WS Chronicle

Staff Report

The Winston-Salem Chronicle

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — As spring approaches, city crews are preparing to hit neighborhood streets for the City of Winston-Salem’s annual bulky item pick-up program — a service that gives homeowners a long-awaited opportunity to clear out large unwanted items that don’t fit in regular trash or recycling carts. 

When It Starts — and How Long It Lasts

This year’s bulky item collection begins on March 2, 2026, and is scheduled to run city-wide through September 4, 2026, weather and routing permitting. 

Crews travel through the city street by street, with one scheduled pass per neighborhood — not ongoing service. To ensure your items are picked up, residents must have them curbside by the first day of their neighborhood’s scheduled collection week. 

Households receive their specific week in the mail, and schedules can also be found online through the city’s bulky items lookup tool or by contacting CityLink at 311 or (336) 727-8000. 

What Will — and Will Not — Be Collected

City crews will pick up typical bulky household items that don’t fit in weekly trash or recycling carts, including:

• Furniture
• Mattresses
• Appliances
• Carpet
• Toys and similar large household goods  

However, the city will NOT collect several categories of materials, including:

• Construction or building materials
• Car parts or tires
• Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
• Glass and hazardous waste
• Yard waste  

Items mixed with unacceptable materials (for example, furniture mixed with brush or recyclables) may not be collected at all unless sorted properly. 

Service Boundaries and Limitations

• Service is limited to single-family homes. Apartments, condos, and businesses are not included — though townhome residents may be asked to place items in designated central locations for pickup.  
• Crews make one pass through each neighborhood, and items placed after the crew has passed will not be picked up.  

The Logistics for Residents

City officials urge residents to place bulky items at the curb the weekend before their scheduled collection week. Doing so ensures crews see all items regardless of which day of the week they arrive in your area. 

The city recommends using the “Winston-Salem Collects” app, which allows residents to enter their address and view their collection schedule and updates. 

If You Miss Your Collection Week

Residents who miss their scheduled pickup or have additional large items throughout the year can still dispose of them at the Hanes Mill Road Landfill (325 W Hanes Mill Rd., Winston-Salem). The landfill accepts bulky items during regular hours — Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. 

Homeowners may also request up to two landfill passes per year for bulky item disposal without a fee. 

Why This Matters

For many Winston-Salem neighborhoods, bulky item pick-up is more than a sanitation service — it’s a chance to improve curb appeal, eliminate safety hazards, and even support reuse. In past years, neighbors have reported that gently used items are often picked up by others in the community before city crews arrive, promoting a form of informal reuse and neighborhood sharing. 

By clearing clutter and reducing illegal dumping, the city’s bulky item program contributes to cleaner, safer streets and strengthens neighborhood pride — especially in areas where older housing stock and limited disposal resources make bulk disposal a perennial challenge.

Essential Resources for Residents

Schedule lookup & details: City of Winston-Salem Bulky Items page — CityOfWS.org/BulkyItems

Questions & assistance: CityLink at 311 or (336) 727-8000