Your Ultimate Guide to Bulky Item Disposal in Singapore
Picture this: you’ve recently purchased the house of your dreams or found a better condo unit to rent. Excitement fills you up, and you can’t wait to pack up and start moving—that is until you realize that you might have to throw out so many things.
If you ever find yourself in this situation, don’t worry. We’ll guide you through the bulky item disposal process and recommend some companies that can help.
What items are considered bulky?
First things first, we need to define what makes an item bulky. In waste management, “bulky waste or refuse” is the term used to refer to waste types that are too big to be accepted by regular waste collection.
So, following that description, here are some of the most common examples of bulky items:
- Discarded furniture (e.g. couches, recliners, tables, chairs, etc.)
- Large appliances (e.g. washing machines, televisions, refrigerators, ovens, etc.)
- Plumbing fixtures (e.g. bathtubs, toilets, sinks, etc.)
- Others (e.g. construction and renovation debris, wooden crates, rigid plastics such as crates, buckets, lawn furniture, and more)
How do you dispose of bulky items in Singapore?
If you have many bulky items just lying around in your house, don’t worry too much because there are various ways in which you can dispose of bulky items in Singapore:
- Call the HDB town council
- Call a public waste collector
- Hire a bulky item disposal service
- Request help with the disposal from furniture shops
- Donate to charities and other programs
- Sell on online marketplaces or to thrift stores or vintage shops
- Auction your stuff
Call HDB town council
If you’re living in an HDB property, then the best way you can dispose of bulky items is by calling your respective HDB town council.
HDB town councils are willing to dispose of up to three items a month, and you don’t have to pay a fee.
That said, if you want to get rid of more than three items, then you might want to pay a surcharge per extra item. So, be sure to check with your town council to know how much they’re charging for the additional bulky waste.
Additionally, keep in mind that you should let the council know beforehand that you’re disposing of a bulky item. Estate cleaners are extremely busy, so you have to set a date and time in advance.
You should also let them know what items you’re throwing away so that they can bring the tools they might need to lift them. Also, if you have an item that needs dismantling, they might ask for an additional fee, so it’s best if you know beforehand.
Call a public waste collector
If you’re living in a private unit instead of an HDB property, then contacting the public waste collector is one of the ways you can go about throwing away your bulky items.
Public waste collectors (PWCs) are appointed by the National Environmental Agency, and currently, there are three of them serving their respective geographical sectors.
These are the PWCs that you can ask to help you dispose of your bulky waste:
As for fees, you’ll have to pay 9.72 SGD per month if you’re living in an HDB unit or private apartment or 32.37 SGD if you’re living in a landed house. Both fees are already inclusive of GST.
Hire a bulky item disposal service
Estate cleaners dispatched by the HDB council and PWCs can get delayed sometimes, especially since they have to serve so many properties in different sectors. If you’re in a rush to dispose of your bulky items, you might want to hire a private service instead.
There are so many companies in Singapore that offer quality disposal services for bulky items. Here are some that you might want to check out.
GSX Moving
- Address: 2 Venture Drive, #24-01 Vision Exchange
- Operating Hours: 9 am to 6 pm (daily)
- Contact Number: +65 8833 0050
GSX Moving has been in the waste removal industry for over 15 years, so it’s not a surprise that many people have trusted them to handle bulky items. The best part of this company is that its fees have no hidden expenses.
Additionally, if you’re relocating, this company also offers furniture moving services.
LS House Movers Singapore
- Address: 406A Fernvale Road 11-35
- Operating Hours: 8 am to 10 pm (daily)
- Contact Number: +65 6797 8818
Though their office hours are between 8 am and 10 pm every day, LS House Movers Singapore is online 24/7. Because of this, even if it’s still in the middle of the night, you can easily contact them and schedule an appointment.
In addition to that, this company offers transparent pricing, so you’ll always know how much to pay upfront.
Move Move Mover
- Address: #05-35 Soon Lee Street
- Operating Hours: 8 am to 11 pm (daily)
- Contact Number: +65 8332 5196
Founded in 2019, Move Move Mover is still relatively young, but they have already offered quality services in that short amount of time. What makes them great is that you can easily book their services online, and they’ll come in as soon as the next day.
Furniture pieces are the most common items they dispose of, but they can also handle other large items, such as pianos, fish tanks, and gym sets.
Greenway Environmental
- Address: 6 Tuas South Street 8
- Operating Hours: 8 am to 5 pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays
- Contact Number: +65 9186 1627
If you want your bulky items to be disposed of in an environment-friendly way, then you might want to avail of the disposal services from Greenway Environmental.
This company specializes in innovative and advanced waste management methods, which are compliant with several sustainable acts, such as NEA’s Environmental Pollution Control Act.
TIDY
- Address: 29 Tuas Avenue 8
- Operating Hours: 7:30 am to 6 pm (Mondays to Saturdays), 7:30 am to 4:30 pm (Sundays)
- Contact Number: +65 9151 4131
TIDY offers a wide variety of services and serves both residential and commercial projects, so they’re the perfect company to contact when you want to throw away old furniture and out-of-order appliances.
They’re also available to contact 24/7, so you can always avail of their services whenever you need them.
Junk to Clear
- Address: Kaki Bukit Road 2, Ruby Warehouse Complex, #01-13/14
- Operating Hours: 8:30 am to 6 pm (weekdays), 9 am to 2 pm (weekends)
- Contact Number: +65 6749 2306
Established in 2009, Junk to Clear is a waste management and bulky waste removal company that serves residential and commercial properties.
What makes this company great is that they do more than just help you get rid of unwanted possessions. In addition to that primary service, they will also donate items that are in good condition to people in need.
So, not only did you dispose of bulky waste, but you’ve also made someone’s day. Isn’t that great?
Request help with the disposal from furniture shops
If instead of relocating, you’re only buying new furniture or appliances to replace the ones you’ve had for years, you can ask for help with disposing of your old items from the store where you purchased new stuff.
Granted, not all stores offer disposal services in addition to furniture delivery services, but there are still a few of them that are worth checking out.
For example, if you shop at Originals Furniture, they will dispose of one item for each that you buy from them, while Castlery charges between 30 to 50 SGD, depending on the size of the item you’re disposing of.
You can also avail of disposal services from FortyTwo, which is an online store that specializes in furniture, home decor, and lifestyle products. Refer to the table below to know their disposal fees.
Also, do keep in mind that if you reside in a landed house or a walk-up apartment, you will have to pay for additional staircase fees.
Donate to charities and other programs
Another great way you can get rid of some of your bulky items is to donate them. This way, you’re not really throwing them away; instead, the items find a new loving home.
You can ask your friends to take a look at the items you’re getting rid of and tell them to take anything that they like or need. If none of your friends take the items or there are still a few left, you can donate them to charities and other programs.
Here are a few places where you can donate your old furniture and appliances.
SG Freecycle
SG Freecycle is an active Facebook Group that’s full of people looking for free stuff, so if you have something to give away, feel free to post a picture and a short description of the item here.
Pass It On
Pass It On is a website that was started by the Central Singapore Community and eventually managed by The Helping Hand, a welfare organization that supports the rehabilitation of former drug addicts.
This organization is always on the lookout for furniture and electrical appliances, so feel free to donate some if you can. To do this, take a photo of what you’re planning to donate, write a short description, then post it to the website.
Once your donation is accepted, you have to either deliver it to the needy (because Pass It On has no storage space) or have someone pick it up from your home for a fee.
New2U Thrift Shop
- Address: 96 Waterloo Street
- Operating Hours: 10:30 am to 2:30 pm (weekdays), closed on weekends
- Contact Number: +65 6837 0611
New2U Thrift Shop is operated by volunteers from the Singapore Council of Women’s Organizations (SCWO), and they accept all kinds of donations—from clothes to appliances.
These donations are then sold in the shop, and all proceeds will go towards SCWO initiatives and Star Shelter, which is a temporary lodging for women and children who are victims of violence.
So, if you’re looking for a new home for your pre-loved furniture, consider donating them here. You’ll be able to lend a hand to someone in need, which is always a great thing.
Blessings in a Bag
- Address: 315 Outram Road, #08-06A Tan Boon Liat Building
- Operating Hours: 11 am to 2 pm (Saturdays), closed on Sundays to Fridays
Blessings in a Bag is another group run by volunteers. This organization supports under-served youths with programs during the weekends.
If you donate some items here, they will be given directly to the families of the youths the group is serving.
The Salvation Army
- Address: 20 Bishan Street 22
- Operating Hours: 7 am to 9 pm (weekdays), closed on weekends
- Contact Number: +65 6555 0242, +65 6555 0244
The Salvation Army is undoubtedly one of the most well-known charities out there, so this is a good place to donate your bulky items.
If you can’t deliver the item yourself, the group will offer to pick it up for you. Their disposal service doesn’t cost anything, but if you want, you can always donate cash to them as a gesture of gratitude.
Red Cross Singapore
- Address: 15 Penang Lane
- Operating Hours: 9 am to 6 pm (weekdays)
- Contact Number: +65 6664 0500
Another popular charitable group, Red Cross Singapore tends to receive clothes, shoes, and accessories from Good Samaritans. That said, they’ll also be delighted to receive furniture, so you can drop your pre-loved tables, chairs, and the like if you can.
Sell on online marketplaces or to thrift stores or vintage shops
Is there anything in your collection of things to get rid of that you think might be worth some money? Maybe it’s a couch that’s still relatively new or a bed frame that you bought from a high-end brand.
Whatever it is, you might want to consider selling a few bulky items on online marketplaces or to thrift stores and vintage shops. This route is especially perfect if you’re also in need of extra cash.
Don’t know where to sell your used furniture and other bulky items? Here are a few places where you can start.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook, besides being a social media platform, also serves as a virtual place where people sell their stuff.
It’s easy to let people know you have something to sell: simply take a photo of your item, write a description, then post it to the group. Once someone shows interest in your item, they’ll message you, and the two of you can negotiate a price.
Carousell
Carousell is another app where people go to sell and buy pre-loved things. Using this software is pretty straightforward: it’s very much like what you do when selling in Facebook Marketplace.
Here, you can set your preferred price for the item as well as the delivery fee. You can also allow for self-pickup so that the buyer can come to your house or any other meeting place and pick up the item instead of paying the shipping fee.
Cash Converters
Contact Numbers: +65 6744 8682 (headquarters), +65 6569 7085 (Jurong East), +65 6782 3488 (Tampines), +65 6538 9188 (Chinatown), +65 6453 8858 (Ang Mo Kio), +65 6354 3380 (Toa Payoh)
Cash Converters is technically a pawn shop, which means they accept primarily luxury bags and pieces of jewelry. But did you know they buy and sell bulky home appliances as well?
The best part is that you can simply ask for a house call by contacting them via their website form or by calling them. Once you let them know what you’re planning to sell, they’ll come to your house and pick up the items for free.
However, if they do visit you but somehow, you decide to back out from selling the items, you’ll have to pay a fee of 50 SGD.
Second Charm
- Address: Blk 21 Kallang Avenue #05-165 Mapletree Industrial Building
- Operating Hours: 11 am to 4:30 pm (Tuesdays to Sundays), closed on Mondays
Second Charm is quite a charming shop to check out. The warehouse space is chock-full of all kinds of vintage finds—from chairs and consoles to tables and more.
So, if you have a vintage piece of furniture or two of your own, then you should sell them here. Second Charm will buy your items, and the price will depend on their condition.
Auction your stuff
- Address: 28 Jln Kilang Barat
- Operating Hours: 10 am to 6 pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays and Mondays
On the off-chance that you’re giving away an extremely valuable item—maybe, a piano from the 1800s or a guitar signed by a famous musician—then auctioning it might be the best way to get rid of it.
Many collectors are always eager to grow their collections, and they’re more than willing to bid a good price for items that they deem worthy.
One place where you can auction your items is Hotlotz. You can consign items through the app, and auctions are held every week at the salesroom.
So, be sure to take a chance on your valuable item and get an excellent bid on it. Once the item is sold, you’ll have to pay an all-inclusive fee to Hotlotz.