If you’ve never hired a skip before, you might think it’s just a case of chucking everything in randomly and forgetting about it. However, whilst this might work, taking some time to plan what goes in and how you layer it could save you time and money.
Organise
First up is to take stock of what you’re throwing away. This doesn’t need to be a detailed inventory of every item. But it will help to divide all the waste into four broad categories. Flat items, tessellate objects (bricks & blocks), large bulky items, and loose debris like soil or sand.
By categorising everything, you’ll be able to fill your skip efficiently and minimise the empty space. Think about it like a giant game of Tetris that you get to plan for ahead of time.
Flat items
Anything flat is going to be your starting point. These include radiators, doors, window frames, flooring, cardboard, or fencing. If you’ve got glass that needs to go in, lean it against the sides to try and keep it in one piece. It’s OK if it breaks, but if you can keep it stacked on the sides, it makes things easier.
Tessellate objects (e.g. bricks or blocks)
Next up, you’ll want to get the ‘blocky’ items in. Again, try and load your skip so there is a roughly even layer. This doesn’t need to be perfect, and you can also arrange them to leave pockets of space for large or bulkier items you need to add.
Large or bulky items
The large or bulkier items that don’t slot in neatly can go in next. For things like sofas or furniture, it’s best to try and break these items down if you can. But now is the time to chuck them in if you can’t.
Loose debris
The last item to go in is loose debris. Things like soil, sand, or anything made up of smaller parts are great as they can help to fill the small pockets of space left between the larger items. Filling up the gaps also helps to keep the waste secure and locked in place.
How high can you fill a skip?
You should never load a skip past the lowest edge, so it must be ‘level loaded’ or not overflowing. Check out our faq section for more details – What if I overfill my skip?
How to fill a skip with a wheelbarrow
The safest way to use a wheelbarrow is to carry the waste to the skip. Then, either shovel it in if it’s loose debris or, failing that, load it in by hand.
You can use a ramp to run the wheelbarrow up and dump the waste. But only do this if you’re confident; the ramp will likely be narrow and the wheelbarrow heavy. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re more likely to injure yourself than you are to save time.
Hopefully, you’ve found this guide helpful. Loading a skip isn’t complicated, and you don’t need to worry about how well you’ve packed everything in. You’ll be fine if it’s not overfilled and doesn’t contain any waste that’s not suitable to go in a skip.
A little planning and preparation won’t just help to save time, but might even save money too!
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