Murat
Donating used furniture is the best way to get rid of it, but it’s not always an option. You can’t donate broken pieces, furniture with severe rips or stains, strong-smelling items, or worn-down couches and chairs.
When it’s not in donatable condition, it’s time to dispose of your old furniture. Depending on the size and amount, expect to pay at least a small fee.
Can You Recycle Furniture?
While furniture components, like steel legs or wooden framing, are recyclable, most recycling centers don’t accept furniture. The costs of dismantling and breaking down furniture outweigh the value that recycling centers get. Plus, some elements, like foam, are non-recyclable.
Of course, it never hurts to ask. If you have a recycling center near you, inquire about recycling the specific type of furniture you have.
*If you’re throwing away a mattress, there are recycling laws in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Oregon. In these states, taking a mattress to a landfill is prohibited. Although, there are no laws for the disposal of other types of furniture.
Where to Throw Away Furniture
If you can’t find a way to recycle, here’s where to throw away your old furniture.
Contact Your Local Trash Service
Furniture is a “bulk item” that you can’t leave with your regular trash. Contact your trash service and request a pickup. They’ll schedule a day for you, and you can leave your furniture on the curb. Most trash services will charge a fee for bulk items.
Take it to the Dump
If you have a truck and the manpower to load up your furniture, haul it to the local dump. You can find a landfill by visiting your trash provider’s website or searching for a landfill in your area. It does cost a little bit of money – expect to pay about $30-$40 per ton of furniture.
Rent a Dumpster
Dumpster rentals make sense when you’re doing a large house declutter, have many pieces of furniture to discard, or are starting renovations. You can rent a small dumpster for a couple of hundred dollars, allowing you several days to fill it up. At the end of the contract period, the trash company will retrieve the dumpster and take your items to the landfill.
Hire a Junk Removal Service
When you don’t have the workforce to take your furniture to the curb or haul it to the dump, hiring a junk removal service is a great solution. Consider using a local company or hiring one of the corporate services like LoadUp or 1-800-Got-Junk.
These companies often know how to dispose of all household items in the most eco-friendly ways. If your pieces are recyclable, they will take them to the recycling center.
Where to Throw Away a Couch for Free
When you need to dispose of an old couch, the only free options are to donate (charities will even come to pick up the couch from your house) or recycle. If your sofa is in bad condition and not recyclable, you’re out of luck. You’ll need to pay a small fee to dispose of the couch or other furniture via your local trash pickup or by hauling it to the landfill. For the average-size couch, expect to pay a $10-$20 fee. (Fees can vary by region.)
