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How to Get Rid of a Couch or Sofa in Austin, TX

Quick answer

Still usable? The city's What Do I Do With tool lists donating as the best option for furniture. Goodwill Central Texas and the Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore take furniture in good condition. Neither takes stained or damaged pieces, and neither takes pull-out couches or sofa beds.
Broken or worn out? Austin curbside customers (houses up to fourplexes) can book a free on-demand bulk pickup at austintexas.gov/ondemand, in the Austin Recycles app, or by calling 3-1-1. You get up to 3 per calendar year. Set it out by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment date.
The city Recycle and Reuse Center does NOT accept furniture. The city's furniture reuse warehouse isn't open yet, so check with 311 for its status. Apartments (5+ units) or anyone out of pickups: donate it or hire a hauler.

Last checked: 2026-10-25 against the official sources below.

Your options

Option	Where / who	Details	Address	Hours	Fee	Residency	Source
Free city pickup	ARR on-demand bulk collection	Furniture is on ARR's list of accepted bulk items. The What Do I Do With tool says broken or unusable furniture can go out for bulk collection. Customers can book up to 3 bulk collections per calendar year, and items are not picked up without an appointment. ARR says it currently has no recycling or reuse option for furniture collected through bulk collection, so donate usable pieces when you can.	Curbside at your home	Set out by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment date	Free with your ARR curbside service (cost of extra pickups beyond 3: check with 311)	ARR residential curbside customers only: single-family homes and up to fourplexes in Austin	source
Drop-off site	Recycle and Reuse Center	Not an option for a couch or sofa: the center's page lists furniture as an item it does not accept. It does list 'lawn chairs and furniture' as accepted recyclables, so outdoor furniture is a different case.	2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744	Appointment only	n/a	Austin/Travis County residents	source
Drop-off site	City furniture reuse warehouse (not open yet)	ARR says the city is 'in the process of opening a reuse warehouse' that will take drop-off furniture donations and pass the furniture on to regional nonprofits, mainly to furnish homes for people transitioning out of homelessness. The EPA gave the city a $4 million grant for it. ARR's April 2026 report to the Zero Waste Advisory Commission named 9201 Metric Blvd as the site, with opening planned for late summer or early fall 2026. As of 2026-10-25, ARR's page still did not list it as open. Opening date, hours, and what it accepts: check with 311.	9201 Metric Blvd (planned; not yet open)	Check with 311	Check with 311	Check with 311	source
Donate / resell	Goodwill Central Texas	Goodwill's donation page lists 'furniture in good condition' as accepted. It does not accept 'mattresses, box springs, and pull-out couches' or 'damaged or stained furniture.' Drop off at a Goodwill location (use its store locator), or book an at-home pickup through its partner ReSupply (fees apply).	Varies (Goodwill store locator)	Varies by location	Free to drop off; at-home pickup through ReSupply has fees	None	source
Donate / resell	Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore	The ReStore's guidelines say it accepts 'furniture in good, working condition.' It does not accept broken or soiled furniture or sofa beds. Drop off at one of its three Austin ReStores, or schedule its free donation pickup. Items must be new or gently used.	3 Austin ReStore locations (see site)	Varies by store	Free (drop-off or scheduled pickup)	None	source
Donate / resell	Austin Reuse Directory	The What Do I Do With tool points to this city-run directory for places to donate, sell, repair, or rent used items. Call ahead, because many places only take clean furniture in good condition.	Varies	Varies	Free	None	source
Paid haul-away	Private junk removal or a licensed hauler Get a quote from LoadUp	Paid services pick up from inside your home, which helps apartment residents (5+ units aren't on ARR curbside). The city publishes a list of the haulers it licenses. Note: the Travis County 1431 Citizens Collection Center does NOT take large furniture.	-	-	Paid; quotes vary	None	source

Disclosure: The paid haul-away link may become an affiliate link. If it does, CurbRules may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. Free city options are always listed first.

How to prep it

If it's clean and works, try donating, selling, or giving it away first. ARR says bulk-collected furniture currently can't be recycled or reused.
Book your bulk appointment first. The city won't collect items without one.
Set it out by 5:30 a.m. on the appointment date, in the non-metal pile.
Don't bag, box, or wrap it. The city says bagged items are treated as extra trash and may cost extra trash fees.
Keep it 5 feet from carts, mailbox, fences or walls, water meter, utility boxes, fire hydrants, and parked cars, and out from under low branches or power lines.
Not collected from alleys, in front of vacant lots, or in front of businesses.
Sofa beds and pull-out couches: Goodwill and the Habitat ReStore don't take them, so use bulk collection or a hauler.

Illegal dumping fines

Illegal dumping in Texas is a crime under Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 365.012. The penalty class depends on the amount: 5 lb or less (or 5 gallons or less) is a Class C misdemeanor (fine up to $500). More than 5 lb but under 500 lb (or more than 5 gallons but under 100 cubic feet) is a Class B misdemeanor (fine up to $2,000 and/or up to 180 days in jail). 500 lb to under 1,000 lb (or 100 to under 200 cubic feet) is a Class A misdemeanor (fine up to $4,000 and/or up to 1 year in jail). 1,000 lb or more (or 200 cubic feet or more) is a state jail felony. A repeat conviction moves up one class. A single mattress is likely over 5 lb, so that is at least a Class B offense. The City of Austin says offenders may also have to clean up the site, and property owners can be held responsible for cleanup.

Report illegal dumping to Austin 3-1-1 (call, app, or online) or the Regional Environmental Taskforce hotline at 1-877-NO-DUMPS (1-877-663-8677).

Sources: City of Austin Development Services: Illegal Dumping · TCEQ summary of Texas Health and Safety Code Ch. 365 penalties (PDF) · Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 365.012 · Texas Penal Code Ch. 12 (misdemeanor fine limits)

Official sources

Last checked 2026-10-25. Anything not confirmed by an official source is marked “check with 311.” Spot an error? Rules change, so always confirm with 3-1-1.

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