Doing some early spring cleaning, or just looking to get rid of bulky waste? City of Sacramento Solid Waste and Recycling residential customers now can make an appointment for household junk pickup to dispose of items too large to fit in the curbside container.

To make an appointment, residents can call in their request to 3-1-1 (or dial 916-264-5011 if you are calling outside of City limits), use the free Sac311 app, or make an online request at Sac311.org. Appointments are available February through October.

“We suggest customers try to first look into donation and recycling options for their bulky waste, especially when it comes to items like furniture and mattresses, though we do accept those,” says Jesa David, spokesperson for SacRecyle. “You can find resources on how to get rid of bulky items using the Waste Wizard tool on our website or in the SacRecycle app.”

Excess yard waste can be part of a household junk appointment, but it should be piled separately from the other items to help enable recycling. Any branches must be cut to three feet (3’) in length and no more than four inches (4”) in diameter.

Here are a few guidelines to follow to prepare for your pickup appointment:

• Materials should not be placed in the street more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled pickup.
• Piles must be within four feet by four feet by nine feet (4’ x 4’ x 9’) and should be placed six feet (6’) from vehicles and other obstacles.
• Please keep piles away from storm drains and out of bike lanes when possible.
• Appointments must be canceled or rescheduled at least two business days prior to the appointment. If an appointment is not canceled, it may result in charges to the customer.

More information on junk pickup and what can be included in the pile can be found here.

In addition to bulky household waste, customers can request two appointments to pick up appliances, electronic waste, and motor oil. Appliances, e-waste, and household hazardous waste should not be included in the junk pickup. Guidelines for setting up these appointments can be found here.

Another option for residents is to self-haul their bulky waste to a local waste disposal facility, though there may be a fee. At the Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station, customers can use their free “dump coupon” from the City, which is mailed to all customers with their yearly service guide in June. To request a dump coupon or service guide, customers should contact 3-1-1.

To find out how to dispose of household items, residents can use the SacRecycle Waste Wizard for local recycling, reuse, and donation options.