or construction waste.

General waste

This includes all household and yard rubbish (except potential harmful materials like chemicals, fuels, gas cylinders, batteries or medical or biological waste). General waste includes (but is not limited to):

• Clothes
• Kitchenware and appliances
• Electrical goods
• Paper and cardboard
• Bottles, cans, jars, food packaging
• Furniture
• Mattresses (may incur extra charges)

Green and garden waste

This includes dirt, soil, sand and pebbles and green waste like leaves, grass clippings, branches and wood.

Renovation or construction waste

This includes bricks, concrete, tiles, dirt, sand, metal, steel, aluminium and so on. Construction materials that cannot go in skip bins include asbestos and other insulation materials, plasterboard and paints, solvents and other chemicals.

What can’t go into a skip bin

The list of materials that can’t go into a skip bin consists mainly of chemicals, explosive or volatile materials and biological material. The list includes:

• Food waste
• Asbestos and other insulation materials
• Batteries (car and household)
• Gas cylinders and bottles
• Oil and fuels
• Medical or biological waste
• Tyres
• Chemicals and poisons
• Paints and solvents
• Fluorescent bulbs
• Radioactive materials

While these materials cannot be placed in skip bins, some skip hire companies are licensed to handle such waste. If you need to dispose of any of these items, contact a good skip hire company. Even if they are not licensed to remove this sort of waste, they will be able to put you in contact with someone who can.

5 tips for making the most of your skip bin

Since you’re paying for the hire and removal of your skip bin, you want to make sure you get the most out of it. So, here’s a few tips to make sure you get optimal usage out of your skip bin.

1. Choose the right bin
   Firstly, you need to know what kind of materials you’ll be disposing of and approximately how much material there will be. Skip bins comes in a range of sizes from 2 cubic metres to 31 cubic metres. It’s always better to over-estimate the amount of space you’ll need.
2. Disassemble, break down or compress bulky items
   Try to break down or disassemble any large or bulky items, like old furniture. Compress or flatten any other materials. Reducing the volume of your waste means you’ll be able to fit more into the skip without overfilling it.
3. Organise your rubbish
   Organising your rubbish will help you pack the skip so you can get the most in it. Look to place flat items (like cardboard) in the bottom, heavy and bulky items next (disassembled or broken down where possible), and lightweight or bulk waste like soil or green waste on top. This will help you to fully load with skip without overfilling or destabilisingit.
4. Follow weight restrictions
   While it can be difficult to estimate the weight of your rubbish, it’s important to be aware of the weight restrictions for the skip and the pick-up vehicle. Going over the weight restrictions may incur additional pick-up costs and you may even have to remove some waste from the skip before the company will remove it. Speak to your hire company to get their expert advice if you’re unsure about weight restrictions and what sort of weight capacity you’ll need.
5. Watch what goes in
   As already mentioned, there is a large number of items that you can’t put into a skip bin. So, make sure that everyone involved in the clean-up and disposal is aware of the rules. If your skip is in a publicly accessible place (e.g. in front of your house), you should make sure that no one else is dumping materials in it.

When it comes to skip bin hire in Melbourne, it’s important to plan ahead and get the advice of a quality and reputable hire company.