Why You Need to Know About Your Neighborhood’s Bulk Trash Day
Turn trash into treasure with everything you need to know about bulk trash day.
Get the most out of your trash.
It’s true. One person’s junk is another’s treasure. If you’ve never participated in bulk trash pickup day in your area you could be missing out big time! Let’s dive more into this onlinemunity-led initiative…
What is bulk trash day?
Bulk trash pickup day is when you can place large items outside that don’t fit in traditional trash cans. While accepted items will vary depending on your area, most include things such as appliances, furniture, mattress, and yard waste.
*Head to your local township’s page to find out when and what your area accepts on bulk trash day and how you will need to prepare your items.
Did you know bulk trash pickup is a great opportunity to score amazing finds?! 🤩
Being knowledgeable about your neighborhood and surrounding areas’ bulk trash pickup can really pay off! Not all bulk items may be salvageable, but if you walk or drive around to scope things out, you may find tons of hidden gems.
Remember that time my neighbor had this playhouse out for bulk trash pickup and I totally transformed it with a simple powerwash?! 🤩 Proof that trash can be magical, my friends. 😏
Here are some tips for scoring finds on bulk trash day:
1. Know when bulk trash pickup in your neighborhood happens.
Call your local town hall or look online to find out when your neighborhood has bulk trash pickup. You’ll also want to note how early you’re able to put items out on the curb. Some areas allow for several days in advance, some are just the night before. Knowing this will help you plan to scour every block to get first dibs on the best items.
2. Travel to nicer neighborhoods to potentially score higher quality finds.
Any professional seeker on bulk trash day knows some of the best items can be found in your area’s nicer neighborhoods. Maybe you already live in the best neighborhood, but if you need to drive, plan a trip during their bulk trash day to possibly scoop up the best free finds.
3. Utilize online sources to score free items.
Don’t limit yourself to driving around your block and walking around on foot. By utilizing your online sources you could score stuff you need even quicker and before the trashman scoops them up.
Here are some great ways to potentially score great finds on bulk trash day:
- Search “Free” in your local Facebook Marketplace and set notifications for future listings that will pop up.
- Sign up for Nextdoor.online and join your local neighborhood onlinemunity where people often post freebies.
- Join a local neighborhood Facebook group to be notified when people in your area have free items available.
4. Add the dates for bulk trash pickup to your calendar.
This may be a no-brainer for some, but it’s easy to forget bulk trash days if you’re not thinking about it. Even more so if yours aren’t as frequent throughout the year. As an example, some of my Hip sidekicks only have theirs 3 times a year whereas mine happens once a week!
Most town municipality websites will list these pickup days so make sure to save them and set yourself a reminder for when to start bringing items out or when to start scoping the neighborhood.
5. Know the rules.
Every area’s bulk trash pickup rules are going to vary so it’s important to know what you can and can’t place outside if you’re looking to participate yourself or are looking for something specific.
As an example, older appliances containing freon typically need to be scheduled ahead of time for proper disposal or some areas may require mattresses to be wrapped in plastic. For my area, you also can’t put items outside that require more than two people to lift and certain locations only allow one item at a time.
Knowing the important ins and outs of bulk trash pickup will allow you to avoid getting stuck with bulk items sitting outside on your curb.
6. onlinee prepared for hauling.
The thing about bulk trash day is that you never know what you’re going to find so always be prepared for anything! If you’re on the hunt for larger items be sure to clean out your trunk beforehand, drive a truck, or even bring a trailer if you expect to find numerous items.
Walking around the block instead?
Bring a wagon with you! If you spot a hot item it will likely be gone by the time you get back with an extra hand or a car.
I have first-hand experience with this from when we scored my daughter’s playhouse. We would have just missed it had we not had our wagon with us. Of course, it didn’t fit in the wagon, but we were able to prop it up on top and wheel it down the street to our house with the help of some neighbors. While loading two other people came to get it so we definitely would have missed out if we weren’t able to act fast.
7. Befriend your neighbors and it will pay off in the long run.
By letting neighbors know specific items you’re looking for, they’re sure to think of you first when getting ready for bulk trash day. As an idea, talk to neighbors with slightly older kids who may not need certain items anymore if you’re looking for a baby item.
Since I have two boys, my neighbor once gave us their basketball hoop after their youngest went off to college so it definitely pays to be friendly with your neighbors!
8. Have patience and know not every week will onlinee with great finds.
It could take months to find the perfect items you’re looking for and sometimes they find you, so it’s important to go into bulk trash day with no expectations. Besides, if everyone scored awesome finds every time the big day rolled around, everyone would be doing it!
One thing’s for sure, when you do find it, it’ll totally be worth the wait! 🙌🏻
Have you ever scored an amazing find on bulk trash pickup day?! Share it with us in the onlinements! 🤩
