Guides · residential
Mattress & Furniture Disposal in NYC: The Actual Rules
Updated July 2026
The mattress bag law is real
NYC requires mattresses and box springs to be fully sealed in a plastic mattress bag before curbside pickup — it's a bed-bug rule, and sanitation can fine you (typically $100) for a naked mattress at the curb. Bags cost $5–10 at any hardware store or on Amazon. Then schedule or check your building's bulk pickup day with DSNY.
Curbside bulk pickup is free
Most furniture — couches, dressers, tables — goes out free with regular trash on your building's schedule, with some items requiring an appointment via the DSNY website or 311. Rules differ by district and building size; your super knows the local reality better than the website does.
Donation beats disposal when time allows
Housing Works, City Ops nonprofits, and some Salvation Army locations do free furniture pickups for items in sellable condition — but slots book 1–3 weeks out and they will decline worn items at the door. Photograph honestly and book early. A donation receipt is also a small tax write-off.
When to just pay someone
Same-week deadline, walk-up building, or a landlord requiring broom-clean? Paid removal ($75–$300 per item range in Manhattan) buys the labor and the timing. If you're already moving, bundle disposal into the move quote — a crew that's already in your apartment disposes of furniture far cheaper than a separate junk-removal dispatch.