We put our bin out once every two months and they are still hardly half full, been recycling for over 25 years now, if we get a big box like a large TV box I always stand next to the bin and tear it up into approx. 2inch pieces and they hardly take up any space also hedge and tree cuttings cut them up and put them in garden compost bin, neighbors have always said I'm crazy but the satisfaction from doing these things is everything is nice and tidy and never had problems with the bin men, also every time I clean and polish my car I do the wheelie bins also