Who picks up old furniture for free?

Charities are the main free option. Habitat for Humanity ReStores and the Salvation Army pick up clean, unbroken furniture in many parts of Virginia, and your county, city or town may collect bulk items free on a schedule. Free pickup almost always depends on condition: worn-out, broken or infested furniture usually means a bulk pickup, a drop-off fee or a paid hauler.

Charities that pick up furniture

Habitat for Humanity says its ReStores accept new and gently used furniture, appliances, building materials and household goods, and that many offer free pickup of large items, including furniture.^[1] Each ReStore is different, and Habitat asks you to call yours to confirm donation hours, which can differ from store hours.^[1]

The Salvation Army offers free donation pickup scheduled online by ZIP code,^[2] and says the best way to find out what your local center accepts is to call 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).^[2] Its list of generally accepted items includes unbroken beds, chairs, coffee tables, desks, dining room furniture, cabinets, mattresses and sofas,^[2] plus working appliances that are not built in.^[2] It generally cannot take appliances with mechanical problems, gas appliances of any kind, built-in appliances or large console televisions.^[2]

Fairfax County also notes that several service organizations will pick up donated goods others can use,^[3] and that many appliance dealers include haul-away service when they deliver a new item.^[3] Local churches, shelters, refugee resettlement groups and furniture banks sometimes collect too; call ahead, because many only take specific items.

What charities usually turn down

A charity has to resell or pass on what it collects, so the driver usually checks each piece at the door. Expect a no for tears, heavy stains, broken frames or drawers, strong smoke or pet odors, and missing parts. Upholstered furniture and mattresses get the closest look. Photos sent when you book save a wasted trip.

Never donate a piece that has bed bugs. EPA advises discarding infested furniture responsibly when the bed bugs cannot be safely eliminated, and destroying it so someone else is not tempted to take it home,^[7] for example by ripping the covers, removing stuffing and spray-painting "Bed Bugs" on it.^[7] See how to check a mattress for bed bugs before you offer anything upholstered.

Your locality's bulk pickup

For furniture nobody wants, the trash service you already pay for may collect it at no extra charge.

• Fairfax County. In Fairfax County, county collection customers get five free special collections per fiscal year, July 1 to June 30,^[3] and must schedule them in advance, with sofas, chairs, tables, dressers and mattresses on the accepted bulk list.^[3] A pile is limited to 2 cubic yards, items must be less than 6 feet long, and the county charges for larger piles.^[3] About 90 percent of Fairfax County residents and businesses get trash service from a private company, so their bulk pickup rules come from that company.^[3]
• Richmond. Richmond collects bulk items every other week, on your trash day during your recycling week, from the same spot as your household trash.^[4] City residents can also take bulk items free to the East Richmond Road Convenience Center or the Southside Transfer Station.^[5]
• Blacksburg and Christiansburg. The Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority points Blacksburg and Christiansburg residents to their towns for spring and fall pickup events,^[6] and notes that some charities will pick furniture up free.^[6]

Elsewhere, search your locality's website for "bulk pickup" or "special collection", or call the company named on your trash bill or HOA notice. If items keep getting left behind, see why the trash company won't take bulky items.

Giving it away yourself

A neighborhood email list, community board or online free listing often finds a taker for a usable sofa, table or dresser within a few days. Ask the person collecting it to bring a helper and a vehicle that fits it, and have the piece ready near the door or in the garage. Keep it on your own property, not on the sidewalk or in the street, and take it back in if nobody comes.

When free is not an option

A paid hauler makes sense when the furniture is upstairs and too heavy to carry, when there is a roomful, or when it has to be gone before a move-out or a closing. See how much furniture removal costs in Virginia for drop-off fees and what drives a hauler's price.

Pick the hauler with care. Fairfax County's code requires refuse collectors serving county residents and businesses to hold a permit called a Certificate to Operate,^[8] and contracting with a company that does not have one is a violation of county code subject to civil penalties.^[8] Be wary of an offer to take it for nothing or for very little cash. Under Virginia law, in a civil case, if the plaintiff shows the waste had been in your possession and you gave no permission to put it on the land, there is a rebuttable presumption that you improperly disposed of it,^[9] and can assess a civil penalty of up to $5,000.^[9] Ask any hauler where the furniture is going; more questions are in what to ask a junk removal company before booking.

Stop and call a pro if

• The piece is too heavy or awkward for you and a helper to carry safely, such as a sleeper sofa, piano or solid wood armoire.
• It will not fit through a door or down a stair turn without taking off a railing, door frame or window.
• It is an appliance that still holds refrigerant and your locality will not take it as is.
• Bed bugs or other pests are in the home, not only in the furniture.

Getting it moved through Loclis

For a single couch, how to get rid of an old couch covers each route step by step. Browse more junk removal and moving answers, see furniture removal businesses, or find junk removal and moving businesses around Blacksburg. When you need it carried out, describe the job on Loclis and compare quotes.