Text a photo →
Haulers

Bulky item pickup in Boston, MA

An old dresser and chair beside a lidded trash barrel at the curb of a Boston brick rowhouse

What the city accepts at the curb

Public Works treats furniture and bikes as ordinary trash: set them where your trash normally goes, after 5 p.m. the night before and no later than 6 a.m. There is no published item count or fee. The catch is enforcement: WGBH reports that set-out fines start at $25 and can reach $100, and the city cites excessive piles around the September move-in.

The city does not take construction material, plumbing fixtures or water heaters, and its special-items page sends large exercise equipment and dishwashers to donation or a private hauler. In buildings with more than six units, the city's mattress program does not apply and the building manager handles removal.

Appliances and electronics that are not 'just trash'

A refrigerator, freezer, mini fridge, water cooler, ice maker, air conditioner or dehumidifier is collected only by a scheduled special-item pickup, booked by calling 311 or through the app. Fridge doors must be removed and all food taken out, or the crew skips it. Limits are 5 items per appointment and 10 per calendar year.

CRT televisions, monitors and laptops follow the same booking; they must be intact, freestanding and unboxed. Phones, printers, cords and tablets are for Zero Waste Day, where Good Point Recycling handles them. The rescheduled event is Saturday, Nov 21, 2026 at 315 Gardner Street.

When a private pickup is the better call

Pick a private pickup when the item has to leave before the next collection day, when it sits on a third floor with a steep staircase, or when it is a mix the city refuses. Flat prices for common pieces: a sofa is $139, a loveseat $89, a regular dresser $99, an armoire $179, a standard appliance $119. The minimum pickup is $159, so it makes sense to bundle.

If the piece is in good shape, the Habitat ReStore in West Roxbury takes furniture and appliances under eight years old, and Goodwill centers take smaller household goods. Call first; both can refuse items.

Before you set furniture out in Boston

  • Confirm your trash day in the Trash Day app or with 311 (617-635-4500).
  • Put the item in a public spot, not inside a gate or on private property.
  • Set it out after 5 p.m. the evening before, never earlier.
  • Take the doors off any fridge or freezer and empty it; book the special pickup first.
  • Count your special items: 5 per appointment, 10 per year.
  • Leave mattresses for their own booking at boston.gov/mattress.
  • In a building of 7+ units, ask the manager before anything goes to the curb.

Local resources in Boston

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

Quick answers

Is there a fee for bulky pickup in Boston?

+

The city page lists no fee and no item limit for furniture put out with trash. Set-out violations can be fined, with $25 to $100 reported.

Does Boston pick up appliances?

+

Only some, by appointment: refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers. It does not take water heaters, dishwashers or plumbing fixtures.

What if I live in a large building in Boston?

+

Buildings with more than six units are not served by the city's special-item and mattress programs. The property manager or a private hauler handles bulky items.

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Boston before you go.

Related

Hauled from
$159
Get my priceText