Rubbish Removal When Moving in Melbourne: What Goes, What Stays
By Move Near Me team ·
Short answer: Rubbish removal when moving should start 4 to 6 weeks out. Book your council’s hard waste collection first, sell or donate furniture that still works, and take paint, chemicals and gas bottles to the right drop-off, because we won’t carry them. Move Near Me adds a rubbish load to your move, from $90 + GST per load, for whatever’s left.
Below: where each item goes, when to book, and what renters and sellers must leave or remove.
Rubbish removal when moving: what goes where
| Item | Best option | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture in good condition | Sell or donate it | Free | Allow time to find a buyer |
| Broken furniture and mattresses | Council hard waste collection | Free within your property’s allowance | Yes, book as early as you can |
| Cardboard and packing waste | Recycling bin over a few weeks, or a rubbish load | Free, or from $90 + GST per load | No |
| E-waste (anything with a plug or battery) | Council e-waste drop-off | Often free for small items | Check your council |
| Paint | Paintback drop-off | Free | No booking, check site hours |
| Household chemicals | Detox your Home | Free | Check the event or site dates |
| Gas bottles | A council transfer station that takes gas cylinders (not Detox your Home) | Varies | Ask first |
| Drink containers | CDS Vic return point | You get 10c per eligible container | No |
| General leftovers | A rubbish load added to your move, or a skip | From $90 + GST per load, or skip hire | Add it when you book |
CDS Vic started on 1 November 2023 and covers most drink containers from 150 mL to 3 L that carry the 10c mark.
How do I book a hard rubbish collection before moving in Melbourne?
Book through the council for the address you’re leaving as soon as you know your moving date. The allowance belongs to the property, not to you.
In Darebin (Preston, Reservoir), the free hard waste collection is one booked collection of up to 2 m³ per financial year for eligible residential properties that pay the kerbside waste charge. The charge can be paid by the resident or the landlord, and renters in an eligible property can book. If it’s already been used this year, by you, a previous tenant or the owner, you wait for the new financial year on 1 July or pay.
In Casey (Berwick, Narre Warren, Cranbourne), hard waste collections allow two collections per calendar year, with the pile kept within 3 m³. The allowance resets on 1 January, and Casey warns that the first week of January is very busy.
In Boroondara (Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell) takes hard waste bookings online or by phone; items go out shortly before the collection.
Rules differ by council, so check your council’s page.
How do I dispose of paint, chemicals and gas bottles when moving?
Take paint to Paintback and chemicals to Detox your Home, and ask your council about gas bottles. Move Near Me doesn’t carry dangerous goods, on the move or in our rubbish loads. Our terms say we don’t move “gas bottles, petrol, fuel-containing equipment that hasn’t been drained, paint, chemicals, ammunition, explosives or asbestos”.
- Paint: Paintback takes household paint free, up to 100 L per visit in containers of 20 L or less.
- Chemicals: Detox your Home takes cleaners, pool and garden chemicals, fuels, machine oil (not motor oil) and small butane canisters free, in containers under 20 L or 20 kg.
- Gas bottles: Detox your Home does not accept gas bottles or cylinders. Some council transfer stations take them, so ask your council.
- Mowers and other fuel equipment: drain the fuel before moving day.
- Asbestos: if you suspect it, don’t touch it. The Victorian Asbestos Hub advises using a licensed asbestos removalist.
- E-waste: Victoria has banned e-waste from landfill since 1 July 2019 (e-waste ban).
Council hard waste has its own exclusion list too. Our packing guide covers what to use up as you pack.
What happens to things left behind in a rental in Victoria?
Your rental provider must deal with them under Victoria’s specific rules for goods left behind, and leftover rubbish can lead to a claim on your bond. So leave nothing behind.
Under Consumer Affairs Victoria’s goods left behind rules, rental providers can dispose of perishable food, dangerous goods and worthless items straight away. Saleable goods, medals, trophies, prescription medication and personal documents must be stored, with notice to the renter, first. Check CAV for current storage periods.
Leave the property empty and clean. Our guide to moving out of a rental in Victoria covers the exit, the RTBA handles bonds, and Consumer Affairs Victoria has current renting rules.
What can I leave behind when I sell my house in Victoria? (Fixtures vs chattels)
When you sell, fixtures stay with the house, and fittings and chattels go with you unless the contract says otherwise.
Consumer Affairs Victoria defines the three:
| Type | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Fixtures | Attached to the property and can’t be removed without damage | Built-in wardrobes, stoves |
| Fittings | Removable items; they must be listed in the contract if the buyer wants them to stay | Light fittings, air conditioners, garden ornaments |
| Chattels | Movable personal property | Furniture |
Items like curtains, a dishwasher or a garden shed aren’t always clear-cut, which is why CAV’s buying checklist tells buyers to ask the agent about items that look like fixtures but could be removed at settlement. If the contract lists an item as included, it stays, so keep it out of the rubbish pile.
Skip bin, rubbish load or council collection: which is cheaper?
Council hard waste is cheapest if the allowance is still available. For moving-day leftovers, a rubbish load is simpler than a skip unless you have renovation-scale waste.
Skips on the street need a permit. In Casey, you need a permit to place a skip on a council road or nature strip, but not on your own property, and not if the skip contractor holds an annual permit. Approved permits are sent within 7 business days.
Don’t leave piles without a booking. The EPA treats dumped waste left where it isn’t authorised as an offence, and councils handle reports of dumped household rubbish.
Worked example 1: 3-bedroom house, Preston to Doreen, with 1 rubbish load
A weekday move on Wednesday 9 December 2026. Our quote form recommends 3 removalists and an 8 t truck, so the team rate is $105 + $45 + $20 = $170/hour. It estimates 4.75–6.25 billable hours, including the 30-minute call-out.
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Labour (3 removalists + 8 t truck, incl. call-out) | 4.75 hrs × $170 = $807.50 | 6.25 hrs × $170 = $1,062.50 |
| Rubbish removal (1 load) | $90.00 | $90.00 |
| Total (ex GST) | $897.50 | $1,152.50 |
| Total inc GST | $987.25 | $1,267.75 |
Labour has a 2-hour minimum plus the 30-minute call-out, and after that it’s billed in 15-minute blocks. The rubbish load is a “from” price, confirmed when we call you back.
Worked example 2: 2-bedroom unit, Hawthorn to Balwyn, Saturday
Saturday 28 November 2026, 2 removalists and a 4.5 t truck. The Saturday surcharge adds $10/hour, so the team rate is $115/hour. Our quote form estimates 4.25–5.75 billable hours, including the call-out.
| Item | Without rubbish | With 2 rubbish loads |
|---|---|---|
| Labour (4.25–5.75 hrs × $115, incl. call-out) | $488.75–$661.25 | $488.75–$661.25 |
| Rubbish removal | n/a | 2 × $90 = $180.00 |
| Total (ex GST) | $488.75–$661.25 | $668.75–$841.25 |
| Total inc GST | $537.63–$727.38 | $735.63–$925.38 |
The rubbish goes on moving day with no extra booking. A skip means a separate hire, a street permit with its lead time, and a bin outside for days. See our full removalist costs for every rate.
Rubbish clear-out timeline before moving day
Start six weeks out so council bookings and drop-offs fit around the rest of your move. For everything else, use our moving house checklist for Melbourne.
6 weeks out
- Sort everything into keep, sell, donate, hard waste, hazardous and recycle
- Sellers: check the contract for included fittings. Renters: ask your property manager if this year’s hard waste collection has been used
- Book council hard waste
4 weeks out
- List furniture for sale or arrange donations; we can deliver sold items with furniture removals Melbourne
- Take paint to Paintback and chemicals to Detox your Home
- Ask your council which transfer station takes gas bottles
2 weeks out
- Take e-waste to a drop-off and cash in drink containers
- Book your move and tick rubbish loads for anything left over
- Apply for a skip permit if you need one
48 hours out
- Put hard waste out only in your booked window
- Drain fuel from mowers and outdoor equipment
- Bag up the last of the general rubbish
Moving day
- Show the crew which items are rubbish
- Walk through the empty property
FAQ
Q: Do removalists take rubbish when you move house? Some do, as an add-on. Move Near Me adds rubbish removal to a move from $90 + GST per load, on top of the hourly labour, but doesn’t take paint, chemicals, gas bottles or asbestos.
Q: Can renters book a council hard rubbish collection? In Darebin, yes: eligibility depends on the property paying the kerbside waste charge (whether the resident or the landlord pays it), and renters in an eligible property can book. Check your own council’s page.
Q: What if the property’s free hard waste collection has already been used this year? Wait until the allowance resets (1 July in Darebin, 1 January in Casey), pay for an extra collection, or add a rubbish load to your move.
Q: Where do I take old paint, chemicals and gas bottles in Melbourne? Household paint goes to a free Paintback drop-off, and household chemicals go to Sustainability Victoria’s free Detox your Home service. Detox your Home doesn’t take gas bottles; some council transfer stations do, so ask your council.
Q: Do I need a permit to put a skip bin on the street? In Casey, yes. You need a council permit for a skip on a council road or nature strip, but not on your own property, and not if the skip contractor holds an annual permit. Check your own council’s rules.
Q: Is it illegal to leave rubbish on the nature strip without a booking? Yes. EPA Victoria treats leaving waste where it isn’t authorised as dumping, and councils handle household dumping reports. Only put items out in your booked collection window.
Ready to clear out and move? Get an instant estimate and tick rubbish loads in the form, or see our house removals Melbourne service.