How to Dispose Of or Recycle Old Furniture Responsibly?
Throwing away furniture, or at least relocating it for someone else’s use, is something just about everyone will have to consider at some point. Maybe you recently upgraded to a new couch and need to get rid of the old one, or you’ve got an entirely new bedroom set and have old dressers, nightstands and an old mattress that need to go – any project or change in your life can facilitate the need for knowing how to dispose of old furniture.
The question is – where is that furniture going and how is it getting there? It can be quite the job, even for an able-bodied person or a couple working together. And there are other challenges involved; did you know that your municipality might not allow you to dispose of specific pieces of furniture? That can really put a kink in the plans if you haven’t planned for it. Fortunately, most furniture isn’t hazardous, which means there isn’t a law against disposing of it in a landfill.
Is your “old” furniture in perfectly good condition? You might think it’s completely out of style, but there is a high likelihood that someone thinks it is hip and would love to have it in their home. Even if it is a little dirty, consider giving it a light cleaning and donating it or selling.
Also, before you throw it out, make sure you’re not sitting on a valuable piece. Look around for a tag or if it is stamped with a name or brand that indicates it is a collector’s item. You might still want it out of your home, but at least you know you could sell it and help fund your new furniture.
What type of condition means the furniture is garbage?
There will be times when furniture is in such disrepair that the best place for it to be is where nobody else will have to deal with it again. You don’t want unsafe or infested furniture out there.
The following are cases where it’s obviously not worth salvaging:
- fire damaged
- moldy
- water damaged
- termite (or other pest) infested
If you’ve determined that the project is futile or that it would simply cost more to fix it than it would be to buy new, it might be time to recycle what you can and leave the remainder to the landfill.
One of the biggest considerations in how your furniture will be received or not received is related to the size of it. A thrift store that is happy to take your nightstand might want to pass on your king size bed frame and box springs. Some will avoid mattresses altogether, as these can be a difficult piece to move, store and sell, and are sometimes considered unsanitary and won’t ever be considered.
Some furniture types are always going to be in higher demand than others. For example, a classic old wooden desk is preferred by sellers of used furniture, far more so than clunky old fabric recliners. The following are some of the most commonly disposed of furniture:
What type of furniture can you dispose of?
- Wardrobes
- Outdoor furniture
- Cabinets
- Couches
- Sofas
- Sofa beds
- Beds
- Bed frames
- Headboards
- Chairs
- Desks
- Coffee tables
- Dining tables
- Bookcases
- File cabinets
- Dressers
- Wall units
- Cubicles
- Benches
- Boxes
- Office furniture
Are you in a large city or in a rural area? This matters because today it’s so easy to put your furniture on a social media site where you can post photos of it, attract a buyer or taker and get rid of it that way. Rural folks have the same access to these sites, but the pool of buyers/takers is far smaller, limiting their success compared to a city dweller.
Your location can also impact your ability to dispose of waste. Some areas have curbside collection service, yet others do not. Some locations might have limitations on what can go into a landfill while others will not.
As people become more aware of their individual impact on the planet, they have become discerning about what they throw out and increasingly ask, “can you recycle furniture?” As it turns out, recycling unwanted furniture is practically an industry unto itself. When you consider that the EPA estimates around nine million tons of furniture is thrown out each year, it is clear that recycling needs to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
Recycling unwanted furniture not only looks out for Mother Nature, it can also lead to less furniture being manufactured each year as more consumers seek retro items instead of brand new. Furthermore, the overflowing landfills get a much-needed break when old furniture finds a new home.
When you dispose of furniture, you’re getting rid of potentially a diverse range of materials. Everything from wood to plastic, composite wood to metal to natural and manmade fabric is involved in manufacturing furniture today. The more you know about what furniture is made of, the more likely you will be to think about what you’re tossing into the trash, which eventually finds its way to a landfill.
When you consider that homes and businesses utilize furniture, all of which will one day run its course and need to be replaced, either because it is worn out and broken or just to stay fashionable, there are many different categories of materials that will be heading to the dumpster, if not being recycled.
Fortunately, the predominant material used in furniture today remains wood, which is recyclable or compostable. That doesn’t mean challenges don’t exist. For example, plastic, also a popular material in furniture, is recyclable in some forms. Knowing exactly what type of plastics are in your furniture will help you decide where it goes next. Doing your part to stay informed will protect the environment and prevent the wrong types of materials from ending up in the landfill.
A lot of planning goes into a home improvement project, which can include anything from decluttering to a complete remodel. The challenge is knowing how to dispose of old furniture. If you want to recycle your furniture, the challenge is knowing what type of material it is and if that material will be accepted by your local recycling authority.
For example, treated woods, glues and some leathers are not accepted by recycling centers. If you’re in a situation where you’re getting rid of lower-end furniture, you’re probably going to be challenged by the fact that this furniture is often made of synthetic materials and composite wood, which also poses a recycling problem.
You don’t want to introduce toxic materials to landfills or have a recycling center not catch something like polyurethane foam, which many municipalities ban from their recycling centers and landfills because of their levels of toxicity.
It’s unfortunate, but some people would rather skirt the issue of how to handle furniture disposal in a legal way and just throw it in a dumpster. Most municipalities have fines in place for such actions. Furthermore, never consider old furniture disposal tactics like finding a vacant lot to deposit them, or any public or private land for that matter.
Don’t risk being fined thousands of dollars or becoming a felon because you got lazy about how to get rid of your furniture. And while this might seem obvious and that the vast majority of people won’t randomly throw their old furniture in a ditch, some people think they’re doing the right thing by choosing a random dumpster to toss their furniture – it’s against the law so don’t be tempted.
Finally, even if it is your dumpster, be sure to check with your local regulations to make sure you’re not putting something in it that is not allowed in a landfill.
You’ve done your research and identified the new furniture that will adorn your space(s), but now you are looking for pointers on how to get rid of old furniture safely. That’s a smart move, because before you can bring in the new, you have to know what you’re doing with the old, and the more thought out your plan is, the safer and more efficient the process will go.
Having a plan for what to do with old furniture affords you the time to take stock of the outgoing items, determine what materials it is made of, whether or not it can be resold, given away or recycled and then knowing exactly what can be safely thrown away. Furthermore, the safety of the people involved in physically moving the furniture can also be considered, as a thought-out plan on how each piece will be moved and where it will go can ease the process, making it less of a strain, more streamlined and reduce the risk of injury.
If you decide to rent a dumpster for the items that can’t be sold, given away or recycled, your safety plan will also make the best use of the time you have with the dumpster, ensuring that everything goes where it needs to, when it needs to.
There are innumerable ways in which furniture disposal can be a pain. Some of it is heavy while other pieces are just bulky and cumbersome, making them awkward to move. Some furniture is cumbersome and heavy. Other times, you’ve got a set of items you can’t sell or give away, but you aren’t sure if the materials are recyclable. Fortunately, we’ve come up with the top 9 ways you should consider getting rid of your furniture.
Call it donating or gifting or giving – when you dispose of unwanted furniture, it can be a pleasure, as it eases you of your burden and opens up some space, but also gives someone else something for free. Whether they’re in need or just someone who treasures your furniture, when you donate furniture, you’re repurposing it, ensuring it is put to good use.
Dispose of unwanted furniture at your local thrift store if you don’t have someone specifically in mind. Some will even come to you and pick it up, relieving you of the duty and probably saving you a lot of time and effort.
Here is a list of common places that accept furniture donations:
- Nonprofits/Charities
- Donation centers
- Homeless shelters
- Animal shelters
- Schools
- Churches
- Community theaters
- Furniture banks
- Veteran services
- Thrift stores
Check with your local social service agencies, as there will be organizations you might not have known exist that can make use of your donation. If you have a United Way branch in your area, a representative there should be able to point you in the right direction.
Benefits of donating your unwanted furniture:
- You could receive a tax deduction
- Leave the heavy lifting to others
- You’re not utilizing a landfill
Possible restrictions:
- Some organizations won’t pick it up from you
- You must do the research to find a receiver
- Your furniture must be in decent shape
Donating doesn’t have to involve an official non-profit/charitable organization. It could be your neighbor, a friend, a relative or co-worker. If you’ve got furniture that is in decent shape and could be of use to someone else, be sure to ask around before you make a decision to recycle it or throw it out.
When you’ve exhausted all other options and it is clear that the best choice you have is to throw away your property, the easiest way to do that is to acquire a dumpster rental for furniture.
Before you throw away old furniture, check with your dumpster rental company about what can go in the dumpster and what can’t. For example, they’ll probably give you the green light for anything made of wood, but if you’ve got mattresses, they’ll probably tell you it’s not allowed in the landfill, and therefore not allowed in the dumpster.
You can rent the dumpster that fits your needs, which means if you have a small amount of furniture, you can rent a small dumpster, but if the project involves a large amount of furniture, there’s also a dumpster for that. Most rental companies allow you to keep the dumpster for several days, will drop it off for you and pick it up, and charge you between $420 and $690 with no added fees.
Benefits of renting a dumpster for a furniture disposal project:
- The rental company will drop it off and pick it up for you
- Take your time moving your furniture to the dumpster
- Lock in your rate prior to your dumpster arriving
- You don’t have to be present for drop off or pickup of the dumpster
- Have all your furniture removed at the same time
Possible restrictions:
- Rules/laws might limit what you can dispose
- You do the work/lifting
- Not optimal for one or only a few items
Dumpster rentals have long been the go-to tool for decluttering projects, but they are also perfect for most furniture removal situations. If you’ve got a burdensome amount of furniture to get rid of, a dumpster is the way to do it in one fell swoop. If you have questions about what size dumpster will be a great fit for your project, contact us.
For a more hands-off approach, bring in a junk removal service company for your old furniture removal tasks. The process usually involves making contact with the company, discussing what types of materials you’re having removed and the amount of it, and when you want it removed.
The type of equipment they use to remove the furniture will depend on what you have and where it is going. For furniture that is beyond repair, they might send out a dumpster so the furniture can be taken directly to the landfill. If the furniture is going to be repurposed or recycled, they might instead utilize a box truck.
On pickup day, the furniture removal services will send out workers who show up to where your furniture is housed, remove the furniture and haul it off. For most people, this is the value of hiring a junk removal company – they do all the heavy lifting instead of you.
You can leave the destination of the furniture up to the removal company, but if you have a preference, you can work out where it should be delivered, whether it’s to a thrift store, recycling center or a landfill.
The cost will depend on the amount of furniture you are having removed and the individual fees related to each removal company. A ballpark estimate is between $250 to $700 for a small to large load, respectively. Keep in mind that weight is often the most important cost factor.
Benefits of hiring a junk removal service for furniture disposal project:
- Let them do all the lifting
- Schedule removal when it suits your needs
Possible restrictions:
- You must be there when they pick up the furniture
- Weight will drive up the cost
- The more furniture you’re removing, the more it will cost
- Difficulty of removal could add to the price
When you’ve got money to spare, having a junk removal service haul away your furniture is a popular option. This is a great service for people who can’t do the heavy lifting themselves. Keep in mind that most removal companies have a minimum fee, which might not seem worth the cost if you’ve only got a couple light pieces.
Metal is present in many furniture pieces, including bed frames, which is where you’re likely to see the bulk of metal in furniture today. It is prevalent in tables, chairs and desks. Also, box springs have steel coils that can be recycled. In just about any situation, scrap dealers will take your metal furniture.
You’ll need to know what type of metal you have in order to get rid of it more efficiently. It’s either ferrous or non-ferrous. Ferrous metals contain iron and include all types of steel, cast iron and wrought iron. Non-ferrous metals include aluminum, zinc, copper, tin and lead. Most scrap yards will pay you for your metal, which means you need to know what type it is.
Do you have the ability to move your metal furniture on your own? Those old metal desks from the 1950s can be exceedingly heavy, as can more modern and larger metal tables, so having a safe way to get your furniture to the scrap dealer will need to be planned in advance.
Benefits of taking your furniture to a metal scrap dealer:
- Get paid for your metal scrap
- Metal furniture can be recycled
Possible restrictions:
- Requires muscle to move
- You’ll need a means of transportation
- Not all communities have local scrap yards
Getting rid of heavy and bulky metal furniture can really free up space, but you might require some assistance getting it out. Fortunately, whether you’re getting paid by a scrap dealer or simply recycling it at the local center, your metal furniture will be of use when it is off your hands.
When you’ve got a bunch of stuff that needs to be hauled away, this is one of those times it’s a luxury to be a pickup truck owner. When you need to haul away old furniture and you can simply put it in your truck and take it wherever you need to go, whether it’s a landfill or a friend’s house or a recycling center, having a truck is the perfect scenario.
If you time it right, your landfill might take your old furniture without tipping fees; It’s not uncommon for municipalities to sponsor bulk/junk weekends where residents can bring truckloads of stuff, including furniture and toss it in the landfill without having to pay a fee. Normally, landfills charge you per pound.
Always check with your landfill first to ensure they take furniture, as some will not take specific types or have a limit on how much they can take in a specific period of time.
Benefits of hauling away your furniture to the landfill:
- Remove furniture when it’s most convenient to you
- Can be low cost or free
Possible restrictions:
- Pickups don’t hold as much as methods used by professional services (multiple trips)
- Your landfill might be distant, requiring a long drive
- Potential for conflict with landfill if they don’t take furniture
When a large amount of furniture needs to be carted away, the advantages of having your own truck to transport it becomes less apparent, as it could take multiple trips to get rid of all the items.
This is something you definitely want to be sure about before you do it, but some municipalities allow trash pickup at the curb to include not only the traditional trash can, but larger refuse, including old furniture. This is often something that is only allowed once a month or perhaps even more infrequently, so you want to be sure you’re dumping old furniture at the curb is timed correctly.
Generally, these are referred to as “bulk pickups,” but the terminology may differ depending on the service provider. In any case, you will be responsible for placing your furniture at the curb by a specific time (often there will be a set time as to how early you can place your furniture at the curb). The trash haulers will be responsible for picking up old furniture from there.
The cost can vary widely, from free to $50 per piece of furniture, if not more. Usually, the haulers will need to cover the tipping fees, as the dump for furniture isn’t free. And don’t assume that because you have a bulk trash removal day that it includes furniture, as some haulers will not take it.
Benefits of leaving old furniture at the curb:
- Low cost and low effort removal option
- No need for extensive scheduling
- No fees for labor/moving furniture
Possible restrictions:
- Timing might not work out
- Can be difficult for some people to move the furniture to the curb
- Only an option if you have limited bulk items
- Municipality might not allow furniture on curb
The curbside method can be a major win for people who have a select few bulky items they need to get rid of and have the ability to move it to the curb on their own. But when time is of the essence and your pickup date is too far in the future, this won’t be an option.
If you’re in the process of getting rid of a large amount of stuff, it might be a good idea to have a garage sale or a yard sale. You can sell unwanted furniture as well as a lot of other household items that have been in the clutter pile or storage area for a long time.
So many people make rummaging through old stuff part of their weekend hobby, so don’t be surprised at the amount of junk you can get rid of over the course of a weekend. Check with your municipality regarding permits for yard or garage sales. Also, some neighborhoods will have a “yard sale day” where everyone promotes their yard sale on the same weekend, which can attract a larger audience to your items.
Benefits of selling old furniture at a yard or garage sale:
- Sell your furniture and other stuff at the same time
- All you have to do is get it to the garage and the buyer hauls it away
Possible restrictions:
- There’s no guarantee your furniture will sell
- Bad weather could spoil your event
A garage sale is a fantastic way to clear out some space from your living room and home in general, all while earning some money.
Online opportunities for selling furniture are plentiful. For those who don’t have a deadset day in which an item or items need to be removed, putting it up for sale online can be a great option, as you’re putting the word out there and patiently waiting for a buyer to respond. These online services are often free, which means there is no upfront investment on your part.
If you’ve already built up an online presence on specific sites, such as Facebook Marketplace, you will have an easier time getting more eyes on your furniture, increasing the likelihood of it selling. Craigslist is the other go-to site for selling goods, and there is even a special section for selling furniture. The best practices for utilizing online selling platforms include taking good photographs and offering an accurate description of the furniture. If your goal is simply to get rid of it fast, be sure to price it accordingly.
Benefits of selling old furniture online:
- The buyer does all the hauling
- You can make money from your old furniture
Possible detractions:
- Online exchanges aren’t always pleasant
- Selling isn’t guaranteed
When you don’t want to pay someone to get rid of your old furniture and would rather make a dime or two, selling it online is much more attractive. As long as you stipulate that you will not do any of the hauling, you’re going to leave all the work up to the people who buy your furniture. The downside is that when you put old furniture up for sale, there is no guarantee that it will sell fast or sell at all.
If you’ve got room in other areas of the house or simply have a new vision for the furniture you own, you can repurpose it and not have to worry about the hassle of putting it up for sale or scheduling an elaborate yard or garage sale or even paying someone to remove it for you.
Perhaps that old couch will go nicely in your rec room/game room? The bookshelf in your office can become a display case for collectibles in the living room. The ways in which you repurpose old furniture are limited only by your imagination.
For example, if you have wooden chairs with a solid base, you can transform them into nightstands. An old desk can become a workbench/work table. A cabinet can be converted into a bar. A dresser can be transformed into a sink vanity. Simply refinishing a piece from a lighter to a darker color shade of stain can help to transform a space.
Repurposing furniture takes the pressure off landfills, because instead of routing countless pieces there, you’re making good use of it. Whether you’re completely changing the look of the furniture and reusing it or altering it for a completely different use, the outcome of repurposing is a positive all the way around.
Preparing to unload an office full of furniture? Office furniture removal can be quite the undertaking, as logistics will require the right size vehicle to haul it all away. You could always arrange to sell the furniture, but that takes plenty of planning and negotiating the price. Office furniture recycling can also be a burden, as determining what can and cannot go to the recycling center is a time-consuming process that some don’t have the luxury to carry out.
Even donating furniture can come with some logistical aspects that can pose a challenge, especially for large offices where many parts are in motion as preparations for new furniture are underway.
And while repurposing, recycling and/or gifting old office furniture is an option for some, the best choice for others is to rent a dumpster to carry away the old so you can get on with bringing in the new. In this scenario, all you need to do is research your local dumpster companies, understand what size dumpsters they have and which one fits your needs, when they are available and at what cost.
The benefit, aside from the fact that it’s all taken care of at once and you don’t have to manage where it is being taken, is that you also don’t have to wait in line at the landfill and empty the dumpster of its contents – your dumpster company does it for you.
Getting rid of old furniture doesn’t have to be difficult. But the easiest and best way to get rid of old furniture is very much dependent on the individual. For those who are extremely environmentally conscious, they will insist that any furniture that can’t be repurposed will be recycled. For others who need to make some money back on their furniture, the best way to get rid of old furniture is to sell it.
However, when the goal is to find the easiest way to get rid of furniture, a way that requires little to no thought on your part, hiring a dumpster rental company to drop off a dumpster and pick it up once it is full is the way to go. However, you will have to put the furniture in the dumpster yourself.
One option for less labor on your part is to hire a junk removal service, which brings in the labor to do the lifting, but they also charge more than a dumpster rental service. They might charge $100 to $150 for a couple pieces of furniture. A truckload of furniture, which is around 20 cubic yards, will cost around $675 with these services.
Instead of paying $675 you can rent a 20 cubic yard dumpster for $420 and take your time filling it with furniture.
Knowing exactly what to do with unwanted furniture can be a perplexing situation, but a good starting point to ease the difficulty is to consider what kind of material or materials it is made of, as this can help you figure out how to properly dispose of it. For example, your options with wood materials will differ from your options with furniture made of metal. Is the plastic in your furniture recyclable? What about the manufactured fibers? Are they allowed in the landfill? Check out the following information about the most common types of furniture.
Wood remains the predominant material type for wardrobes, which means they can be sanded, refinished and repurposed or recycled. Bargain brands will use composite wood materials in their wardrobes, which could derail your recycling plans, as this material uses various types of bonding agents (chemicals). In either case, if the wardrobe is in good condition, consider donating it.
While most couches have a wooden frame, the various fabrics and foams used in constructing the outer layers can make them difficult to fully recycle. Your best bet is to donate it with a curbside pickup arrangement, but this can only happen if the couch is in good condition. Check with your landfill about material exceptions if you plan on adding your couch to a dumpster.
Table sets are made of everything from wood to metal, glass to plastic or a combination of any of these materials. Retro tables are a hot commodity for resale, but if yours is not in fashion or is in poor condition, check to see if its material is recyclable. Most metals are accepted at scrap dealerships and plastics can go to recycling centers. The landfill is also an option for most table sets.
Rules and regulations often ban bed frames from being donated, but because they are made mostly of wood and/or metal, they are candidates for recycling. Curbside collection is also a common method of ridding yourself of such items. You’ll likely have to put some effort into disposing of bed frames, as they will need to be disassembled before being hauled away.
Another furniture type that runs the gamut of material makeup is the book shelf, which can be anything from wood to plastic to metal. Fortunately, they have many uses aside from displaying/holding books, which makes them a good candidate for repurposing. Only donate them if they are in good condition, but you can also consider recycling them.
Because most dressers are made of wood, they can be refurbished to look like new. This makes them a good candidate for resale, but because they’re made of wood they can also be thrown in a dumpster and deposited in the landfill. If you’re considering donating a dresser, keep in mind that if it is rather large, your local center might not accept it because of space limitations.
Wood, metal and glass are the most popular materials for making desks. Because they can be large and heavy, they aren’t always a good choice for the local thrift store or donation center. They can, however, be broken down and put in a dumpster, or placed curbside on special community junk removal days.
Getting rid of furniture on the cheap is most often done through donation where the organization taking the item agrees to pick it up from you. Of course, selling the furniture is not only cheap, but it puts some money in your pocket. But what if you don’t have the option to sell your furniture or give it away? In this situation, you’re going to be researching the cheapest way to get the item(s) out of your space.
Do you have a community waste program where everyone is allowed to place large items curbside for free pickup? Check around to see if this exists in your neighborhood and when the next one is scheduled. If this isn’t offered in your area, you’re going to need to look into paying for junk removal services or renting a dumpster.
The benefit of a junk removal service is that they will often do the heavy lifting for you, which means you’re paying for their labor as well as transporting the junk away from your house or business. But a cheaper method is to rent a dumpster. The downside is that you have to put the furniture in the dumpster. In either situation, the amount you pay will depend on the number of items, how bulky they are and how much they weigh.
| Furniture disposal option | Average cost to throw furniture away |
|---|---|
| Dumpster rental services | Between $420 and $690 depending on whether a 20 cubic yard, or 30 cubic yard dumpster is needed. This is equal to $21-$23 per cubic yard. |
| Junk removal service | From $675 for a truckload (up to 20 cubic yards), or roughly $33.75 per cubic yard. |
| Self-delivery to a landfill | Between $20 and $50 per item. This does not include the cost of truck rental, gas or time spent hauling. |
When you’re in a situation where you need to pay to have furniture removed, the cheapest option is to rent a dumpster, which comes in a variety of sizes. You can rent the one that best suits your needs and take your time filling it. The convenience is that the dumpster rental company will drop it off for you and pick it up when it is full/when you’re done using it.
One of the most convenient options for throwing away furniture is renting a dumpster. It’s convenient because just about any type of popular furniture in homes and businesses today is allowed to be put in a dumpster. While there are some regulations regarding items, especially mattresses and some foam padding, you can check with your municipality about their regulations for the local landfill or inquire with your dumpster rental company about items that are barred from being placed in a dumpster.
A dumpster is convenient for old furniture disposal for several reasons, most importantly is that when you rent a dumpster and have it placed near or on your property, you can place your items in it at your leisure. This is a less expensive method than hiring a junk removal service.
- Couches
- Tables
- Desks
- Chairs
- Bookcases
- Bed frames
- Dressers
- Recliners
- Sofas
- More
- Mattresses
- Box springs
- Appliances containing freon
While you might sell, give away or recycle some items, at some point it becomes more convenient to use a dumpster to get rid of your junk, including furniture. And for furniture that is beyond repair, a dumpster is probably the only appropriate place for it. Contact us at A City Suburban Dumpsters and let’s discuss why a dumpster rental for furniture disposal is a good move.
Once you’ve made the decision to bring in a dumpster for furniture removal, you need to determine which size will be a good fit for your project. A dumpster rental for furniture goes much smoother when you get one that will hold all of your furniture. For most furniture removal projects, a 20 cubic yard dumpster will suffice. Larger projects require the largest dumpster, which is a 30 cubic yard unit.
This unit will easily fit in an average-size driveway. This unit can hold 8,000 pounds of junk, so it can easily handle several heavy furniture pieces.
If you’ve got a large cleanout project that includes furniture, play it safe by renting the largest dumpster. It’s rated to hold up to 11,000 pounds of material.
If you need help determining which dumpster will be a good fit for your project, give us the details about the furniture you want to get rid of and our experts will offer a recommendation. Getting the right size unit is important to the success of your project and we are here to help.
Your options for free disposal of furniture will vary depending on which neighborhood you’re in. For example, if you have a nearby Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity or other charitable organization that accepts used furniture donations, you’re going to have plenty of options. If these options aren’t available to you or if your local charities aren’t currently accepting furniture donations, you’re going to need to consider other options, including renting a dumpster.
Fortunately, the city has a website where anyone asking, “where can I throw away furniture for free in Chicago?” can check and find options in their area.
As you consider the variety of options for getting rid of furniture in Chicago, one that consistently gets the most attention is renting a roll-off dumpster, as it is the fastest and simplest approach. At A City Suburban Dumpsters, we specialize in simplifying and economizing your furniture disposal process by delivering dumpster containers to your doorstep.
Our dumpster containers are designed to perfectly fit onto your driveway, eliminating the need to maneuver your unwanted furniture to the curb. This streamlines the process, enabling you to effortlessly dispose of your furniture without the hassle of hauling it across your property.
Our affordable dumpster rental services include delivery, pickup, waste disposal, driveway protection, and even post-dumpster cleaning, providing a comprehensive solution for your needs. A quick call to A City Suburban Dumpsters is all it takes to kickstart your furniture removal journey. With our commitment to stellar service, budget-friendly rates, and responsive answers to all your queries, your furniture removal experience is bound to be a breeze.
As you prepare for your furniture disposal project, you’ve got questions that need answered. This FAQ should address all of them:
Yes, you can throw furniture in a dumpster, but not all of it. Before you toss anything into your rented dumpster, consider what it is made of, because there are restrictions on some items. For example, your wooden furniture is not a problem, but your local landfill could have restrictions on various types of upholstered furniture. Throwing away furniture is rarely a problem with dumpster companies, but mattresses are going to be a no-no for most landfills, which means it can’t go in your dumpster.
When you have large and heavy furniture to get rid of, you are going to need assistance. If you’re fortunate, you will have a family member or a friend lend a hand, but when that’s not an option and you can’t do it yourself, you’ll need to call in a junk removal service to do the lifting and removal for you. Another option is to break down the furniture into smaller pieces, making it manageable to move on your own. Yet another option for those who have furniture that is in good shape is to sell it or give it to someone or to an organization willing to come in and move it for you.
Also, keep in mind that if you are renting a dumpster, it will have weight restrictions, so you’ll need to keep the total weight of your furniture tallied as you fill the dumpster.
To get rid of large furniture efficiently, you need to follow the rules of your dumpster rental company. The two most important of which are following weight restrictions and ensuring that your material does not extend over the top edge of the dumpster.
Going over the weight limit will result in added tipping fees at the landfill, which trickle down to the customer. And for safety purposes while in transport, all items in the dumpster must remain below the top edge of the unit.
The largest unit offered by A City Suburban Dumpsters is our 30 cubic yard dumpster. This will hold up 11,000 pounds of material and is the go-to choice for users undertaking large projects. Most of our customers are better suited with the second-to-largest size available, which is the 20 cubic yard unit.
Even distribution of items in the dumpster is usually the best approach. If you’re wondering what to do with used furniture that will be part of the clean-out project, try disposing of the larger pieces first and fill gaps as you go, ensuring that all available space is used efficiently. Finally, make sure no part of the furniture is hanging over the edge of the unit, as it cannot be transported unless all material is at or below the top of the dumpster wall.
Many of our customers at A City Suburban Dumpsters will include other items in with their furniture, so it’s not just a furniture dumpster. Never mix in any objects that are not allowed in a landfill, as they won’t be allowed in the dumpster, either. These include any toxic or flammable items.
If you have transportation already lined up, now you need to know where to dump old furniture. You can take it to the landfill and pay the tipping fee to dump it there, or you can take it to a recycling center or a charitable organization that is taking it as a donation. There is no specific dump for furniture, but you definitely have options.
Under no circumstances should you dump old furniture anywhere that is not legally allowed. Too often, furniture is illegally dumped on the side of the road, in ditches, at parks and even on private property. While it’s not environmentally friendly to take part in such action, it can also result in hefty fines, especially if the items being dumped are toxic. Getting rid of old furniture should always be planned in advance and always in a legal fashion.
Furniture recycling is a green practice that is good for the environment in many ways. You can recycle furniture by taking it or having it transported to a recycling center where it will be broken down and reused. While most furniture is made of wood, which is recyclable, there are many furniture pieces made from metal, which can be recycled as scrap, and some plastic furniture can also be recycled.
Some wooden furniture parts will end up as compost. Parts that can’t be recycled because of their synthetic or chemical makeup can sometimes be repurposed for non-furniture uses. A little creativity goes a long way in taking old furniture and making something new out of it.
Gently worn couches can be donated or sold, but if they’ve been well used, disposal is usually the preferred path. Couch disposal prep often begins by asking what it is made of. When built out of basic, non-toxic materials, getting rid of these types of couches is simple, as they can be recycled or thrown into a dumpster before being deposited in a landfill. Need to know how to get rid of old couches via the dumpster? Contact us at A City Suburban Dumpsters.
Table disposal can be a labor-intensive process, especially for large, sturdy tables that can’t be broken down first. Whether it’s a large coffee table, traditional dinner table or outdoor furniture, knowing how to dispose of a table efficiently might include paying someone to do it for you. However, if you’ve got assistance you can do it at less expense by renting a dumpster and placing it there free of labor costs.
Some landfills will take mattresses, but others will not allow them to be dumped there. Aside from the fact that mattresses take up too much space in a landfill, they clog up machinery that breaks down materials at landfills, but they also create large soft spots that later turn into sinkholes.
Always check with your local landfill before you attempt to dispose of mattresses with them. There are mattress recycling opportunities out there, but rarely will you be successful in selling a used one or finding someone willing to take it from you.