It’s common for households to replace worn out or spoilt items. Disposing of small household items is no biggie. The real headache kicks in when getting rid of large household items. These items are bulky, heavy, difficult to lift, and challenging to transport. Their disposal is a nightmare.
Many people dread the daunting task of disposing of large household items. And that’s why we thought it wise to share with you pro-tips on how to get rid of these items without breaking your bank or back. Read on to find out more.
Before we delve into the subject of discussion, let’s first clarify what we mean by large or bulky household items. These items include clean bulky junk and messy, dirty junk. The clean bulky junk includes furniture, carpets, appliances like a fridge, freezer and dishwasher, mattresses and bicycles.
Messy, dirty junk constitutes home improvement wastes such as broken tiles and rubbles, garden refuse, doors and windows, fence panels, and old flooring.
Now that you know what bulky household waste constitutes let’s take the discussion further and talk about the strategies to get rid of these items.
First things first, search online to find out where the local council is and their contacts. If you already know their location, you can visit them in person. You can also call them to inquire if they take bulky items. If they do, the next question would be, what kind of large household items do they accept?
Set aside the items they can take and use a house clearance or rubbish removal company for the things they don’t take. This reduces the disposal cost considerably since the local council doesn’t charge for disposing of household items. They may only have a reasonable fee for transporting the items from your home to the council.
Remember, some local councils don’t accept bulky household items. In which case, you can try the other options we have on the list.
Another option to help get rid of large household items is contacting the retailer where you purchased the item. But, before contacting them, go through the fine print of their policy to know if they offer such services. If they do, are there extra charges involved, or it’s free? This will help you plan and avoid any inconveniences in terms of costs.
Clearance companies clear parts or the whole house depending on what you want to get rid of. Usually, you'll call a house clearance company, and then they'll come to your residence to survey the items you want to be cleared before giving a quote. The survey gives them an idea of whether they can resell the items.
Depending on the value of the items, the cost of the house clearance company will vary. If you have high-value items that the company can sell and make good money, they may charge you so little or no charge at all.
If they are not charging at all, whatever you are disposing of is worth a lot. So, if you are up for the task, you can sell those items yourself on eBay, Gumtree, or even an auction and dispose of the junk with a rubbish removal company.
However, the clearance cost may skyrocket if the household items are pure junk with nothing of value. They may also refuse to clear the items altogether.
The local civic amenity is also another brilliant option to get rid of large household items. The only downside is that you'll have to transport the household items to the tip yourself. And yes, it may take you several trips if you have many things.
If you've settled for a council dump, call them in advance and inquire what they do not take. Some council dumps don't accept paint and oil. Again, check if they charge or not. Most local civic amenities don't charge for household waste.
However, you'll be charged for DIY and construction waste. This may include things like rubbles, fence panels, soil or bricks. Simply put, any other waste beside the household items is charged.
When getting rid of large household items through local civic amenities, don't hire a removal van. Why? Local civic amenities have a height restriction to bar businesses from disposing of their waste for free. You don't want to be confused for a tradesperson and stopped from getting in.
Another thing, Saturdays and Sundays mornings are the worst days to visit the local civic amenity. The queue is long, and you may end up waiting for ages. So, instead, visit on weekdays. And lastly, don't forget to carry a driving license or a recent council tax bill to prove you are a resident.
Skip hire is the perfect option if you have messy items like bricks, rubbles or soil. Skip is expensive compared to the other options we've talked about, but it is convenient since once the skip is delivered, you only need to fill it up and wait for it to be removed like it was never there. Again, you get the cost upfront.
When using a skip, be wary of the neighbours who will fill it when you're not looking. Again, protect your driveway before the skip is delivered to avoid damages.
Getting rid of large household items can be hectic, but there are several ways to minimize the burden. The local council, retailer-take back, house clearance company and council dump are your best bet in disposing of these items conveniently. All the best as you settle for the service that suits your needs.