How to get rid of an old couch
If you purchase a good couch, it should last you about 7-15 years. Then, it’s time to move on. Here is our simple guide on how to get rid of an old couch safely and responsibly.
When you purchase a good couch, it should last you about 7-15 years, but sometimes you might want to change the decor in your home before that. If that is the case or you feel like your sofa is reaching the end of its life, it’s time to move on.
You may be wondering, how do you get rid of an old sofa? Good news is that there are several ways to dispose of one, and the best option may depend on its condition and local regulations!
Before starting, make sure to protect yourself from getting injured when moving your old sofa. Check out our 1-800-GOT-JUNK? guide on how to carry heavy items safely to prevent any accidents.
Now that you're ready for the action, here are some ideas that will benefit the environment and reduce waste when you’re wondering what to do with your old couch:
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12 ways to dispose of an old couch
1. Understand your city’s pickup guidelines
Depending on where you live, your local government may have specific guidelines or programs for disposing of large items. You can try contacting your city or county offices to see if they have any recommendations. Your municipality may have an option to schedule a pickup or a dedicated day to dispose of large items like appliances and furniture.
2. Check with your local waste management facility
Some waste management facilities will accept furniture for disposal, but you may need to pay a fee or arrange for a special pickup. You may be able to drop it off at a waste site but may be required to prove residency, so take your ID and a utility bill to identify yourself.
3. Contact a furniture recycling center
Some furniture recycling centers will accept old couches for recycling, which can be a responsible way to reduce waste and benefit the environment. They may not be able to pick up your furniture so you will most likely need to take it to them. They might pay for the scrap metal they can get out of it.
If you want to recycle but cannot move your couch yourself, call us and we are happy to do the hard work for you. Learn more about how we recycle here.
4. Donate your old couch
Many organizations will accept gently used furniture as a donation. You can try contacting charities and non-profit organizations such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or Habitat for Humanity to see if they accept donations of couches. Be aware that not all locations will accept larger pieces of furniture.
5. Give your sofa away
You can also try giving away your couch for free through online classifieds or social media. Some websites such as Freecycle, Craigslist's “free” section, or Nextdoor can help you reach people who may be interested in your couch.
6. Hire a professional upholstery cleaner
If your couch is in good condition but just needs a deep cleaning, you can contact a professional upholstery cleaner. They can clean and sanitize your couch, making it look and feel like new again. You can also have it cleaned before you sell it, which might bring in some more cash.
7. Hold a yard or garage sale
If you have other items you want to get rid of, you can hold a garage or yard sale and include your old couch. This can be a fun way to declutter your home and make some extra cash. You can also consider getting a couple of neighbors together for a larger sale, which will draw more buyers.
Check our guide on how to declutter your home room by room. This will help you find other items to add to your yard sale!
8. Rent a dumpster
If you have a lot of large items to dispose of, including a couch, you can rent a dumpster and have it delivered to your property. They can range from a large bag that you can arrange to be picked up later to a rolling bin that fits in your driveway and will have an automatic pickup date. This can be a convenient way to get rid of multiple items at once, but it can also be costly.
9. Repurpose or upcycle it
If you are feeling creative, you can repurpose your old couch into something new and useful. For example, you could disassemble it and use the materials to make a new piece of furniture or create a unique art project.
10. Sell your couch online
If your couch is still in good condition, you can try selling it through online marketplaces such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or eBay. Post good pictures and have your buyer pick it up (or offer to deliver for an additional amount).
11. Trade it in
Some furniture sellers will take your old sofa if you are buying a new one from them. This may be a dollar credit you can use to purchase new furniture, or they may offer to take away your old couch as an incentive to buy a new one. Be sure to check!
12. Hire a junk removal service
If your couch is in poor condition or is no longer usable, you can hire a junk removal service to haul it away. They will dispose of it properly and may recycle some of the materials.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? offers couch removal and disposal services that will safely and reliably take care of your old sofa, loveseat, ottoman, futon, and more. Contact us directly for a free, no-obligation quote when you’re ready to get rid of your old couch.
Get rid of your old sofa with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
Disposing of furniture like a sofa doesn’t have to be hard. You can haul it yourself to recycle or donate, but remember to be careful when carrying it. You can sell it or give it away. Or you can hire a pro to take it away safely.
For more detailed information about costs to you, visit our pricing page to learn more!
Are you ready to get rid of your old sofa?
Frequently asked questions
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is more affordable than you may think. Our junk removal prices are all-inclusive, which means you get:
- Professional, uniformed and insured crew members
- Junk removal from anywhere on the premises
- Loading, lifting and sorting
- Recycling, donating and disposing of items
- Transfer station tariffs and fees
- Gas and travel
We charge by the amount of space your items take up in the truck. We think it’s more fair to you to price by volume instead of the length of time it takes us to lift and load. The best part is we’re cheaper in bulk: the more stuff you have, the more value you get!
For materials with a heavy cubic weight, like dirt, concrete, and gravel, pricing is based on the total volume the material takes up in the truck, up to a maximum of one foot in height for a full truck.
Email us at business@1800gotjunk.com or call us at 1-888-475-3461
If you need service on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis, we offer bulk pricing discounts. This gives you better value compared to common alternatives, such as dumpsters or less-professional junk removal services.
Interested? Call our business account team at 1-866-916-5865 to discuss your needs as well as pricing options.
On the day of your appointment with us, our friendly, uniformed truck team members will give you a call 15-30 minutes before the start of your two-hour promise window. They’ll say hi, let you know what time they plan to arrive, and confirm any other details about your appointment if needed.
Whether your business has a single location or multiple locations, we can create a custom junk removal solution that works for you. We can coordinate pickups at multiple locations at a local, regional, and national level. Rather than work with dozens of regional or local companies, let 1-800-GOT-JUNK? handle the jobs across all your locations.
Absolutely! We take large items all the time. As long as it can be lifted and loaded into the truck by two people, we'll be happy to take it away for you!
We work with all types of businesses and can handle any type of job - cleanouts, bulk item removal, general junk removal and even specific items like cardboard or pallets. We can take pretty much anything as long as it's not toxic or hazardous. We can remove your items from wherever they’re located, whether it’s your office, store, site or anywhere else—all you have to do is point!
Yes, we're fully licensed, bonded and insured! We have insurance covering damages to both persons and property for every single booking.
While we don't quite service the entire map, we cover almost every greater metropolitan area across the US, Canada, and Australia. To see if we’re in your neighbourhood, you can start a booking by entering your postal code.
Our customer service center is open 24/7, so we’re here whenever you need us! While operating hours may vary in our franchise locations, we offer same-day and off-hours service, including weekends.
