1. Decide the schedule
Start with how many nights a week the service runs and which nights. Four to five nights is typical. Sunday through Thursday is our standard, but the right schedule depends on your property and how much trash your residents put out.
The service window matters too. Ours runs 7:00 to 9:00 PM, with bags set out by 6:00 PM. An evening window means bags are out for a short time and gone before residents go to bed.
2. Set the resident rules
Keep the rules short enough that residents remember them:
- Tied bags only. No loose trash.
- A per-bag weight limit (ours is 25 lb)
- The set-out time, and no bags out on off nights
- Where bags go: directly outside the unit door
- What isn’t included, such as bulk items, and where those go instead
Decide now how the office wants repeat problems handled. At Redstone, non-compliant bags get a courtesy note, and repeat issues are escalated to your team only if you ask for that.
3. Decide how the cost is handled
If you’re recovering the cost through a resident fee, settle the amount and update the lease or add a lease addendum before the launch notice goes out. Residents accept a new fee more easily when the notice explains the service and the fee together. Have your team or counsel confirm how fees need to be disclosed. See how valet trash pricing works for more on cost.
4. Choose a provider and walk the property
A good provider will want to walk the property before quoting. The walkthrough is where the route, crew size, and timing get worked out against your actual buildings, stairs, and dumpster locations. Use it to ask the questions in our guide to choosing a valet trash company.
From signed contract to first night of service is typically two to three weeks with Redstone Valet. That window covers route planning, staffing, equipment, and resident materials.
5. Tell residents early and more than once
Most early non-compliance comes from residents who never saw the notice. Plan to tell residents several ways before launch:
- A written notice with the start date, schedule, rules, and any fee
- The same information in your resident portal and by email
- A reminder a few days before the first service night
- A short rules summary residents can keep and check later
Redstone provides the resident communication materials during onboarding. Your team distributes them through your normal channels.
6. Expect a learning curve in the first two weeks
The first couple of weeks always include loose bags, heavy bags, and bags set out on the wrong night. That’s normal. Courtesy notes do most of the teaching. Resist the urge to treat every miss as a lease violation early on.
Stay in close contact with your provider during this period. You should be able to reach someone who can fix a problem the same night.
7. Check in after the first month
After a month, walk the property at night and in the morning. Look at breezeways, stairwells, and the dumpster area. Ask your maintenance team whether trash-related work orders have dropped. Adjust the schedule or rules if something isn’t working.
Adding valet trash in Alabama and Nashville
Redstone Valet is a locally owned valet trash company based in Huntsville, serving apartment and multifamily communities in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Athens, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Nashville. We handle route planning, staffing, equipment, and resident materials, and the owner is your direct contact. Request a proposal to get started.