Every couch has a moment when it stops being furniture and becomes a problem. Maybe the cushions have a permanent dent in the shape of your uncle. Maybe the new one arrives Thursday. Either way, you’re now asking the big question: how do you get rid of a couch that weighs more than you and doesn’t fit through the door the way it came in?
Good news: in Murfreesboro you’ve got options, from completely free to “someone else handles everything.” Here are 9 of them, cheapest first, with what each one actually costs here in Rutherford County.
Quick Comparison: Your Options at a Glance
| Option | Cost | Your effort | How fast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell it | You get paid | Medium | Days to weeks |
| Give it away free | Free | Low to medium | Days |
| Donate it | Free | Low | 1 to 2 weeks for pickup |
| City bulk pickup | About $10 | Medium (you drag it to the curb) | Scheduled date |
| County convenience center | Free (residents) | High (truck and helper needed) | Same day |
| Furniture store haul-away | Varies | Low | When the new couch arrives |
| Take it apart yourself | Free | High | An afternoon |
| Dumpster rental | $300+ | High | Overkill for one couch |
| Junk removal | From $100 | None | Often same or next day |
1. Sell It
If your couch is in decent shape, someone out there wants it. Facebook Marketplace and local Murfreesboro buy-and-sell groups move a lot of furniture, especially around MTSU move-in season when students are furnishing apartments on a budget.
A few things that help it sell:
– Clean it first. Vacuum the cushions, check under them for the TV remote you lost in 2022, and spot-clean stains.
– Take photos in daylight from a few angles, and include the measurements. “Will it fit through my door?” is the number one question buyers ask.
– Price it to move. Used couches sell for a fraction of what you paid. If it hasn’t sold in a week, drop the price.
– Say “buyer picks up” clearly, so you’re not stuck delivering it.
2. Give It Away for Free
No time to haggle? Post it as free on Marketplace, Nextdoor or a local Buy Nothing group. Free couches usually go fast, and the person taking it handles the lifting.
One Murfreesboro-specific tip: don’t just drag it to the curb with a “FREE” sign. City rules don’t allow bulky items to be set out at the curb until you’ve scheduled a bulk pickup (more on that below), and a couch that sits through one rainstorm is no longer free furniture. It’s soggy trash.
3. Donate It
If the couch is clean and in good shape, a charity can give it a second life, and some will pick it up for free.
– The Salvation Army offers free scheduled pickup for donated furniture, including sofas, as long as they’re unbroken. You book online at satruck.org or by calling 1-800-SA-TRUCK. The driver has the final say on whether they’ll take it.
– Habitat for Humanity ReStores accept gently used furniture, and many offer free pickup of large items. Call the ReStore serving Rutherford County to check hours and pickup availability.
– Churches, shelters and family resource groups sometimes need furniture for families moving into new homes. It’s worth a phone call.
What charities usually won’t take: rips, stains, pet hair, smoke smell, broken frames, missing cushions or bed bugs. Many also turn away sleeper sofas because of the heavy metal frame. Be honest about the condition up front, so nobody’s surprised on pickup day.
4. Schedule a City of Murfreesboro Bulk Pickup
If you’re a City of Murfreesboro utility customer, the city’s Solid Waste Department picks up couches and other bulk items on a scheduled day. Under the city’s revised solid waste ordinance (2021), here’s how it works (Rutherford Source):
- Call Solid Waste at (615) 893-3681 to schedule. You have to have a confirmed date before you put anything out.
- Cost: $10 per item for the first 3 items, then $30 per item after that, added to your utility bill.
- Timing: set it out no earlier than 7 p.m. the night before, and no later than 6 a.m. on pickup day.
The catch: you still have to get the couch to the curb. That’s easy for a love seat on the ground floor. It’s a lot less fun for a sleeper sofa in an upstairs bonus room. Fees and rules can change, so confirm when you call. If you live outside city limits in unincorporated Rutherford County, this service may not apply to you.
5. Take It to a County Convenience Center
Rutherford County residents can drop off household bulky items, couches included, at the county’s convenience centers for free with proof of residency (Rutherford County Solid Waste). A few things to know:
- There’s a limit of about three bulky items per day.
- The containers are tall, about six feet, and staff don’t load for you. Bring a helper.
- You need a truck or trailer that can fit a couch. A full-size sofa won’t ride home in a hatchback, no matter how optimistic you are.
Check the county site for current hours before you go, since the centers are closed some weekdays.
6. Ask the Furniture Store About Haul-Away
Buying a new couch? Ask the store whether they’ll take the old one when they deliver the new one. Many furniture stores offer haul-away, usually for an extra fee. It’s the most convenient timing possible, since the old couch leaves the same hour the new one comes in. Ask when you buy, because it often has to be added to the delivery order ahead of time.
7. Take It Apart Yourself
If your couch is headed for the trash anyway, breaking it down makes it much easier to move, and sometimes small enough to fit in your truck in pieces.
– Remove the legs and cushions first. Most legs unscrew by hand.
– Cut away the fabric and foam with a utility knife and bag them up.
– Take apart the frame with a reciprocating saw or pry bar, and watch out for staples and nails.
A real safety warning about sleeper sofas: the fold-out mechanism is spring-loaded and can snap shut hard. Don’t try to cut one apart unless you know what you’re doing. That’s one we’d rather haul out whole.
8. Rent a Dumpster (Probably Not)
A roll-off dumpster runs about $300 or more for a week. For one couch, that’s like renting a moving truck to carry a lamp. A dumpster only makes sense if the couch is part of a big remodel or a whole-house cleanout.
9. Hire a Junk Removal Crew
This is the “I just want it gone” option. A junk removal crew comes in, carries the couch out from wherever it is, loads it and hauls it away. You don’t touch it.
With BoroBoys, removing a small couch or love seat starts at $100, which covers the labor, hauling and disposal. Bigger sofas, sleeper sofas and sectionals cost more depending on size. Couches in good shape get donated instead of going to the landfill whenever possible. Stairs or tight spots can add to the price, and we’ll tell you the total up front. Got more than a couch? See what other loads cost in our junk removal cost guide.
It’s the best fit when:
– The couch is upstairs, in a basement or in a tight spot.
– It’s a sleeper sofa, sectional or anything too heavy to move safely.
– You don’t have a truck, a helper or a free Saturday.
– You’re getting rid of other furniture too. See our tips on getting rid of old furniture in Murfreesboro.
How Much Does Couch Removal Cost?
Here’s how the options compare in Murfreesboro:
- Free: giving it away, donating it, or a county convenience center (if you can haul it).
- About $10: City of Murfreesboro bulk pickup (you get it to the curb).
- From $100: BoroBoys furniture removal, with labor and disposal included.
- $175 to $275: typical national couch removal prices, according to cost guides like LawnStarter.
The real question isn’t just price. It’s whether moving a 150-pound couch down the stairs is worth your Saturday and your back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave a couch on the curb in Murfreesboro?
Only if you’ve scheduled a bulk pickup with the city first. Murfreesboro rules say bulk items can’t go out until you have a confirmed pickup date, and then only from 7 p.m. the night before.
Will the Salvation Army pick up a couch for free?
Yes, they offer free scheduled furniture pickup, including sofas, as long as it’s in usable condition. The driver decides on the spot, so a stained or broken couch may get left behind.
What do I do with a couch nobody will take?
If it’s too worn to donate or sell, your options are the city bulk pickup, a county convenience center, or a junk removal crew. Junk removal is the easiest if it’s heavy, upstairs or a sleeper sofa.
Do you take sleeper sofas and sectionals?
Yes. Sleeper sofas, sectionals, recliners and love seats are all things we haul regularly. Big sectionals are priced by how much trailer space they take, so text a photo for an exact price.
Will you donate my old couch?
If it’s clean and in good shape, we’ll get it to a donation center instead of the landfill. Couches that are too worn get disposed of properly.
How fast can you pick up a couch?
We’re open 7 days a week and can often come the same day or the next day. Text us a photo to get a price and a time.
Get Your Old Couch Hauled Away Today
BoroBoys Junk Removal is a locally owned, licensed and insured company serving Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne and all of Rutherford County. We do the lifting, loading and cleanup, so all you have to do is point.
Call or text (615) 676-8282 or request a free quote online. Send a photo of the couch, get a price, and get your living room back.
