6 a.m.
furniture out with regular trash on your collection day, no appointment
10
mattress or box spring pickups per household per year, by BOS:311 appointment
311
to schedule refrigerators, air conditioners, and CRT TVs
Every route for furniture in Boston, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Boston guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Boston, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Boston curbside furniture and special item collection: furniture
FreeBoston takes furniture with regular trash on your collection day. Larger buildings with city service should set it neatly next to the receptacles.
Who qualifies: Properties that get City of Boston trash collection (generally 1 to 6 units). Larger buildings with private haulers handle their own; the city still collects special items by appointment for buildings it serves.
How to schedule: Furniture goes out with regular trash on your collection day, no appointment. Mattresses, box springs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and old-style TVs must be scheduled through BOS:311 (311.boston.gov, the app, or 617-635-4500).
Limits: Curbside mattress and box spring pickups are limited to 10 per household per calendar year. Special item appointments cover items containing Freon and cathode ray tubes.
Set-out: Curbside where your trash is collected, by 6 a.m. on your collection or appointment day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Items on private property are not collected, and unscheduled mattresses or appliances at the curb draw fines.
Donation pickup in Boston (usable furniture)
FreeBoston’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.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Boston: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering furniture, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Boston: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Boston offers free curbside bulk pickup through BOS:311 for residential properties, furniture goes out with regular trash, while appliances and mattresses must be scheduled. Massachusetts state law (the MassDEP waste bans) makes special collection mandatory for Freon-containing appliances and CRT electronics, you can’t throw them in the trash. Boston also has the unique Patriots' Day collection delay in April that catches transplants off guard, and as of November 2022, clothing and textiles are banned from curbside trash statewide. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Boston rule for furniture: Boston takes furniture with regular trash on your collection day. Larger buildings with city service should set it neatly next to the receptacles.
Program basics: Curbside mattress and box spring pickups are limited to 10 per household per calendar year. Special item appointments cover items containing Freon and cathode ray tubes. Curbside where your trash is collected, by 6 a.m. on your collection or appointment day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Items on private property are not collected, and unscheduled mattresses or appliances at the curb draw fines.
What the city will not take: Mattresses, large appliances, TVs, textiles, batteries, and tires cannot go in the trash. Construction debris is not collected. Flat-screen electronics go to Zero Waste Day drop-offs under the Massachusetts electronics ban.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Boston Public Works: Trash (furniture, appliances, special item collection), City of Boston: Mattress Recycling, City of Boston: Trash and Recycling in Large Residential Buildings. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why furniture are different from ordinary bulk. Furniture disposal isn’t heavily regulated like refrigerators or hazardous waste, the challenges are practical: (1) Size and weight (sectionals, dining tables, large dressers, entertainment centers can exceed city bulk pickup limits). (2) Condition (donation programs reject furniture with significant damage, stains, or pest history). (3) Disassembly (some cities require large pieces broken into manageable sections). (4) Pickup logistics (most donation programs require ground-floor or accessible placement; few will navigate stairs).
Three mistakes that get furniture left at the curb:
When free options don’t fit your timeline or your furniture is too damaged for donation:
Other Paid Junk Removal Services
$70 to $300+National services include 1-800-Got-Junk and College Hunks Hauling Junk. Local independent haulers in most metros offer competitive pricing, typically $50 to $150 if you find a smaller operator. Bundling multiple furniture items into one pickup is often only marginally more expensive than booking 1, ask about bundled pricing for whole-room cleanouts.
Whole-room or whole-house cleanouts: Pricing scales with volume. A typical 1-bedroom cleanout: $200 to $500. A typical estate cleanout: $500 to $2,000+. Always get 2 to 3 quotes.
LoadUp paid furniture pickup
$80+For households who need same-day service, have items beyond what curbside handles, or live in buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Boston with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your furniture. 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.
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 furniture pickup in Boston with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Boston proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Boston junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national furniture disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Boston: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Boston pick up furniture for free?
Yes, with regular trash on your collection day.
Where can I donate furniture in Boston?
Boston’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.
How much does paid furniture removal cost in Boston?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single furniture pickup in Boston starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-day service, have items beyond what curbside handles, or live in buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Boston with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s the easiest way to get rid of old furniture?
If the furniture is usable, donation pickup is the easiest path. Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Goodwill, and local Furniture Banks offer free pickup of usable furniture in 50+ U.S. metros. Schedule online or by phone, typically 1 to 2 weeks out. If the furniture is broken or unusable, free city bulk pickup is the next easiest option in most cities.
Will Salvation Army or Goodwill pick up furniture for free?
Yes, both programs offer free pickup in most major U.S. metros. Salvation Army: schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK. Goodwill pickup availability varies by region, many local Goodwills offer pickup, others only accept drop-offs. Habitat for Humanity ReStore (habitat.org/restores) is another excellent option specifically for larger furniture. All three require furniture to be in usable condition: no significant tears, stains, broken frames, or odors.
What if my furniture is broken or really damaged?
Donation programs typically reject broken or heavily damaged furniture. Your remaining options: (1) Free city bulk pickup, most cities accept furniture in any condition as long as the frame is intact enough to lift. (2) Online “Free” listings on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Buy Nothing groups, some takers will rehab furniture donations reject. (3) Paid hauler ($70+) for full-service same-day pickup. The Buy Nothing groups especially find takers for furniture donation programs reject.
Do furniture stores offer free haul-away with delivery?
It varies. High-end retailers (West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Room & Board) typically include free old-furniture haul-away with new furniture delivery. Mid-tier and budget retailers (IKEA, Wayfair, Ashley, Bob’s Discount Furniture) often charge $50 to $150 for haul-away, or offer it as an add-on. Always confirm at purchase. This is especially valuable for large pieces (sectionals, dining sets) that exceed city bulk pickup size limits.
Is this Boston page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Boston guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
