Council pick-up rules last checked: June 2026.

City of Sydney residents can book a free weekly kerbside bulky pick-up for houses and apartments. You book online, and the turnaround is about 1 week, with same-week collection available for bookings placed by 2pm the day before your scheduled collection day. The critical thing most people miss: City of Sydney splits accepted items into 3 groups (mattresses / furniture and bulky household items / metals, whitegoods and electronics), each collected by a different truck. Mixing groups means your items won't be collected. If you can't wait a week, have more than 1 cubic metre, or have items the council won't take, Paul's Rubbish picks up same-day across Surry Hills, Newtown, Redfern, Glebe, and the surrounding City of Sydney suburbs.

City of Sydney offers weekly pick-ups. You can book as often as you need, including during a move.

How to prepare for City of Sydney Council kerbside pick up

1. The items are accepted by the council and booked under the correct group (see groups below)
2. Tape fridge and oven doors shut (do not detach them)
3. Small waste is in bags or boxes; loose items won't be collected
4. Your pile is within the limit: 1 cubic metre for houses, 4 cubic metres for apartments, per booking
5. Separate your items into 3 groups and place each group slightly apart from the others (different trucks collect each group)
6. Your items are placed on the kerbside the night before collection, not earlier (placing them earlier risks the pile being treated as illegal dumping)
7. The pile is not blocking any footpath or vehicle path
8. All items are under 1.5 metres and can be lifted by two people

Why the 3-group split matters

City of Sydney requires items to be separated into 3 groups because each is collected by a different truck and taken to a different recycling facility. Mixing groups or booking items under the wrong group means they won't be collected.

• Group 1: Mattresses. Mattresses in any size, foam, latex, futon, and fabric-covered bed bases.
• Group 2: Furniture and bulky household items. Tables, chairs, sofas, bookshelves, wardrobes, outdoor furniture (no glass tops), rugs (cut large ones into 1m lengths), bundled garden waste, Christmas trees. Do not include electronics or battery-powered items here.
• Group 3: Metals, whitegoods and electronics. Fridges (food removed, doors taped shut), washing machines, dryers, ovens, TVs, laptops, gaming consoles, lawnmowers (empty of fuel), bikes (battery removed from e-bikes).

When each group goes to the right place, up to 75% of mattress materials are recycled, metals like aluminium and steel are melted down for new production, and electronics are sorted for parts recycling.

Household items accepted

• Mattress
• Bed bases
• Household furniture e.g. tables, chairs, lounges, sofas, drawers, shelves, desks
• White goods e.g. refrigerators, washing machines, dishwasher, clothes dryer
• Bed frames
• Rugs and mats
• Bundled up garden waste
• Vacuum cleaners
• Electronic waste
• Suitcases
• Small appliances e.g. toaster, kettle, coffee machine, iron
• Kitchen equipment
• Barbeques
• Hot water systems
• Lawnmower
• Sporting equipment

If you're unsure whether an item is accepted, check the council's waste guide at cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au before putting it out, as unaccepted items are left on the street.

Items not accepted

• Building waste e.g. bricks, dirt, plasterboard, tiles
• Hazardous waste e.g. gas bottles, oil, paint, household chemicals
• Car parts e.g. engine, motor oil, tyres
• Bulky garden waste (thicker than 10 centimetres)
• Loose garden waste
• General household waste e.g. waste that fits in your wheelie bins

If you live in an apartment building

Apartment residents don't book directly in most cases. The council's system allows one booking per item group per building each week. This is typically coordinated by your building manager or strata representative, who books on behalf of all residents. Let them know what you have and which group it falls under.

If your building has no manager or you can't reach one, you can book online directly. Note that if another resident has already made a booking for your group that week, you may not be able to add items.

The rubbish removal alternative choice

The council's weekly service is useful for planned clear-outs, but three situations send people to Paul's instead: the pick-up is too far away, the items are on the council's "won't take" list, or sorting into 3 groups and coordinating through a building manager is more effort than it's worth.

Paul's Rubbish covers City of Sydney suburbs same-day. Call 0407 125 125, tell us what you have and where you are, and we'll quote over the phone and arrive the same day. We carry items out from inside the apartment or house, take what the council won't, and handle loads over the 1-cubic-metre house limit. No group sorting, no booking lead time, no building manager required.

Request a free quote on 0407 125 125.

We collect same-day. Call before 10am on 0407 125 125 and we'll be there today.

City of Sydney Council versus Paul's Rubbish

• Cost: the Council offers a free weekly service for eligible residents; Paul's is paid, with a free volume-based quote.
• Booking: the Council is online with about 1 week lead time and a 2pm cutoff the day before; Paul's is same-day.
• Volume: the Council allows 1m³ per house booking, 4m³ per apartment booking; Paul's has no practical limit.
• Item groups: the Council requires splitting into 3 groups for separate trucks; Paul's needs no sorting.
• Items they won't take: the Council leaves building waste, carpet, glass, car parts, cement, pianos and hazardous chemicals; Paul's takes most of what the council won't.
• Apartments: the Council coordinates via building manager, one booking per group per building per week; Paul's comes to the apartment, no building manager needed.

Why City of Sydney residents call Paul's

Why City of Sydney residents call Paul's: over 15 years clearing Sydney homes, public liability insured, a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and over 400 Google reviews. Same-day service, upfront free quotes, we take what the council won't.