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A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of patio 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 patio 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: patio furniture
City pickup, $5 sticker per itemEach piece needs a $5 sticker; metal frames go free to a scrap yard.
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 patio 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 patio 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 patio furniture: Each piece needs a $5 sticker; metal frames go free to a scrap yard.
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 patio furniture are different from ordinary bulk. Patio sets accumulate damage that donation programs will not accept: rust on steel, fading and brittleness on plastic, unraveling resin wicker, and mildew on cushions. Intact aluminum and teak sets in good condition donate easily; everything else goes to scrap or bulk.
Three mistakes that get patio furniture left at the curb:
Paid options are for a full set with nowhere to stage it, a condo with no bulk service, or heavy cast pieces nobody will carry.
Self-haul to a transfer station
$10 to $30Plastic and resin pieces stack into a pickup or trailer. Transfer stations charge by load. Take the metal to a scrap yard separately where it is free or pays.
Break resin wicker frames down to reduce the volume charge.
LoadUp paid patio 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 patio 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 patio 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 patio 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 patio furniture for free?
$5 sticker per piece, or a scrap yard for metal.
Where can I donate patio furniture in Des Moines?
Salvation Army Des Moines, free pickup for usable furniture and large items. Schedule at satruck.org.
How much does paid patio furniture removal cost in Des Moines?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single patio 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 patio furniture go out with bulk trash?
Yes in nearly every city with a bulk program. Remove glass tabletops and protect them, break down umbrellas, and stack chairs. Metal pieces can go to scrap instead.
Is aluminum patio furniture worth anything as scrap?
Yes. Aluminum pays several times the per-pound rate of steel, and a full aluminum set weighs 60 to 120 pounds. Many people get $20 to $60 at a yard, or simply give it to a scrapper who picks it up free.
What do I do with a glass patio tabletop?
Remove it from the frame. For bulk pickup, tape the surface in a grid, mark it 'glass,' and lean it securely, or box it. Intact tempered glass tops are also easy to give away because replacements cost $100 or more.
Can I donate weathered patio furniture?
Donation programs want pieces without rust, brittleness, or mildew. Weathered teak and cast aluminum are accepted and resold; faded plastic and frayed resin wicker usually are not. Free listings are more forgiving.
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.