How to Dispose of a Couch the Right Way

Congratulations, you finally found the perfect new couch. But now you need to know how to dispose of your old couch the right way. There are many ways to get rid of a couch and all require some effort, from selling it online to paying for a junk removal service. Keep reading to find out the advantages and disadvantages of each method so you can find a new home for your old couch.

Sell Your Sofa

If your couch is in great condition, and it’s fairly on-trend, consider selling it. Use platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or another online selling group. Or, hold a tag sale so you can sell your couch and other items you’ve decluttered from your home.

Advantages

You’ll make a bit of money from selling your couch (and maybe other items from a tag sale) that can be used to buy or pay off your next couch. Most of the time, selling it online means you won’t need to transport your bulky sofa. Instead, your buyer will need to pick it up.

Disadvantages

You may have to field lots of messages and emails from interested buyers, negotiate and coordinate with them, and deal with potential no-shows. In addition, it’s time-consuming to hold a tag sale and you may not even end up selling your sofa.

It may be tough to sell a high-end sofa, depending on where you live. It will be easier to sell a high-end couch in a dense, high-cost-of-living (HCOL) area, but you may have a tougher time selling a pricey piece of furniture in a more rural location.

Donate Your Couch

Do you think your old couch still has some life left in it? Consider donating it to a thrift store, secondhand shop, or charity where they can sell it to raise money for their cause. Consider these organizations to contact:

• The Salvation Army
• Habitat for Humanity
• Goodwill 
• Furniture Bank Network
• Local animal shelters
• Local intimate partner abuse shelters 
• Local homeless shelters 
• Local houses of worship
• Pick Up My Donation (matches you with local pick-up providers and organizations)

Advantages

You’re doing good for your community, and this is a fairly hassle-free way to get rid of bulky items like couches. Some of these groups might even pick up the sofa for you.

Disadvantages

Not all thrift stores take items like sofas. If they do, the couch may have to be in a certain condition for donation—in fact, many of these organizations do not take donations of used carpeting for sanitation concerns. Double-check before you take the sofa all the way there. Additionally, not all thrift stores or organizations will pick up your sofa, so you may need to figure out how to transport it.

Place It on the Curb

The time-tested method of simply placing your sofa on the curb is one way to remove your old couch. But it has some serious potential drawbacks.

Advantages

This method involves minimal effort from you. All you need to do is drag your couch down to your curb.

Disadvantages

Depending on where you live, you may not have a curb to place your sofa. Your city or municipality may prohibit placing large pieces of furniture like couches on the curb and you could be fined. Plus, your couch could get rained on and exposed to the elements, ensuring no one will take it.

Upcycle Your Couch

Rather than getting rid of your old sofa, find it a new purpose. Consider placing it in a bonus room or a screened porch for additional seating. Or, breathe new life into it with a deep clean, carefully placed blankets, or a chic and on-trend slipcover.

Advantages

This is a great way to put a no-waste lifestyle into practice. Finding a new home for your couch means it doesn’t end up in a landfill.

You created free seating without spending a dime. You won’t have any Facebook messages to manage or bulky furniture to haul.

Disadvantages

Upcycling requires creativity and extra work, like buying a blanket or slipcover to make your sofa visually appealing again. Or, if you’ve decided to reupholster the sofa, it takes DIY skill or some hefty funds if you realize you need to hire a professional.

Post Your Couch in a Buy Nothing Group

Similarly to donating, posting your sofa in a Buy Nothing group is a great way to give back to your community and give your sofa a new home. Find your local Buy Nothing group by downloading the app and signing up.¹

Advantages

You won’t have to haul or transport your sofa, as the receiver is typically responsible for pick-up. This is a great way to get to know some people in your local neighborhood.

Disadvantages

There’s a little legwork involved—you’ll need to take a few photos, write a description, and pick someone to gift it to.

Use a Junk Removal Service

If you’re tight on time and you need your couch gone, or it’s in such terrible shape that’s not a good candidate for donation, consider using a junk removal service.

Advantages

Using a junk removal service is easy and requires little effort on your end. Junk removal services often work quickly, and can pick your couch up with short notice.

Disadvantages

You’ll need to pay to use a junk removal service, and your sofa will most likely end up in a landfill, making this one of the least environmentally friendly options.

Take Your Couch to a Convenience Center or Landfill

If you have access to an oversized vehicle and your sofa is in less than tip-top condition, consider taking it to a convenience center, landfill, or local waste management facility in your town.

Advantages

This is a quick, low-stress way to get rid of an old couch.

Disadvantages

You’ll be responsible for hauling your sofa to a convenience center, landfill, or local waste management facility, so make sure you have a vehicle that can fit your couch. You may also need to pay a fee to dispose of your couch at one of these places. Your couch will reach the end of its life here, so consider donating it if it’s still in good condition instead.

Trade It in When You Buy a New Couch

Some retailers in your area may offer a trade-in program allowing you to sell them your sofa in exchange for a small discount on a new one. Many retailers do not advertise this option but it pays to ask them if they have such a program.

Advantages

This is an easy way to get some cash or credit for your couch and may help you buy a higher-end model.

Disadvantages

Very few furniture retailers offer trade-ins and the ones that do often have stipulations based on location and condition of the piece. You also likely won’t make as much money trading your couch in as you will selling it online.