Junk Removal Services evidence: 24 quotes from 2 creators
Every quote, figure and source behind our junk removal services guide: 24 quotes from 2 creators, grouped by claim, with the full source list.
Every quote, by claim
Accepted figures: each is backed by the creators quoted under it, verbatim and linked to the moment they said it.
Full-time or part-time: full time capable
“In 2018, we started a side hustle with a pickup truck, and now it's a full-time business making over $600,000 a year.”
“the second year with the pickup truck and dump truck duo, we did 460K in sales.”
Ongoing cost: $10,000/month
“10,000 a month in costs.”
Fit by life phase (employed_moonlighter): 0.70 score 0–1
“he was working nights at Safeway and then he would, you know, get off at like 8 in the morning and that's when he would start picking up people's trash.”
Fit by life phase (student): 0.70 score 0–1
“That's 7 hours every day after school we could work on our business.”
Physical demand: high
“When it's a hoarder house and you got to shovel this stuff up and load it in the truck and it's a nasty job, you want to charge more money.”
Vehicle required: yes
“So, he started it as a side hustle with just a beat up pickup truck.”
“the tools that you'll need to start a junk removal business, the first one is you'll need a pickup truck”
Single reports, not yet confirmed
What one creator said, before a second independent source backs it. Not used as a fact anywhere on the site.
Hourly earnings
“Call it 50 bucks an hour per person.”
Monthly earnings, part time
“starting a junk removal business as a side hustle with just a pickup truck, you can expect to make anywhere between three and $5,000 extra every month”
Startup cost
“I got basically put a $2500 investment in the company”
“we spent $4000 on our F-150, which was our first truck.”
Ongoing cost
“10,000 a month in costs.”
Common pitfalls
“And so what they do is they go buy that brand new pickup truck, that brand new dump trailer, and now they got payments, but they ain't got the business.”
“you're lowballing yourself because you want to get every single job.”
“spend all their money on automations before they even figure out how to make money.”
Vehicle required
“the tools that you'll need to start a junk removal business, the first one is you'll need a pickup truck”
“So, he started it as a side hustle with just a beat up pickup truck.”
“Basically, he was just picking up people's crap on like Facebook. Like that's the lowest entry and you can start with a truck.”
Equipment
“the first one is you'll need a pickup truck, you'll need a dolly, you'll need a tarp, you need some straps, a snow shovel, and that's pretty much it.”
“So, we went from a pickup truck. I put some wood walls on the sides. Started charging $300 for that for a load. Then I bought a utility trailer.”
“he started with just bulk trash pickup like a truck and a trailer”
Full-time or part-time
“In 2018, we started a side hustle with a pickup truck, and now it's a full-time business making over $600,000 a year.”
“the second year with the pickup truck and dump truck duo, we did 460K in sales.”
Employee pay in the related job, nationally and by state
BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation, not side-hustle income.
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% | People employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $23.89/hr ($49,690/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $33,590–$75,900/yr | 147,240 |
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,240 |
| Alaska | $45,740 |
| Arizona | $46,910 |
| Arkansas | $35,640 |
| California | $64,890 |
| Colorado | $60,310 |
| Connecticut | $38,220 |
| Delaware | $61,290 |
| District of Columbia | $55,490 |
| Florida | $47,820 |
| Georgia | $46,960 |
| Hawaii | $56,270 |
| Idaho | $49,880 |
| Illinois | $75,050 |
| Indiana | $58,900 |
| Iowa | $49,850 |
| Kansas | $45,510 |
| Kentucky | $43,100 |
| Louisiana | $38,810 |
| Maine | $43,360 |
| Maryland | $41,870 |
| Massachusetts | $50,310 |
| Michigan | $51,030 |
| Minnesota | $62,570 |
| Mississippi | $39,170 |
| Missouri | $50,010 |
| Montana | $49,420 |
| Nebraska | $49,390 |
| Nevada | $61,310 |
| New Hampshire | $46,580 |
| New Jersey | $54,630 |
| New Mexico | $47,660 |
| New York | $64,950 |
| North Carolina | $44,670 |
| North Dakota | $59,000 |
| Ohio | $49,330 |
| Oklahoma | $43,060 |
| Oregon | $63,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,240 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 |
| Rhode Island | $55,970 |
| South Carolina | $34,880 |
| South Dakota | $32,950 |
| Tennessee | $43,270 |
| Texas | $46,330 |
| Utah | $59,310 |
| Vermont | $51,960 |
| Virginia | $46,530 |
| Washington | $74,620 |
| West Virginia | $35,840 |
| Wisconsin | $59,810 |
| Wyoming | $48,820 |
All sources
- Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal, 5 Ways to Make Money With a Pickup Truck (YouTube, 2 Nov 2026, at 0:25)
- Chris Koerner, How Two Teenage Brothers Built a $900k Junk Removal Business with No Money. Ep #054 (podcast, 19 Aug 2024, at 25:28)
- Chris Koerner, This 21 year old makes $30k a month hauling junk (YouTube, 8 Jun 2026, at 1:22)
- Chris Koerner, The Most Underrated Way to Make $50K/Month (YouTube, 26 Feb 2026, at 3:22)
- Chris Koerner, How I Make $35k/Month With Other People's Content (Legally) (YouTube, 27 Jan 2026, at 12:03)
- Chris Koerner, Q&A: Taking junk removal from $1M to $10M by opening a 2nd location, plus more! Ep. #028 (podcast, 10 Jun 2024, at 3:04)
- Chris Koerner, The Easiest Way To Start A Business That Almost Never Fails (YouTube, 9 Dec 2025, at 25:27)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, 31.0.
All data
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Demand trend | stable | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Full-time or part-time | full time capable | Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal, Nov 2026; Chris Koerner, Aug 2024 |
| Nearest occupation | Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | O*NET 31.0 |
| Ongoing cost | $10,000/month | Chris Koerner, Jun 2026 |
| Fit by life phase (employed_moonlighter) | 0.70 score 0–1 | Chris Koerner, Feb 2026 |
| Fit by life phase (student) | 0.70 score 0–1 | Chris Koerner, Aug 2024 |
| Physical demand | high | Chris Koerner, Feb 2026 |
| Vehicle required | yes | Chris Koerner, Feb 2026; Sonoma Strong Hauling & Junk Removal, Nov 2026 |
| Median hourly wage, employees: refuse and recyclable material collectors | $23.89/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Median annual wage, employees: refuse and recyclable material collectors | $49,690/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 10th percentile: refuse and recyclable material collectors | $33,590/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 90th percentile: refuse and recyclable material collectors | $75,900/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| People employed: refuse and recyclable material collectors | 147,240 jobs | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected employment change, 10 years: refuse and recyclable material collectors | 2.1% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Share self-employed: refuse and recyclable material collectors | 3.8% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |