How to dispose of furniture in NYC

By Najah Ayoub

How to Dispose of Furniture in NYCMaybe you’re downsizing your furniture to make a move to a different, smaller location. Or, perhaps you’re in with the new appliances and out with the old ones. In any case, you may find yourself in a situation where you’re needing to get rid of some large items from your NYC address.

You may or may not be surprised that doing isn’t always as simple as kicking your old furnishings to the designated spot on the curb. For instance, some items can’t be recycled and some require special steps to be taken in order to dispose of them safely.

Following the city’s guidance on disposing of large items, like furniture, will help you avoid having unwanted items hang around longer than you want, hazardous situations, and fines for improper disposal. Keep reading for more details on what large furnishings can be disposed of and how.

The Basics

You can dispose of up to 10 large (bulk) items, per collection day (if that’s the way they can be lawfully collected). All large furniture items that can be collected — to recycling to trash — must be placed in a designated area (typically a curb or alley) and not on private property or the city’s Department of Sanitation cannot collect your items. If you have a particularly large number of furniture items to get rid of, it’s wise to plan to take them to where you normally put your recycling or garbage over a few collection days.

The Specifics

There’s even more to know based on the type of furnishing(s) you’re hoping to get rid of in a proper manner.

What can be recycled

Large items that are mostly metal or rigid plastic can be recycled. They can be placed by your designated area the night before recyclable items are picked up from where you reside. These items can include:

  • Aluminum lawn furniture with plastic webbing
  • Bedsprings
  • Metal bed frame
  • Cabinets
  • Appliances
  • Clothes dryers
  • Crates
  • Dishwashers
  • Large plastic toys
  • Ovens
  • Paper shredders
  • Porcelain-coated metal bathtubs and sinks
  • Washing machines

What must be collected with the trash

Items in your home that are big but that aren’t made mostly of metal can’t be recycled. They can be placed by your designated area the night before trash is picked up from where you live. These items include:

  • Arm chairs, recliners
  • Furniture that isn’t mostly metal or rigid plastic
  • Rugs (make sure to cut larger rugs to 4-foot widths and tied into bundles no higher than 2 feet)
  • Sofas (you’ll need to remove the metal frames from sofa beds and pullouts and put with the other metal recyclables)
  • Toilets
  • Wood tables

Special Items, Rules, and Exceptions

Beyond what can be put out with the trash or the recycling, there are a few other types of disposal procedures you’ll want to follow for specific items.

Items that require a special request to be recycled

Because the following items contain chlorofluorocarbon gas (CFC, also called Freon), you must make an appointment with the Department of Sanitation to have the items picked up so they can remove the CFC safely before it’s recycled:

  • Air conditioners
  • Fridges and freezers (with non-flammable Freon)
  • Water coolers
  • Dehumidifiers

Disposing of Electronics

Electronics cannot be thrown away in the trash or put in the recycling because they contain hazardous material. Such items include:

  • Televisions
  • Computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, cables
  • Laptops
  • Tablets
  • Electronic keyboards
  • Printers
  • Fax machines
  • Scanners
  • Video cameras
  • DVD players
  • Digital converter boxes
  • Cable or satellite receivers
  • video game consoles
  • Tablets
  • Smartphones

Beyond being hazardous, it’s illegal to just throw it away or try to recycle these items. You may be subject to a $100 fine if you dispose of electronics in the trash or recycling. Proper disposal includes taking the following items to designated waste drop-off sites or SAFE disposal events in the city. If you reside in Staten Island, you can request a pick up appointment.

Oversized items

Though you may not find yourself in the situation to dispose of a furniture item that is particularly large, it’s worth knowing how you might need to handle it if you do. If the item won’t fit within a typical trash collection truck, you have two options. You can break the item down so that the pieces will fit or you’ll need to hire a private removal service to take it away.

Bed bugs

If any of your furniture items are infested with bed bugs, you must put a sign on the item once you take it out to your designated trash area. This helps others know not to take the item and reduces the risk of others experiencing a bed bug infestation.

You may need to take the lead on getting rid of some furniture items that you no longer need now or in the future. However, if what’s led you to dispose of these items is a relocation or the need to store your belongings for a period of time, Piece of Cake Moving and Storage is ready and waiting to assist you with either situation. We’re seasoned NYC moving professionals who’ve helped many New Yorkers make moves of all sizes to their new locations or put their belongings into our secure storage facilities for safekeeping. When you need experts to finish the rest of the job after getting rid of some of your furniture, let us help you put the finishing touches on the task at hand.


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