Some towns or cities provide residential garbage service if you live within a designated area. However, if you live outside of this specified area, you'll need to make arrangements to dispose of your garbage on your own.

One solution is to utilize a residential garbage service. A trash service will pick up your garbage on specified dates so that you don't have to haul your trash to the landfill. Before you sign a contract for residential garbage pickup, here are a few questions to ask.

1. Do you need more than one residential garbage container?

It's important to determine how many residential garbage bins you'll need, especially if your property is short on space. Some companies only provide pickup services for garbage, while others will pick up trash and recyclable items as long as they're separated. You need to know what items the garbage service will pick up so that you know how many containers you'll need. This will help you determine where you will place the containers, and you can adjust your budget to purchase additional containers if necessary.

2. How do holidays and inclement weather affect the pickup schedule?

Many garbage services don't run their trucks on major holidays. If your area is affected by severe weather, this may cause services to be postponed. You need to know how these occasional disruptions alter your service. Some companies may shift the pickup date by a day or two, while others may skip a pickup and resume their normal schedule the following week.

3. Are there any items you're prohibited from putting in the garbage containers?

Make sure your garbage service can haul away the items that you need to dispose of and that you understand your responsibilities for bagging your trash. There might be specific things you're not allowed to place in the containers, such as items that can be recycled or things that are potentially hazardous. Your service may not accept yard waste, or they might have different procedures for items that can be dangerous. Know what you can throw away and what steps you need to take to correctly dispose of certain items.

4. What's the payment schedule for garbage service?

You should inquire about the payment schedule for garbage service so that you can ensure that it fits in your budget. It's also important to know when the payments are due so that you can avoid late fees. Some companies will offer a discount to customers who pay for their service annually rather than monthly or quarterly, so check that you ask if they offer any discounts for prepaying your bill.

Contact a garbage removal service for more information.