A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Denver, including Large Item Pickup every 9 weeks (max 5 items plus 10 bags), the regional Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site, donation programs, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Denver runs Large Item Pickup on an unusual 9-week rotating cycle, not monthly, not on-demand. Every household gets it automatically on their normal trash day with no appointment needed, capped at 5 large items plus 10 bags. The catch: if you need something gone faster than the next 9-week window, the city won't help, and the exclusion list (electronics, Freon appliances, hazardous, construction debris) is long. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
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Denver residents have automatic Large Item Pickup every 9 weeks, a 3-cart system (trash, recycling, compost), and donation pickup programs. The City and County of Denver Solid Waste Management serves residential properties within Denver city limits. Beginning January 2025, most collection routes operate Monday through Thursday (no Friday collections for most areas).
Large Item Pickup (every 9 weeks, no appointment)
Free with serviceDenver provides Large Item Pickup automatically on a 9-week rotating cycle, collected on the same day as your regular trash. No appointment, no scheduling, no calls. The catch: each household is limited to 5 large items plus 10 extra bags or bundles, and if you miss your window you wait 9 weeks. The exclusion list is long, so review carefully.
Eligibility: Every Denver household with city trash service.
Frequency: Every 9 weeks, on the same day as your regular trash collection. Find your specific Large Item week at denvergov.org or via the Denver Trash & Recycling app.
Limit: Up to 5 large items (furniture, mattresses, appliances without Freon) plus 10 extra bags or bundles of trash beyond your normal cart.
Set-out time: Items must be at the curb by 7 AM on collection day. Don't set out more than 24 hours before your scheduled pickup, this is a code violation.
Mattress rule: Mattresses and box springs must be sealed in plastic bags before placement at curb.
Common rejections: TVs, monitors, computers, electronics; refrigerators, freezers, ACs (Freon); paint, batteries, motor oil, hazardous; lumber, drywall, concrete, construction debris; tires; propane tanks. These are illegal to put in regular trash in Colorado.
Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS) self-haul
Tipping feesThe Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site at 2100 W Oxford Ave is the regional landfill serving the Denver metro area, operated by Waste Management. Self-haul is the standard fallback when items don't qualify for Large Item Pickup or you can't wait 9 weeks. Standard tipping fees apply (vary by load size and material).
Address: 2100 W Oxford Ave, Denver/Sheridan, CO.
What's accepted: Most household waste, large items, construction debris, items not accepted in city Large Item Pickup.
Cost: Tipping fees vary by load size. Typical small-vehicle drop-offs run $25-$60 depending on volume.
Useful for: Items between Large Item Pickup windows, items beyond the 5-item limit, items the city won't take.
Hazardous Waste & Electronics drop-off
Free for residentsDenver runs free hazardous waste collection events and electronics recycling drop-off for residents. These are the right path for items the Large Item Pickup explicitly excludes.
What's accepted: Paint, household chemicals, batteries, motor oil, fluorescent bulbs, electronics (TVs, computers, peripherals).
How to use: Check denvergov.org for current events and locations. Some retailers (Best Buy for electronics, Home Depot for batteries) offer year-round options.
Freemoval (partner-community pickups)
FreeFreemoval is a social impact program that subsidizes free junk removal pickups in partner communities, typically affordable housing properties and select municipal partnerships. Denver partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Denver: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeDenver-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition.
The Salvation Army: Free pickup of clothing, furniture, household items. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Multiple Denver-area locations. Pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill of Colorado: Donation pickup for larger items in the Denver metro area.
Three-cart system. Denver uses a simple residential setup: black cart for trash (weekly), purple cart for recycling (every other week, A/B schedule), green cart for compost (weekly). Pay-as-you-throw pricing, smaller trash cart means lower monthly bill. Recycling and compost carts are free in any size.
Volume-based pricing. Denver bills trash service based on cart size. Downsizing your trash cart is one of the easier ways to lower your monthly bill, and the recycling and compost carts are included at no extra charge.
Set-out rules. Carts at the curb by 6 AM on collection day, no earlier than 7 PM the night before. At least 2 feet of clearance on all sides of each cart. Bag and tie all trash; never bag recycling. Compost may be loose or in CMA-certified compost bags or paper bags.
A/B recycling schedule. Denver recycling alternates weeks. Your address is permanently assigned to either Week A or Week B. Use the official lookup tool at denvergov.org to confirm which week you're on.
Service days changed January 2025. Most Denver collection routes now operate Monday through Thursday only, no Friday collections for most areas. Check denvergov.org or the Denver Trash & Recycling app for your address-specific day.
Holiday delays. When service falls on or after a Solid Waste holiday, pickup moves one day later for the rest of the week. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (observed July 3), Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.
Weather suspensions. Severe weather (heavy snow, freezing temps, high winds) can suspend collection. Denver typically resumes the next business day; leave carts out until picked up.
Multi-family limits. City service is for residential properties within Denver city limits, typically single-family homes and small multi-unit buildings. Larger apartment complexes use private haulers.
Denver's donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
Items typically not accepted: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don't work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call before scheduling if you're unsure, pickups that find unacceptable items will leave them behind.
For households who can't wait the up-to-9 weeks for the next Large Item Pickup window, have items beyond the 5-item limit, need items the city excludes (electronics, Freon appliances, construction debris), or have urgent move-out timelines, paid options are available.
LoadUp paid pickup
$79+For households who need same-week service, exceed the 5-item limit, or need items the city won't take (electronics, Freon appliances, construction debris), LoadUp offers professional removal in Denver with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What's included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $79 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
Other paid services in Denver: 1-800-Got-Junk, College Hunks Hauling Junk, Junk King, comparison-shop for larger jobs.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book a Denver pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Denver. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Denver hosts free Household Hazardous Waste collection events for residents. Check denvergov.org for current dates and locations. Several retailers also offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, and most pharmacies for unused medications. Putting hazardous waste in regular trash violates Colorado law and can result in fines.
To report illegal dumping in Denver, call 311 (or 720-913-1311) or use the Denver 311 mobile app. Reports can also be filed at denvergov.org. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Denver code enforcement actively investigates dumping reports. If you're considering dumping because you can't afford a haul or don't want to wait 9 weeks for Large Item Pickup, please use a paid hauler, many private services in Denver offer same-day pickup starting around $79, well below the cost of an illegal dumping fine.
Is there really free junk removal in Denver?
Yes, every Denver household with city trash service gets Large Item Pickup automatically every 9 weeks on their normal trash day, with no appointment needed. Each pickup is limited to 5 large items (furniture, mattresses, non-Freon appliances) plus 10 extra bags or bundles. Mattresses must be sealed in plastic. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, and Goodwill is also free for usable items. Note: electronics, Freon appliances, hazardous waste, construction debris, and tires are NOT accepted in Large Item Pickup.
When is my next Large Item Pickup in Denver?
Denver runs Large Item Pickup on a 9-week rotating cycle by neighborhood. Find your specific weeks at denvergov.org (search “large item pickup”) or via the Denver Trash & Recycling app (iOS/Android). The city typically sends mailers or door hangers before your scheduled week, but checking online is more reliable.
What if my Large Item Pickup window is too far away?
You have three real options. (1) Self-haul to the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS) at 2100 W Oxford Ave, the regional landfill operated by Waste Management. Tipping fees apply but are usually $25-$60 for a small-vehicle drop-off. (2) Hire a private hauler, companies like LoadUp start around $79 per item with same-day or next-day pickup. (3) Donate usable items through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, or Goodwill for free pickup, often within a week.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Denver?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Denver through 2026. If your property is part of the program, your property manager will provide a booking code. If you operate housing or work in a city department in Denver, contact us to discuss adding your community.
How do I dispose of a refrigerator in Denver?
Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners contain Freon (refrigerant) and are NOT accepted in Denver's Large Item Pickup. Federal EPA Section 608 requires certified handling. Options: (1) Hire a certified technician to remove refrigerant (typically $30-$80) and self-haul to DADS. (2) Use a paid hauler that handles certification. (3) Many appliance retailers offer free haul-away with delivery of a replacement, ask before purchase. (4) Some utility programs offer rebates for working refrigerator recycling.
What if I live in an apartment in Denver?
Denver Solid Waste serves residential properties within city limits, primarily single-family homes and small multi-unit buildings. Larger apartment complexes have private waste collection arrangements. Your building’s contracted hauler may or may not include bulk service, ask your property manager. This gap is exactly why Freemoval exists: residents of multi-family low-income housing often have the fewest free options.
How do I report illegal dumping in Denver?
Call 311 (or 720-913-1311) or use the Denver 311 mobile app. Reports can also be filed at denvergov.org. Include location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible.
Is this page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated May 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
Freemoval is actively onboarding Denver partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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