When choosing a trash can for your home, it's essential to consider both the size of the container and its suitability for your needs. Different trash can sizes offer varying capacities, which are designed to accommodate different types of households, space constraints, and levels of waste production. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at the various trash can sizes commonly used in homes, breaking them down by their volume and dimensions, and providing insights into their best applications.

Trash Can Sizes Dimensions

1-4 Gallon

Trash cans in the 1-4 gallon range are the smallest trash cans on the market and are often placed under tables, in corner spaces, or in bathrooms where trash is limited to smaller items. These trash cans are ideal for handling lightweight trash such as paper towels, small packages, or bathroom items.

Height: 12-15 inches, Width: 8-12 inches.

The 1-4 gallon size trash can is perfect for individuals or spaces that generate minimal trash, providing an unobtrusive yet practical trash disposal solution.

7-10 Gallon

The 7-10 Gallon series represents a step up in size, providing more space for homes or offices with slightly higher waste needs. These sizes are perfect for small kitchens, home offices, or as a secondary trash can in a room where trash accumulates more than expected. They are large enough to handle typical kitchen scraps, food packaging, and everyday office trash, but are still compact enough to fit into tight spaces.

Height: 15-18 inches, Width: 12-14 inches

12-16 Gallon

The 12-16 gallon trash can is often regarded as the standard size for many kitchens. This size range offers a great balance between capacity and space efficiency, making it perfect for families or individuals who need to dispose of regular kitchen waste, including food scraps, packaging, and other typical household trash. It’s also a common size used in many North American homes due to its versatile nature.

Height: 18-24 inches, Width: 14-16 inches

20-30 Gallon

For larger homes or residences that generate a lot of trash, a 20-30 gallon trash can provides the extra space needed. This size is especially useful for larger kitchens, garage, or outdoor trash containers. Such as yard waste, packaging materials, and even recycling. It is also commonly used in residential areas for yard waste or large family gatherings.

Height: 24-30 inches, Width: 18-22 inches

32-44 Gallon

32-44 gallon trash cans are large containers commonly found in commercial spaces. For households that generate a lot of trash on a regular basis or for those that frequently host parties or events, the 32-44 gallon size provides the ability to handle excess trash. These trash cans are often found in garages, larger kitchens, or even as exterior trash cans on larger properties.

Height: 30-36 inches, Width: 22-26 inches

40-45 Gallon

If you have a large family, manage a sizable property, or run a business, a 40-45 gallon trash can is an excellent choice. Designed for heavy-duty use, these trash cans can hold large amounts of trash without having to be emptied frequently. They are often used in commercial spaces and also work well for households with high trash generation, such as multiple-person households or during home renovation projects.

Height: 35-40 inches, Width: 24-28 inches

55-56 Gallon

Often used in commercial settings, outdoor events or large households with a need for high volumes of waste management, they are the choice for areas with high waste generation, such as large gardens, car parks, or multi-family homes. They are durable and have a large capacity, providing an effective solution for handling large volumes of waste.

Height: 36-42 inches, Width: 28-32 inches

60 Gallon

The 60-gallon bin is the largest of the size and is often used for industrial-scale waste management or very large households. These heavy-duty bins are designed to handle large volumes of waste, often found in commercial establishments, construction sites or large residential areas.

Height: 40-45 inches, Width: 30-34 inches

This size is ideal for large-scale waste management needs, whether it is a commercial property, large estate, or a business that requires constant waste removal. For residential use, it is usually overkill unless you are managing large property cleanups, frequently hosting large parties, or running a fairly large estate.

Average Trash Can Size

For most households, the capacity of the trash can is usually in the following range: 13 gallons (49.2 liters) This is the most common household trash can size. Suitable for most households, especially for use in the kitchen. 

A 13-gallon trash can can handle daily trash without taking up too much space. Dimensions: approximately 24 inches (61 cm) high and 16-18 inches (40-45 cm) wide. A common kitchen trash can is usually compatible with a 13-gallon trash bag. It can hold a week's worth of household trash and is suitable for most households.

Standard Trash Can Size

Some household trash cans have more specific "standard sizes", especially those that are compatible with municipal waste collection systems. Typically, standard trash can sizes come in two common types:

Small standard trash can (10-12 gallons)

• For smaller families or homes with smaller spaces, especially in bathrooms, bedrooms, or small kitchens.
• Capacity: Approximately 10-12 gallons (37.9-45.4 liters)
• Approximately 20-24 inches (50-61 cm) high and 12-15 inches (30-38 cm) wide
• This size trash can is generally suitable for handling light waste, especially small waste in the kitchen or home office.

Large standard trash can (20-32 gallons)

• For larger families or when more waste needs to be handled. Especially useful in kitchens and outdoor areas.
• Capacity: 20-32 gallons (75.7-121.1 liters)
• Approximately 30-40 inches (76-102 cm) high and 18-24 inches (46-61 cm) wide
• Common trash cans, are suitable for family gatherings or households that need to collect large amounts of trash regularly. They are usually compatible with municipal waste collection systems.

Other standard sizes

• Small trash cans: 1-4 gallons (3.8-15 liters), usually used in small spaces such as bathrooms and offices.
• Large trash cans: 50 gallons or more (189.3 liters), usually used for external trash containers or commercial locations.

What Size Trash Can Is Right for Each Room?

Choosing the right size trash can for each room in your home is more than just about volume—it’s about functionality, convenience, and ensuring your space remains tidy. Different rooms have different waste needs, and selecting the right size of trash can not only help manage waste efficiently but also contribute to maintaining a clean and organized home. Below, we break down the ideal trash can sizes for each room in your house.

1. Kitchen: 12-16 Gallons

The kitchen is one of the busiest places when it comes to waste generation. From food scraps and packaging to plastic containers and leftover meals, the kitchen trash can needs to be substantial enough to handle daily use. 12-16 gallon trash cans are the most common size for kitchen areas. They’re large enough to handle daily kitchen waste without taking up too much space.

2. Bathroom: 1-4 Gallons

Bathrooms typically generate smaller amounts of waste, such as paper towels, tissue, empty containers, and hygiene products. For this, a 1-4 gallon trash can is ideal. These compact bins fit neatly into small bathroom spaces, making them practical without being obtrusive.

3. Bedroom: 7-10 Gallons

A bedroom trash can doesn’t need to be huge, but it should be large enough to handle everyday waste like wrappers, tissues, and discarded papers. 7-10 gallon trash cans are the perfect size for most bedrooms, offering sufficient capacity without taking up too much space.

4. Office: 7-10 Gallons

Offices can accumulate waste like paper, cardboard, food packaging, and more. A 7-10 gallon trash can is suitable for most home office setups, allowing you to handle waste without requiring frequent emptying.

5. Living Room: 7-10 Gallons

The living room might not produce as much waste as the kitchen or bathroom, but it still generates discarded items like packaging, small food wrappers, and tissues. A 7-10 gallon trash can works well here, offering enough capacity for regular use while fitting unobtrusively into your living room decor.

6. Garage or Utility Room: 20-30 Gallons

For spaces like garages or utility rooms that deal with heavier waste—such as tool packaging, large plastic containers, or broken items—a 20-30 gallon trash can is necessary. These larger bins are perfect for collecting bulk waste from cleaning, repairs, and organizing projects.

In The End

Functionality is key when choosing the right size trash can for your home. But why settle for a plain, unattractive trash can when you can add style and practicality to your space? For example, Ownkoti's durable small trash cans feature a double-layer design that's easy to separate and clean. What sets these trash cans apart is the intricate pattern printing, not just cheap sticky stickers. The vibrant patterns are printed directly on the surface, ensuring durability and lasting appeal.

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