The parties, celebrations, shopping, festivities, and house guests that the Christmas season brings may also leave you with lots of holiday trash. You may be cleaning out the house for holiday guests, rearranging furniture, and preparing a comfortable place for your family to gather. Perhaps you are clearing out the old to make room for the new to come. Maybe you are dealing with mounds of boxes and packaging that remains after a fun Christmas morning. If these situations sound familiar or if you simply find yourself with extra junk and excess trash this time of year, we’ve got just the tips you need!
We’ve compiled two lists for you. The first is a list of items you may need to dispose of and resources for how to do so. The second list contains the holiday trash schedules and helpful information for the Northwest Arkansas cities of Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville. For more information on Why Hire A Pro?. Visit our page on RENTAL PROPERTY CLEAN OUT for more information.
TYPES OF HOLIDAY TRASH AND HOW TO DISPOSE OF IT
1. Toys
As your children make their wish lists for Santa, you may be thinking of more practical things like cleaning out the old toys before the arrival of the shiny new toys they are certain to receive on Christmas morning. The Spruce suggests that charities, hospitals, doctor’s offices, daycare centers, shelters, children’s homes, military families, churches, social services, and police and fire departments are great places to consider donating gently used toys. Please be mindful when donating used items. Make sure the toy is clean, in working order, and not missing any parts. Local charities like The Salvation Army and Goodwill accept toy donations to sell in their thrift shops and the funds go to support their individual missions. Always call ahead if you’d like to donate to any organization, as some may only accept new toys for the health and safety of the children in their care.
If you are looking to sell toys in good condition, local resell shops like Once Upon A Child will pay you cash on the spot for toys in great condition. They accept activity toys, books, DVDs, electronic toys, games, bikes, kitchen sets, learning toys, outdoor toys, puzzles, and ride-ons. They have a location on North College Avenue in Fayetteville and another on West Walnut in Rogers.
If the toys that you and your child have cleaned out are damaged or not in working order, you may not be able to donate or pass them along to other children. In this case, it is best to dispose of old toys.
According to Earth 911,
If your child’s old toys will fit in your regular trash pick-up bins then you can throw them away. If not, it might be a good time to start a box or pile of items that will have to be otherwise disposed of.
2. Furniture
Many families take advantage of holiday sales to upgrade old furniture. If you have old furniture that needs to go, you can pass it along to a family in need, sell it, donate it to a local charity, or dispose of it as is appropriate.
In some cases, the delivery service of your furniture retailer may provide old furniture haul off. Inquire about these services when you purchase your new items. Fees may apply.
If you are considering donating old items to charity, please keep in mind that many thrift stores no longer accept old mattresses due to bed bug and sanitation risks.
Your municipal trash provider may provide bulky waste pick-up if you plan ahead and are able to haul it to the curb yourself. If not, a private junk removal company like Valet Trash Professionals may be your best bet. We can do all the moving and hauling away for you and while we’re there, we can haul away any other holiday trash or junk you may have.
3. Appliances & Electronics
Tis the season for new electronics and shiny new appliances! Once the wrapping is torn away and the boxes are emptied, you’re sure to be left with some shiny new items and a few old things you no longer need. This BLOG POST on appliance and electronic removal in Northwest Arkansas is packed full of information on how to responsibly dispose of your old items, including tips on how to wipe old electronics clean to protect your identity, the risks of improper disposal, and resources for finding the best option for your situation.
If you’ve considered all the options and decide you would rather have a professional haul away and dispose of your old appliances and electronics most appropriately, then give us a call! We work with local partners to ensure that all items are recycled or disposed of responsibly.
4. Packaging
If you’re living room is covered in crumpled wrapping paper, empty boxes, and holiday trash, you’re likely to find your trash bin overflowing on pick-up day.
All of those online shipping boxes are recyclable, just flatten them and recycle according to your trash providers rules and regulations.
Wrapping paper is most often NOT recyclable! USA Today reports that “the glue on bows, the glitter dusting your fancy wrapping paper, and miles of ribbons… clog the process of turning waste paper into new paper and cardboard.” Remember that plastic composite bows and the glue they adhere with are not recyclable. Wrapping paper that is glittery, metallic, or velvet flocked cannot be recycled. The same goes for Christmas cards. Plain paper cards can go into the recycling bin, but shiny photo paper cards or those covered in glitter or foil should not.
If you’re left with large electronic, furniture, or workout equipment boxes and the styrofoam packing they are filled with, you have a bigger job on your hands. Recycle this holiday trash as your provider allows, or add it to the pile and let Kyle and his VTP team do it for you.
5. Christmas Decor
If you pull the Christmas tree from the attic only to find that the lights are out, the branches are broken, or pests have taken over, you may decide to spring for a new tree. Or may you limp the old tree through one more season and then toss it. Artificial trees can be bulky and cumbersome to dispose of. Trees in good condition can be donated to charity thrift stores like The Samaritan Shop, but trees in disrepair are not recyclable and should be disposed of appropriately. This is true for broken lawn ornaments and other old holiday decorations, too. Don’t put it back in storage to take up space and cause more stress next season. Professional junk removal may be a great option.
Real Christmas trees can be recycled. If your family composts, you may be able to do do this yourself. With the right equipment, real trees can also be mulched and reused as cover in garden beds. The City of Fayetteville’s composting program offers a great way to recycle your real Christmas tree.
Christmas trees are recycled with the City composting program. Christmas trees will be picked up on the same day as your recycling and trash collection through January. Please allow ample space around the trash cart and recycling bin for ease of collection. All trees must be free from all plastic bags, stands, decorations, lights, and tinsel before they will be collected. No artificial trees will be collected for composting. Residents can also bring trees to the City’s composting facility (1708 S. Armstrong Avenue) free of charge during normal operating hours. Hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
5. Household Trash
After all the cookie baking, holiday parties, food prep, online shopping, Christmas gatherings, gift wrapping, gift opening, and over night guests, you’re likely to be left with much more household trash than normal. Most municipal trash providers have strict rules about the amount of trash you can throw away each week. If you’re swimming in bags of holiday trash, you can add them to any bulky items that need removal and give Valet Trash Professionals a call.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MUNICIPAL HOLIDAY TRASH PICK UP SCHEDULES & INFORMATION
The four main cities in Northwest Arkansas are listed below with basic holiday trash collection information and links to each city’s page. Other towns in Washington County and Benton County may have similar schedules. You should contact your specific recycle and waste collection office for details.
On Tuesday December 24th residential and commercial routes will run as usual. Beginning Wednesday December 25th, residential and commercial routes will run on a one day delay through the remainder of the week. The office, transfer station, and Marion Orton Recycling Center will be closed both days.
Fayetteville officials ask that you include NO gift wrap, ribbons, aluminum foil, or baking tins in your recycle bins. Composting is available for real Christmas trees through the month of January.
Waste Management provides trash pick-up for the Springdale area. Current information about holiday trash pick-up service and schedules can be found on their website. Remember that trash and recycle bins are not to be overfilled and lids should close completely.
Benton County Solid Waste District offers a detailed list of self haul and pick up services for household trash and bulky waste. “These locations accept waste from individuals and private haulers. Typically the customer must unload their own waste materials. No open-toed shoes are allowed. Children must remain inside vehicles.”
This PDF lists not only locations but also the rates associated with waste disposal both by the bag and trailer load. Rates are current to February 2019 and are subject to change.
These locations offer recycle drop off.
Bella Vista – AARP Chapter 109, 400 Pinion Bluff Dr., (479) 876-5343
Centerton – Benton County Recycling Center, 5702 Brookside Road, (479) 795-0751
Rogers – Rogers Community Recycling Center, 2300 North Arkansas St, (479) 621-1185
Siloam Springs – Siloam Springs Recycling & Transfer Station, 1008 E. Ashley, (479) 524-8512
Contact the individual facility for confirmation on location, hours, and pricing.
Regular recycle and trash routes will run on December 23 and 24. Routes for the rest of Christmas week will run one day behind. Trash carts must not be overfilled and lids must shut completely. Batteries, appliances, and other hazardous items are not allowed. For real trees that you wish to recycle after Christmas, “Bentonville citizens may dispose of yard waste with a recent utility bill and a photo identification.”
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL
Kyle McCarty, owner of Valet Trash Professionals, has more than 14 years experience in the trash and recycling collection industry. He has worked hard to build a company he can be proud of and you can rely on. He and his team can help ease your stress this season by removing the junk and holiday trash that your regular trash and recycle collection cannot handle. We have the trucks, trailers, and equipment to haul away any items you may have. If you contact us via email, Facebook message, text, or phone, here is what you can expect. We will answer any questions you have about the junk removal process and then schedule an appointment at your convenience to provide you with a no obligation estimate for your specific job. The day of your appointment, our scheduling program will text you when our team is on the way. Should you choose VTP for your junk removal needs, you can expect that we will always arrive on time, respect you and your home, and work efficiently do complete each job well.
You can contact Kyle today via text or phone at (479) 236-4981. You may also email him at [email protected] or through the Contact Us tab on the website. Follow us on Facebook to see current photos of jobs we’ve completed and stay up to date with the latest tips and guides via our blog.
