In most cities, putting a sofa at the curb for bulk pickup costs nothing. In Seattle, it costs $30. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) charges per item for large furniture, appliances, mattresses, and TVs. That surprises a…
Detroit Bulk Item Pickup Guide: DPW Rules, Metro Detroit Suburbs, and Other Options
In June 2024, Detroit moved to weekly collection for everything: trash, recycling, yard waste, and bulk items. For residents who remember the old biweekly schedule and its missed pickups, the difference was immediate…
San Francisco Bulky Item Pickup: Recology Rules, Limits & Alternative Options
Getting a couch out of a third-floor flat in San Francisco is a different problem from getting one out of a house with a driveway. The staircase is narrow, there's no elevator, and the loading zone is whatever patch of…
Boston Bulk Item Pickup Guide: 311 Rules, Allston Christmas & What the City Won’t Take
Every August 31st, the sidewalks in Allston start filling up. By morning of September 1st, they're lined with sofas, dressers, mattresses, and things that have clearly seen better days. Boston calls it Allston…
Philadelphia Bulk Item Pickup: Couches, Refrigerators, and Everything in Between
In Philadelphia, you can drag a refrigerator to the sidewalk, double-check that it's the right collection day, set it out on time, and still watch the truck drive past without stopping. The refrigerator isn't the…
Houston Heavy Trash Pickup: Collection Rules, Accepted Items & Alternatives
It's August in Houston, the temperature just hit 105°, and it's not even noon yet. Your window AC unit died overnight and the replacement is already on the way. You set the broken unit out on the curb next to a worn-out…
Washington DC Bulk Trash Pickup: What DPW Takes and What It Doesn’t
Most Washington DC residents who try to schedule a DPW bulk trash pickup qualify without a problem. Some call 311 and find out their building doesn't. Washington DC's Department of Public Works' bulk trash program…
Charlotte Bulk Item Pickup: How CLT+ Works and What Gets Rejected
The city of Charlotte will pick up your old couch, your broken TV, and your washing machine. All you have to do is ask first. That's the part most people miss. The city's bulk item program is free, unlimited, and one…
Phoenix Bulk Trash Pickup: What the City Will and Won’t Take
If you put your old couch at the curb in Phoenix without booking an appointment first, you'll likely end up with a violation notice and your sofa still sitting there. The zone-based quarterly schedule ended in September…
Miami-Dade Bulk Trash Pickup: What Gets Taken and What Doesn’t
Two things trip up Miami-Dade residents when they use the county's bulk waste program for the first time. They put a mattress at the curb without a properly sealed bag and come home to a $100 fine. Or they set out a…