How to Get Rid of a Couch as Painlessly as Possible

There's more than one way to make an old sofa disappear.

Getting a new couch or sofa is exciting. Figuring out how to get rid of an old couch definitely is not. Sofas are big and bulky, so moving one out of your house can take significant effort. And you may not be able to just take it to the curb to get rid of it, depending on your local waste regulations.

Related: The 16 Best Places to Buy a Couch in 2024

As you're figuring out what to do with that old couch, consider whether it still has useful life left. That may steer you toward ways to recycle or share your sofa, rather than sending it out to the landfill.

You'll also want to plan ahead a bit, as some sofa removal options require scheduling in advance or finding the right home for your couch, which could take some time. (And you definitely don't want to have your old couch sitting in your living room with your new one while you're figuring out how to get rid of it.)

Here are some of the easiest and most pain-free methods for getting rid of your old couch—so you can seamlessly move on to your next one.

Let your friends know you're getting rid of a couch

You may find that a friend of a friend (or that friend of a friend's son) could use that hand-me-down sofa for their first apartment or kids' playroom.

Look into secondhand furniture stores or local online marketplaces

Online stores like Kaiyo and AptDeco can help you sell a gently used couch on their online marketplaces. You can also post it for sale on places like Facebook Marketplace , or look into local thrift shops to see if they will take it.

Post it on a Buy Nothing group

If your couch still has some life left in it, consider posting it on a local Freecycle or Buy Nothing group. Not only will you get rid of your sofa for free to someone who could use it (and help keep it out of the landfill!)—but oftentimes, the folks who are picking up the furniture can help you get it out the door so you don't have to do all the heavy lifting.

Related: A Guide to Donating Almost Anything Lying Around Your House

Donate it to charity

Some charities are willing to accept—and sometimes even pick up—couches that are available for donation. National charities like Habitat for Humanity , Furniture Bank , Goodwill , and Salvation Army often accept donated furniture that is gently used. You can also contact local women's shelters or groups that work with refugees to see if they can use your old couch.

Tips

In some cases, charities can schedule a furniture pickup to come get your couch, but in others, you may need to bring the sofa to them. You'll need to contact your local branch to see what their policies are regarding furniture donation.

See if your furniture store will take your couch away

This is a long shot, as most furniture stores will not take away your old sofa for you—but it never hurts to ask.

The one exception to the rule? IKEA offers a one-for-one removal and delivery service, where it will take away your old couch or bed when they deliver your new sofa or mattress. (And bonus: They'll recycle your old couch, too!)

Related: How IKEA Delivery Fees and Assembly Work—and Is It Worth It?

Put it out on bulk garbage day

Contact your town's sanitation department before your sofa delivery day to find out about the rules for bulk garbage. Some towns will take old couches on your bulk garbage day—in others, you may need to schedule a separate pickup in advance, or pay a fee to haul it away.

Related: The Best Couches We've Ever Tested

Tips

If you are putting your sofa out for bulk garbage pickup, consider putting it out several hours before the pickup time if possible. You may find that a neighbor may take it and give it a refurbish or reuse it.

You may also be able to bring your sofa yourself to the waste management facility, which could save on fees for disposing of your old couch.

Hire a junk removal service

If your sanitation department won't take it, consider calling a junk removal service to come and take it away. They will charge a fee for the service, but they are able to help you get rid of an old couch on short notice, and they typically try to donate goods that are still usable to local charities.

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple .