A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Minneapolis, including free 2-items-per-week large item pickup with the “For Solid Waste” note rule, free curbside organics composting, six annual cleanup vouchers for the South Transfer Station, the ABE/CD recycling rotation, the illegal-to-bag-yard-waste rule, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Minneapolis quietly runs one of the most generous bulk pickup systems of any major U.S. city: up to 2 large items per week, every week, free, with no annual cap. The catch is the “For Solid Waste” note rule, if you don't attach a label, crews may not collect. Mattresses and appliances must go out on recycling week, while furniture goes on garbage week. Plus you get up to 6 free cleanup vouchers per year at the South Transfer Station for additional disposal. Minneapolis also has the unusual ABE/CD recycling rotation (not a simple A/B), and bagging yard waste in regular plastic bags is illegal under Minnesota state law. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
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Minneapolis residents have free 2-items-per-week large item pickup, free curbside organics composting (opt-in), free curbside yard waste collection in season, six free cleanup vouchers per year at the South Transfer Station, and donation pickup programs. The City of Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling division serves single-family homes and buildings with 4 or fewer units, approximately 125,000 residential properties.
Large Item Pickup (2 items/week, free, no scheduling)
Free with serviceMinneapolis residents can set out up to 2 large items per week with regular collection, no scheduling, no annual limit. The system is one of the most flexible in the country. The critical rule: attach a note that says “For Solid Waste” to each item. Unmarked items may not be collected. Different items go on different days, furniture on garbage day, mattresses and appliances on recycling day.
Eligibility: City-served properties (carts say “Property of the City of Minneapolis”). Single-family homes and buildings with 4 or fewer units.
Limit: 2 large items per week. No annual cap. Both items can go out the same day or split across the week.
Mandatory note: Attach a note saying “For Solid Waste” to EACH item. Unmarked items may not be collected.
Garbage day items: Wood furniture and plastic items (chairs, tables, shelves, dressers, plastic toys).
Recycling day items: Appliances (stoves, washers, dryers), electronics, mattresses, hide-a-beds, recliners, metal items. Items have recyclable parts.
Refrigerator prep: Remove doors from fridges and freezers (or secure tightly).
Mattress rule: Place out by 6 AM the morning of recycling pickup. Waterlogged or frozen mattresses cannot be collected for recycling. Call on or before regularly scheduled recycling pickup day to confirm.
Carpet rule: Rolls under 5 feet long, less than 12 inches diameter, weigh less than 40 pounds. Tied with rope/twine/tape (no wire).
Set-out time: 6:00 AM on collection day at alley or curb line.
Free curbside organics composting
Free, opt-inMinneapolis offers free curbside organics composting to all city-served residents, weekly collection of food scraps, food-soiled paper, and BPI-certified compostable items. There's no extra cost, but you must opt-in to receive a green organics cart. Sign up at minneapolismn.gov/organics.
What's accepted: All food scraps (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, bones, dairy), food-soiled paper, BPI-certified compostable items.
Cost: Free. Included with city service at no extra charge.
How to enroll: Sign up at minneapolismn.gov/organics. You'll receive a green cart for weekly pickup.
Drop-off alternative: 20 organics drop-off sites citywide for residents who can't do curbside. Located at parks, the South Transfer Station, and the Wedge Community Co-op.
Critical rule: Organics and yard waste MUST be set out separately. Mixing sends everything to the landfill instead of compost. The composting facility requires correct ratios.
Six free cleanup vouchers at South Transfer Station
Free, 6/yearMinneapolis residents get up to 6 cleanup vouchers per year for the South Transfer Station. Each voucher is valid for up to 2 large recyclable items, meaning you can dispose of up to 12 items per year free at the transfer station, on top of the 2-per-week curbside service. This is genuinely generous compared to most cities.
What's accepted: Large recyclable items beyond what fits in normal collection. Use for items you want gone immediately rather than waiting for next week.
Limit: 6 vouchers per year, each good for 2 items. Effectively 12 items per year free at South Transfer Station.
Useful for: Move-outs, large cleanouts, items you can't wait a week for, items beyond the 2-per-week curbside cap.
Free curbside yard waste (in season)
Free, seasonalYard waste is collected weekly on your garbage pickup day during the seasonal collection window (the week of April 6 through the week of November 23-28, 2026). There is no extra charge for properly prepared yard waste, it is included in your base service fee.
Acceptable containers: Reusable containers (32-38 gallon with handles), paper lawn and leaf bags, BPI-certified compostable bags, OR tied bundles, each under 40 lbs.
Plastic bags ILLEGAL: By Minnesota state law, regular plastic bags are illegal for yard waste collection. Use paper or BPI-certified compostable bags only.
Cannot mix with garbage: By Minnesota state law, it is illegal to put yard waste in your garbage cart.
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. Minneapolis partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Minneapolis: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeMinneapolis-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 Twin Cities: Multiple locations. Free pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota: Donation pickup for larger items in the Twin Cities area.
Bridging: Twin Cities-based nonprofit that provides furniture and household goods to families transitioning out of homelessness. Free pickup of donations.
City-served properties only. Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling serves single-family homes and buildings with 4 or fewer units, approximately 125,000 residential properties. Your carts will say “Property of the City of Minneapolis” if you have city pickup service. Buildings with dumpsters or carts from a private hauler are NOT city-served and must use the private hauler's programs.
Weekly garbage and organics, biweekly recycling. Garbage and organics are collected weekly on your pickup day. Recycling is collected every other week. The recycling rotation is unusual, ABE/CD groups, not a simple A/B. Use the Collection Day Lookup tool at minneapolismn.gov/collection-day-lookup to confirm your group.
Set-out rules. Carts at the alley or curb line by 6 AM on collection day. Pickup time can be anywhere between 6 AM and 6 PM. The City decides your collection day and pickup location, cannot be changed. Curbside collection: must move carts away from the curb line by 7 AM the day after collection. Carts cannot be stored in front yard areas visible from the curb line.
Volume-based pricing. Minnesota is a volume-based state, and you are billed monthly on your utility bill for what fits inside your container with the lid closed. Smaller cart = lower monthly bill.
Extra garbage rule. Occasionally you may set up to 2 extra bags of garbage next to your cart for pickup. If you do this often, the city will deliver another garbage cart and add the fee to your utility bill. Extra garbage may NOT be set out in personal containers. Personal-container violations result in educational tags and potential fees.
Yard waste illegal-bag rule. Under Minnesota state law, it is illegal to put yard waste in your garbage cart. It is ALSO illegal to use regular plastic bags for yard waste collection, only paper bags or BPI-certified compostable bags are permitted. Yard waste season runs from the week of April 6 through the week of November 23-28, 2026.
Holiday delays. Six holidays cause a one-day collection delay: New Year's Day (Thu Jan 1), MLK Day (Mon Jan 19), Memorial Day (Mon May 25), Labor Day (Mon Sep 7), Thanksgiving Day (Thu Nov 26), and Christmas Day (Fri Dec 25). Independence Day in 2026 falls on Saturday with no weekday impact. Presidents' Day is NOT observed by Minneapolis Solid Waste. Indigenous Peoples' Day (Oct 13) does NOT affect collection.
One-Sort recycling. All recyclables go together in the cart, no sorting required. Keep containers in 3-D shape. Flatten boxes. Extra cardboard can be set next to cart if boxes/bundles are under 3x3 feet and weigh less than 40 lbs. Don't bag recyclables. White educational tag if non-recyclable items are found; cart may be removed if violations continue.
Educational tag system. If your materials are not set out properly, crews will attach an educational tag describing the issue and how to fix it. If you don't fix the problem, fees may be added to the property's utility bill. Tags can be left on city-serviced or privately-serviced properties.
Eastside Maintenance Facility. 2635 University Ave NE. The primary office for Solid Waste & Recycling. Available Monday-Friday 7 AM-4 PM.
Find your day. Use the Collection Day Lookup tool at minneapolismn.gov/collection-day-lookup. Enter your address to find your exact day, recycling week (ABE or CD), alley or curb collection point, and to generate a monthly calendar. Email reminders also available.
Minneapolis'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 exceed 2 large items per week AND used all 6 cleanup vouchers, can't wait until next week, live in 5+ unit buildings (city does not serve these), need same-day service, or have items the city won't take, paid options are available. Note: the South Transfer Station with cleanup vouchers is genuinely free for up to 12 large items per year, use those before paying for hauling whenever possible.
LoadUp paid pickup
$89+For households who need same-day service, exceed both the 2-per-week curbside limit AND the 6 annual cleanup vouchers, or live in 5+ unit buildings (where city service doesn't apply), LoadUp offers professional removal in Minneapolis 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, crew handles in-home pickup.
Pricing: Starts around $89 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
When this beats curbside: Move-outs, real estate timelines, large multi-item cleanouts, items you can't wait a week for, in-home pickup needed.
Other paid services in Minneapolis: 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 Minneapolis pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Minneapolis. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Minneapolis residents can dispose of household hazardous waste at Hennepin County Hazardous Waste Drop-off Facilities (free for Hennepin County residents). 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. Hennepin County's Green Disposal Guide (use Hennepin County's tool) shows the right place for nearly any unwanted item.
To report illegal dumping in Minneapolis, call 311 or use the Minneapolis 311 mobile app. Reports can also be filed at minneapolismn.gov/311. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Minneapolis takes illegal dumping seriously, with active code enforcement. If you're considering dumping because you've hit the 2-per-week limit and used all your cleanup vouchers, please use a paid hauler, LoadUp pickups starting around $89 are dramatically cheaper than illegal dumping fines under Minnesota law.
Is there really free junk removal in Minneapolis?
Yes, Minneapolis offers one of the most generous bulk pickup systems of any major U.S. city. City-served residents (single-family homes and buildings with 4 or fewer units) can set out up to 2 large items per week with regular collection. There's no annual cap. The critical rule is to attach a note saying “For Solid Waste” to each item, unmarked items may not be collected. On top of that, residents get up to 6 cleanup vouchers per year (good for 2 items each = up to 12 items annually) at the South Transfer Station. Free curbside organics composting and yard waste collection are also included. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, and Bridging is also free for usable items.
Why does my couch need a note that says “For Solid Waste”?
Minneapolis crews collect from many neighborhoods at once and need to know which items are intentional set-outs versus accidental belongings or items that don't belong to the property. Attaching a note saying “For Solid Waste” to each item makes it clear the item is meant for collection. Without the note, crews may bypass items rather than risk collecting something accidentally. Use sturdy paper or cardboard, write clearly, and attach securely so wind and weather don't blow the note off.
Why does the day matter for different items?
Minneapolis runs separate trucks for garbage and recyclables. Items that go to the landfill (wood furniture, plastic items) are collected on garbage day. Items that have recyclable parts (appliances, electronics, mattresses, hide-a-beds, recliners, metal items) are collected on recycling day so they can be properly diverted from landfill. Putting a metal washing machine on garbage day means it goes to landfill instead of being recycled. The crews will also leave a “We'll be back” sticker on items that should have been on a different day, they'll come back on the right day.
How does the ABE/CD recycling rotation work?
Minneapolis uses a four-letter rotation rather than a simple A/B every-other-week system. Your address is permanently assigned to either the ABE or CD group. Use the Collection Day Lookup tool at minneapolismn.gov/collection-day-lookup, enter your address and the tool will show your group, your collection day, your pickup point (alley or curb), and generate a monthly calendar. You can also sign up for email reminders so you never miss a recycling week.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Minneapolis?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Minneapolis 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 Minneapolis, contact us to discuss adding your community.
Why are plastic bags illegal for yard waste in Minnesota?
Minnesota state law prohibits using regular plastic bags for yard waste collection because the bags don't break down at composting facilities and contaminate the finished compost. Composted yard waste becomes soil amendments that get returned to gardens, parks, and farms, plastic fragments would pollute that final product. The legal alternatives are paper lawn-and-leaf bags (specially designed and biodegradable), BPI-certified compostable bags, reusable containers (32-38 gallon with handles), or tied bundles. It's also illegal under MN state law to put yard waste in your regular garbage cart.
How do I report illegal dumping in Minneapolis?
Call 311 or use the Minneapolis 311 mobile app. Reports can also be filed at minneapolismn.gov/311. 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 Minneapolis partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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