A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in New Orleans, including 311-scheduled bulky waste pickup, twice-weekly trash collection, daily French Quarter service, donation programs, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
New Orleans residents have free bulky waste pickup by request through 311, plus twice-weekly trash collection. The French Quarter and Downtown Development District get daily collection 365 days a year. This page walks through every option in order from free to paid, with the specific rules that apply across the city's three sanitation contractors.
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New Orleans residents have free bulky waste pickup scheduled through 311, twice-weekly residential trash collection, and donation pickup programs. The City of New Orleans Department of Sanitation contracts with three private haulers based on neighborhood: Richard's Disposal Inc. (Algiers, Mid-City, Uptown), IV Waste (Gentilly, Lakeview, parts of Mid-City), and Waste Pro (New Orleans East, Ninth Ward).
Bulky waste pickup (call 311)
Free with serviceNew Orleans offers free curbside bulky waste pickup by request. Call 311 to schedule. Items include furniture (sofas, chairs, tables, bed frames, dressers), appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, AC units), and large bagged or bundled yard waste. The schedule depends on your neighborhood's contractor.
Eligibility: New Orleans residential customers (4 units or less). Larger apartment complexes have private collection.
How to schedule: Call 311 (or 504-658-2299 from outside the city), or use nola311.org. Some service areas can also call IV Waste customer service at 504-224-6670 ext. 5.
What's accepted: Furniture, appliances (white goods), bagged leaves and grass, bundled tree branches under 4 feet long. Up to 6 bags of yard waste or 6 bundles of branches per collection.
Set-out window: No earlier than 4:00 PM the day before scheduled pickup, and no later than 4:00 AM on pickup day. Trucks begin very early.
Important warning: Residents may be fined for placing bulk waste at the curb before the scheduled collection date. Always confirm scheduling first.
French Quarter rule: French Quarter residents have Wednesday as bulky waste day, with up to 6 bags or bundles.
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. New Orleans partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in New Orleans: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeNew Orleans-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: New Orleans Area Habitat ReStore. Pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill Industries SELA: Donation pickup for larger items in the New Orleans metro area.
Twice-weekly residential trash. New Orleans collects residential trash twice per week from properties of 4 units or less, a higher frequency than most U.S. cities. Most haulers collect bulky waste on the second collection day of the week.
Three contractors based on neighborhood. Richard's Disposal Inc. serves Algiers, Mid-City, and Uptown. IV Waste serves Gentilly, Lakeview, and parts of Mid-City. Waste Pro serves New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward. Rules and protocols are uniform, but contact numbers differ. The city contract is administered through the Department of Sanitation.
Daily French Quarter and Downtown service. The French Quarter and Downtown Development District receive daily collection 365 days per year, including all holidays, a separate service model unique to those areas due to the volume of foot traffic and tourism.
Roll cart and recycling. Eligible residential properties receive a city-issued 96-gallon black trash cart and a 64-gallon blue recycling cart (or 18-gallon blue bin). Glass is NOT accepted in curbside recycling but can be taken to the Elysian Fields drop-off center (limit 50 lbs per visit). No plastic bags in the recycling cart.
Set-out times. Place carts and bulk items at the curb no earlier than 4:00 PM the day before collection, and out by 4:00 AM on collection day. Trucks typically run between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM, very early compared to most cities.
Holiday schedule. New Orleans observes four holidays when curbside trash and recycling collection is suspended for properties outside the French Quarter and Downtown Development District. Check nola.gov/sanitation-collection-schedules for current dates.
Required residency proof. Drop-off facilities require valid driver's license or brake tag (vehicle inspection sticker) showing New Orleans residency.
New Orleans'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 for scheduled bulky pickup, have items beyond what city pickup accepts, or live in apartment complexes over 4 units, paid options are available.
LoadUp paid pickup
$80+For households who need same-week service, have items the city won't take, or live in apartment buildings over 4 units, LoadUp offers professional removal in New Orleans 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 New Orleans: 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 New Orleans pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in New Orleans. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
New Orleans hosts periodic Household Hazardous Waste collection events. Check nola.gov for current dates and locations. The city does not operate a year-round HHW facility, so retailers fill the gap for many items: 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 New Orleans, call 311 (504-658-2299 from outside the city) or use nola311.org. Reports can also be filed through the MyNOLA portal at nola311.org. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. New Orleans takes illegal dumping seriously, particularly in the wake of post-Katrina cleanup efforts and tourism-driven cleanliness expectations. If you're considering dumping because you can't afford a haul, please use the free bulky waste pickup, the schedule alone is generous (twice-weekly trash with bulk on the second day) and covers nearly every situation.
Is there really free junk removal in New Orleans?
Yes, New Orleans offers free bulky waste pickup scheduled through 311 for residents in single-family homes and small multi-family properties (4 units or less). Items include furniture, appliances, and bundled yard waste. The city also has twice-weekly residential trash collection, with bulk usually on the second collection day. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, and Goodwill is also free for usable items.
How do I schedule a bulky waste pickup in New Orleans?
Call 311 (or 504-658-2299 from outside the city), or submit a request online at nola311.org. Some service areas can also call IV Waste customer service directly at 504-224-6670 ext. 5. Important: do not place bulk items at the curb before scheduling. Residents may be fined for placing bulk waste out before the scheduled collection date. Set-out window is no earlier than 4:00 PM the day before pickup and no later than 4:00 AM on pickup day.
Why is trash picked up twice a week in New Orleans?
New Orleans is one of relatively few major U.S. cities with twice-weekly residential trash collection, due in part to the climate (heat and humidity accelerate odor and pest issues), the food-heavy waste stream, and the post-Katrina rebuild emphasis on robust sanitation infrastructure. Bulk pickup typically happens on your second collection day. The French Quarter and Downtown Development District receive daily collection 365 days a year, including all holidays.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in New Orleans?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in New Orleans 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 New Orleans, contact us to discuss adding your community.
My building has more than 4 units. What are my options?
New Orleans’s residential collection only serves properties of 4 units or fewer. Larger apartment complexes have private 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.
Why doesn't glass go in the recycling cart?
New Orleans’s curbside recycling program does not accept glass, a difference from most U.S. cities. Glass needs to be taken to the Elysian Fields drop-off center, with a limit of 50 lbs per visit. The exclusion stems from contamination concerns and processing limitations at the city’s recycling contractor.
How do I report illegal dumping in New Orleans?
Call 311 (504-658-2299 from outside the city) or use the MyNOLA portal at nola311.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 New Orleans partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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