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A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of desks and office furniture in Des Moines, verified October 2026.
Checked against Des Moines Public Works
$5
pink Large Item sticker per bulk item, scheduled at 515-283-4950
$35
for an appliance (7 stickers), refrigerant included
24 hours
minimum notice before your regular collection day
Every route for desks and office furniture in Des Moines, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Des Moines guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Des Moines, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Des Moines sticker-based bulk and appliance pickup: desks and office furniture
City pickup, $5 sticker per itemEach piece needs a $5 sticker. Donate usable pieces.
Who qualifies: Households with City of Des Moines Public Works garbage collection.
How to schedule: Call Public Works at 515-283-4950 (24 hours a day) at least 24 hours before your regular collection day, then put a pink $5 Large Item sticker on each bulk item and set it out on your collection day with the sticker facing the street. Appliances need 7 stickers ($35). Stickers are sold at City Hall, grocery and hardware stores, and MWAToday.com.
Limits: One $5 sticker per bulk item; 7 stickers per appliance. Large limbs and bundles need a green Compost It! sticker instead.
Set-out: At the curb on your regular collection day with stickers facing the street, after calling to schedule.
Donation pickup in Des Moines (usable desks and office furniture)
FreeSalvation Army Des Moines, free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule at satruck.org.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Des Moines ReStore, free pickup for qualifying donations of furniture, appliances, and building materials.
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 Des Moines: 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 desks and office 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 Des Moines: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Des Moines, Iowa runs a Pay-As-You-Throw pink sticker system rather than a free bulk pickup program. Every bulk item or extra bag of trash requires a sticker purchased in advance, with appliances scheduled separately for $35 (seven $5 stickers). The system rewards households that recycle and reduce waste, if everything fits in your cart with the lid closed, no extra fees. Big stickers stack: a couch, a chair, and a coffee table from a living room cleanout each need their own $5 sticker. Des Moines uses a blue recycling cart while surrounding suburbs use green Curb It! carts, a common confusion when moving within the metro. This guide covers every option for Des Moines city residents, plus Central Iowa Metro Waste Authority resources.
The Des Moines rule for desks and office furniture: Each piece needs a $5 sticker. Donate usable pieces.
Program basics: One $5 sticker per bulk item; 7 stickers per appliance. Large limbs and bundles need a green Compost It! sticker instead. At the curb on your regular collection day with stickers facing the street, after calling to schedule.
What the city will not take: Household hazardous waste and electronics (Metro Waste Authority programs), tires, and construction debris.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Des Moines Public Works: Bulk Trash and Appliances. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why desks and office furniture are different from ordinary bulk. The home office boom left millions of households with a second desk and chair they no longer need, and the furniture does not resell well. Standard particleboard desks have almost no resale value, and the market for used office chairs is limited to higher-end ergonomic models.
Three mistakes that get desks and office furniture left at the curb:
Paid options cover the heavy executive desk nobody can move, the home office full of mixed pieces, and commercial cleanouts under liquidator minimums.
Self-haul to a transfer station
$10 to $40Broken-down laminate desks and bookcases fit in a car. Transfer stations charge by load or weight; steel pieces should go to a scrap yard instead where they are free.
Separate the metal and sell or give it to the yard; haul only the wood and laminate.
LoadUp paid desk or office furniture pickup
$80+For Des Moines households who need same-day or in-home pickup, crew labor, or faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Des Moines area for upfront-priced pickup.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your desk or office 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 desk or office furniture pickup in Des Moines with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Des Moines proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Des Moines junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national desk and office furniture disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Des Moines: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Des Moines pick up desks and office furniture for free?
$5 sticker per piece, or donate.
Where can I donate desks and office furniture in Des Moines?
Salvation Army Des Moines, free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule at satruck.org.
How much does paid office furniture removal cost in Des Moines?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single desk or office furniture pickup in Des Moines starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For Des Moines households who need same-day or in-home pickup, crew labor, or faster service than city programs allow, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Des Moines area for upfront-priced pickup.
Can an office chair go out with bulk trash?
Yes in most cities, as a standard furniture item. Chairs with a steel base can also go to scrap. Few donation programs accept basic task chairs; ergonomic models with all adjustments working are the exception.
Will a scrap yard take a filing cabinet?
Yes, and most pay by weight. A four-drawer vertical file is 100 to 150 pounds of steel. Independent scrappers also pick them up free from a curb or office.
How do I break down a laminate L-shaped desk?
Remove the return and the hutch, unscrew the modesty panel, and separate the top from the leg panels at the cam locks. The flat pieces bundle for bulk pickup or fit in an SUV.
Can I donate a glass-top desk?
Some ReStores accept them if the glass is intact and the frame is metal or solid wood. Transport the glass separately, wrapped in a blanket.
Is this Des Moines page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Des Moines guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.