The Phoenix landfill takes in about 1,000,000 tons of waste every year which means that it’s crucial that the community works to do its part in saving the environment. Phoenix has enacted a Zero Waste Initiative by 2050 and to reach that goal, businesses and residents can educate themselves on how to be eco-friendly and make sure that reusable or donatable items are saved from the dump. Below are some tips on how to evaluate if bulky items like old furniture or large furniture, clothes, and more can be donated.


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Assess the condition of your items

Charities don’t accept all donations, but you can evaluate the quality of your furniture to make sure it meets standard requirements. Furniture should be gently used and not have any kind of large damage or tears. Your items should also be clean and clear of pet hair and dirt. Make sure to check any drawers, cushions or pockets for loose items and trash. Many charities also put disclaimers online about items that they are unable to accept with the most common ones being mattresses, box springs and hazardous items.

Resources to move bulky donations 

If the family car isn’t big enough to haul furniture or a truck isn’t readily available, you can hire someone to come and haul the items for you. Be sure to check that the company you are using has a commitment to repurposing items and has partnerships with local donation partners. This ensures that any furniture or bulky items you are removing from your home or office are evaluated by a third party to see if they can be put to good use by a nonprofit. It’s also important to confirm that the junk removal team is insured to come inside your home so that you don’t have to haul the items to the curb yourself. 

How to choose a charity to donate to

There are many nonprofit charities to choose from in Arizona. If you have a connection or passion for a specific cause, do some research to see if there is a charity in your area that is accepting donations. There are also some organizations in the Valley who will come to pick up your donation items from you, but you will often be placed on a long waitlist. If you do decide to go with a junk removal company, don’t be afraid to ask them which nonprofits they are partnered with and how your items will go to good use.

M3’s Junk Removal team is able to donate a trailer full of furniture every month to nonprofits. That’s the equivalent of furnishing about six to 10 apartments. After assessing the condition of its furniture pickups, M3 is able to donate more than 70% of the items received on job sites. Creating awareness and education will make you think twice before tossing an item away. This can help both our planet and furnish homes to those in need.

M3 Junk Removal is a division of North Phoenix- based M3 Commercial Moving & Logistics. M3 Junk Removal operates on a “donate first, trash second” model. UMOM, New Life Center and St. Vincent de Paul receive donations from M3 Junk Removal, giving gently used items a second life and preventing them from hitting the landfill. The company can handle all aspects of office moving. Move management, records storage, technology needs, systems furniture installation and warehousing are all part of what M3 provides.  Our goal is to ensure the client’s business experiences little down time and first class service. Our team of experienced specialists have experience coordinating and executing projects large and small during weekends or evening hours to maximize efficiency.