As the first signs of spring arrive in Bedford, it’s the perfect time to refresh your living space with a thorough cleaning. Beyond the usual dusting and tidying, spring cleaning is also an opportunity to declutter and clear out items that are no longer needed. To help you get started, here’s a helpful guide to making the most of the Town’s resources for donation, recycling and disposal.
1. Utilize Bedford’s Waste Wizard Tool
Bedford DPW offers a handy digital tool known as the Waste Wizard that is available on the Trash & Recycling subpage of the Town website, www.bedfordma.gov/recycling. Whether you’re not sure if something can be recycled, composted, donated or if it should go in the trash, the Waste Wizard provides quick and easy answers. Simply type the item you’re trying to dispose of into the search bar and the tool will guide you on disposal methods available.
2. Donate Locally
If you’re clearing out items that are still in good condition, consider donating them to local organizations.
Household Goods, Inc: Located in Acton, this nonprofit organization accepts gently used home items including drinking glasses, dishware, kitchen items, working small appliances such as microwaves and coffee makers, plus furniture and clean mattresses/box springs. www.householdgoods.org
Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Habitat for Humanity’s Greater Lowell ReStore accepts donations of gently used furniture, appliances and building materials. They can even pick up at your home. www.lowellhabitat.org/restore
Lowell Wish Project: For gently used children’s items, Lowell Wish Project accepts donations of baby gear (including used strollers and car seats), clothing, toys, and books that help local kids in need. https://www.thewishproject.org/
Donating unwanted items is a great way to reduce waste while supporting your community.
3. Free Curbside Textile and Household Items Pickup
Did you know that Bedford offers a monthly curbside pickup service for textiles and household items? All Bedford residents and businesses can contact CMRK, a Big Brother, Big Sister partner, to schedule free curbside collection of unwanted textiles, shoes, books, bicycles, toys, home decor items, knick knacks and other small household goods. These items will be diverted from disposal and either donated, recycled or repurposed to give them a second life. To arrange a pickup, contact CMRK on their website at https://cmrkne.com/services/ or by calling 508-351-9000.
4. Visit the BRC
The Bedford Recycling Center (BRC) is a one-stop shop for recycling a myriad of household materials. Drop off scrap metal, oversized plastic items, clothing & textiles and so much more all at no charge for Bedford residents. The site is open twice a week, on both Wednesdays and Saturdays (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) with special events for electronics offered one per month by appointment. Visit the Town Website for details on acceptable items and how to prepare them for drop off prior to arrival https://www.bedfordma.gov/481/Bedford-Recycling-Center-BRC
5. Take Advantage of Bulky Furniture Pickup
Bedford offers a Monday bulky furniture route for residents with municipal curbside service looking to dispose of large wooden or upholstered furniture items such as couches, chairs, and more. This is a disposal route, so if your item is still in good shape, consider donating it before trashing.
Schedule a pickup in advance, using the Waste Wizard tool, and place your item curbside by 7 a.m. on your collection day. Residents may schedule one bulky furniture item per week at no additional cost. More details on what’s accepted and specific set out instruction are listed on the scheduling page.
6. Mattress Recycling
The Town of Bedford has partnered with UTEC, a local non-profit, to provide curbside collection of mattresses and box springs to residents with municipal curbside service at no cost, for up to 10 pieces per year. This route is run twice per month by appointment. Schedule collection at https://utecinc.org/mattress-recycling/ Residents of large apartment complexes with private disposal services may arrange to drop off mattresses for a small fee at UTEC’s facility by calling 978-856-3902.
7. Get Rid of White Goods on Wednesdays
For disposal of old appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, or air conditioners, the Wednesday white goods route is available to residents with municipal curbside service. Metal items, electronics and tires are also collected with this route.
Just like bulky furniture pickup, schedule white goods in advance using the Waste Wizard tool. Items should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on the scheduled collection day. Fees apply and are due prior to pickup. No item limit.
Final Thoughts
With the Town’s disposal tools and resources such as the Waste Wizard, bulky furniture and white goods pickups, and donation opportunities, you can make sure that your spring cleaning efforts go hand in hand with reducing waste and supporting the community. Happy spring cleaning!
As always, contact the DPW with any questions at 781-275-7605 or trashrecycling@bedfordma.gov.