A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Memphis, including Outside-the-Cart bulk pickup, donation programs, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
If you live in Memphis, your bulk pickup runs on a system the city calls Outside-the-Cart, twice-monthly collection on your regular trash day. This page walks through how it works, what gets accepted, and every other free or low-cost disposal option in Shelby County.
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Memphis residents have free Outside-the-Cart bulk pickup twice a month, free Convenience Centers for drop-off, and donation pickup programs across the city. The City of Memphis Solid Waste Management runs the program for residents inside city limits.
Outside-the-Cart bulk pickup
Free with serviceMemphis's bulk item program runs twice per month on your regular collection day, either weeks 1 and 3, or weeks 2 and 4 of each month, depending on your address. During Outside-the-Cart weeks, crews collect bulk items beyond your carts: furniture, mattresses, appliances, large yard debris, TVs, and scrap metal.
Eligibility: All City of Memphis residential customers (single-family homes).
What's accepted: Furniture, mattresses, appliances, large yard debris, TVs, scrap metal, tree limbs.
How to find your week: Your Outside-the-Cart weeks are marked with a blue line on the magnetic postcard calendar mailed to all residents, or in the Memphis Curbside Collection app.
How to schedule: No scheduling needed, bulk goes out automatically on your designated weeks. Look up your collection day at memphistn.gov/solid-waste or call 311 (901-636-6500 outside Memphis).
Memphis Convenience Centers
Free for residentsThe City of Memphis operates several Convenience Centers where Shelby County residents can drop off bulk items, recyclables, yard waste, and electronics free of charge.
Hours: Generally Friday-Sunday, 9 AM - 3 PM (weather permitting). Hours vary by location.
What you need: Latest MLGW (Memphis Light Gas & Water) bill and picture ID. For Shelby County residents only.
Restrictions: No latex paint accepted. No televisions accepted. No commercial or business waste at any facility.
Leaf drop-off: Free seasonal drop-off at Collins Yard, 304 Collins Street, during peak fall season.
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. Memphis partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Memphis: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeMemphis-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition. The right path for furniture, working appliances, and household goods that someone else can use.
Goodwill of Memphis: Free donation pickup for larger items. Visit goodwillmemphis.org.
The Salvation Army: Free pickup of clothing, furniture, and household items. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Multiple Memphis-area locations. Pickup for furniture, appliances, and home goods.
Weekly trash collection. Memphis residents receive weekly trash pickup using the city-issued green 90-gallon cart. Need more space? Residential customers can lease a second cart for $10/month, billed on your utility bill.
Weekly recycling. Single-stream recycling using the gray 96-gallon cart, collected weekly. Accepted: paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and containers, aluminum and steel cans.
Weekly yard waste. Up to half a cubic yard (approximately 2 bags or bundles) per week, collected on your regular trash day. Yard waste must be organic only and placed in a separate pile at the curb.
Senior/Disabled discount. Available for residents 65+ or disabled who meet income requirements.
App and notifications. Download the free Memphis Curbside Collection app (Apple or Android) for service alerts, schedule lookup, and holiday adjustments.
Holiday schedule. Memphis uses a unique system: when offices are closed for holidays, collection adjusts based on which day of the week your collection falls. For Christmas/Thanksgiving, Monday and Tuesday customers may be collected on the Monday before the holiday, check the app or 311 in advance.
Memphis'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 need same-week service or have items that exceed the Outside-the-Cart program, paid options are available.
LoadUp paid pickup
$80+For households who can't wait for the bi-monthly Outside-the-Cart cycle or live outside the City of Memphis service area, LoadUp offers professional removal in Memphis 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 $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
Other paid services in Memphis: 1-800-Got-Junk, College Hunks Hauling Junk, 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 Memphis pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Memphis. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Shelby County operates a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility for county residents. Note: no latex paint accepted, no televisions accepted, and no commercial waste. Bring your latest MLGW bill and picture ID. Several retailers 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.
To report illegal dumping in Memphis, call 311 (or 901-636-6500 from outside the city). Reports can also be filed through the Memphis Curbside Collection app or at memphistn.gov. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Illegal dumping in Memphis carries substantial fines and can be a misdemeanor offense for repeat or commercial-scale violations. The Memphis Solid Waste Department investigates chronic dumping locations through the Solid Waste Code Enforcement team.
Is there really free junk removal in Memphis?
Yes, Memphis offers free Outside-the-Cart bulk pickup twice a month for all city residential customers. The program runs on your regular collection day during weeks 1 and 3, or weeks 2 and 4 of each month, depending on your address. The city also operates Convenience Centers where Shelby County residents can drop off bulk items free with proof of residency. Donation pickup through Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Habitat ReStore is also free for usable items.
When is my Outside-the-Cart bulk pickup week?
Memphis residents receive a magnetic postcard calendar in the mail each year showing both weekly garbage/recycling days and the bi-monthly Outside-the-Cart bulk weeks (highlighted with a blue line). You can also check the Memphis Curbside Collection mobile app or visit memphistn.gov/solid-waste. If you can’t find your schedule, call 311.
How do I dispose of a mattress in Memphis?
Mattresses are accepted in Outside-the-Cart bulk pickup with no special bagging required. They can also be dropped at Memphis Convenience Centers. Donation pickup through Goodwill or Salvation Army is available if the mattress is in good condition. Paid LoadUp pickup starts around $80 for households who can’t wait for the bi-monthly bulk cycle.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Memphis?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Memphis 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 Memphis, contact us to discuss adding your community.
What if I miss my Outside-the-Cart week?
You can take items to a Memphis Convenience Center any Friday-Sunday with proof of residency (latest MLGW bill and ID), or wait two weeks for your next scheduled Outside-the-Cart pickup. Donation programs accept usable items year-round. If you need same-week service, paid hauling like LoadUp starts around $80.
Why doesn't my apartment building have bulk pickup?
Memphis Solid Waste serves single-family residential properties. Most multi-family properties contract with private waste haulers, so the city’s free Outside-the-Cart pickup typically doesn’t apply. Your property’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 Memphis?
Call 311 (901-636-6500 outside Memphis) or report through the Memphis Curbside Collection app or memphistn.gov. 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 Memphis partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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