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A public resource guide
Free moving box removal in Allentown, PA
Every free and paid way to get rid of moving boxes and cardboard in Allentown, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Allentown
Home › By item › Moving boxes › Allentown
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of moving boxes and cardboard in Allentown, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Allentown
1
bulk item per week on your second trash night, between 5 and 10 p.m.
$20
for a refrigerant appliance pickup by appointment at 610-437-8729 (other appliances free)
3 TVs
per year through the city's appointment-based electronics recycling, 1 per appointment
Every route for moving boxes and cardboard in Allentown, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Allentown guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Allentown, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Allentown second-night bulk item collection: moving boxes and cardboard
FreeFlattened cardboard goes out with recycling.
Who qualifies: Residences with City of Allentown trash collection (twice-weekly service).
How to schedule: No appointment for one bulk item: on your second trash night of the week (Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday night zones) set out one bulk item, or up to 40 pounds of contained construction material, between 5 and 10 p.m. Appliances and large metal items are a separate scheduled pickup: call 610-437-8729, $20 for refrigerant appliances, free for others.
Limits: One bulk item (or 40 pounds of contained construction material) per week on the second collection night. Appliance pickups by appointment.
Set-out: At the curb in front of your property between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on your second collection night. Containers back within 12 hours.
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 Allentown: 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 moving boxes and cardboard, 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 Allentown: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Allentown, Pennsylvania includes bulk item pickup as part of twice-weekly trash collection at no separate fee, on the second collection night of the week. Set-out is between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM, with up to 5 bags or 2 containers per collection night for regular trash plus bulk items alongside on the second night. The city changed waste haulers on June 1, 2025: J.P. Mascaro & Sons replaced the prior contractor. Collection nights and core service rules stayed the same, but yard waste shifted from weekly April through November to every other week year-round. Electronics and document shredding are by appointment at the Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste, 641 S 10th St.
The Allentown rule for moving boxes and cardboard: Flattened cardboard goes out with recycling.
Program basics: One bulk item (or 40 pounds of contained construction material) per week on the second collection night. Appliance pickups by appointment. At the curb in front of your property between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on your second collection night. Containers back within 12 hours.
What the city will not take: TVs, computers, and electronics (never at the curb; appointment-based electronics recycling, 1 TV per appointment and 3 a year), tires, auto parts, batteries, liquid paint, and hazardous waste.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Allentown: Trash and Recycling rules (2025 limits), City of Allentown: Trash limits (bulk item and appliance recycling). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why moving boxes and cardboard are different from ordinary bulk. Volume is the only problem. Cardboard is clean, dry, and valuable to recyclers, but it is bulky until flattened and a stack of 100 boxes is a small room. Most curbside programs accept flattened cardboard bundled next to the cart, within size limits (often 2 by 3 feet, tied), and reject boxes that are not broken down.
Three mistakes that get moving boxes and cardboard left at the curb:
Paid options are rarely needed for cardboard alone, but a move-out cleanout that includes boxes, packing material, and leftover items is a common hauler job.
Junk removal pickup for a whole move-out
$100 to $400When boxes are mixed with furniture, packing material, and leftover items, a hauler clears it in one trip and recycles the cardboard.
Flatten what you can first to reduce the volume and the price.
LoadUp paid moving box pickup
$80+For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Allentown area. Upfront pricing, same-week scheduling, and licensed disposal handled for you.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your moving box. 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 moving box pickup in Allentown with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Allentown proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Allentown junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national moving boxes and cardboard disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Allentown: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Allentown pick up moving boxes and cardboard for free?
Yes, flattened, with recycling.
How much does paid moving box removal cost in Allentown?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single moving box pickup in Allentown starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Allentown area. Upfront pricing, same-week scheduling, and licensed disposal handled for you.
How do I recycle a lot of moving boxes?
Flatten every box, bundle to your program’s size limit (often 2 by 3 feet), and tie with twine. Put out a few bundles each collection week, or take the whole flattened stack to a recycling drop-off or a retailer’s cardboard baler in one trip. Check your city’s bundle rules in the directory below.
Can I leave the tape and labels on?
Yes. Recycling mills screen out tape and labels. Remove large plastic liners, foam, and packing material.
Where can I give away moving boxes?
Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Nextdoor, Buy Nothing groups, and box exchange listings on moving sites. Post the count and sizes, slit the tape and fold flat without crushing, and takers usually collect within a day.
Is bubble wrap recyclable?
Not curbside. Bubble wrap and air pillows are plastic film accepted at grocery and retail store film drop-off bins, and shipping stores often take clean bubble wrap for reuse.
Is this Allentown page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Allentown guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.