Dreaming of a pail depends partly on the condition of the pail for interpretation and the context. If the pail is dirty and disgusting, it points to a need to clean out the emotional and perhaps also the physical surroundings in your waking life. It would also point to a need to get beyond the surface aspects of some matter.

To dream of a shiny new and clean pail points to justifiable optimism and is a good omen for possibilities coming to you soon. If the pail is neither disgusting or new and clean, but in the middle, and is empty, it points to a feeling of emptiness but that you have (or will soon aquire) the capacity to get beyond this emptiness and/or loss.

If the pail in your dream is full and is very heavy for you to carry, you are feeling overly burdened and this is a clear warning to pace yourself and to consider your workload and whether your efforts are sensible.