Before you rent
City pickup or a dumpster?
Both cities haul some bulky stuff for free or close to it. Neither takes construction debris. Here is where the line falls.
Indianapolis
Heavy trash day: up to two heavy or bulky items next to your cart, and no more than two a month.
Counts as heavy trash: furniture, mattresses and box springs (laid flat), appliances without Freon such as a stove or water heater, lawnmowers with gas and oil drained, swing sets, disassembled bikes, and bundled limbs (3 feet across and 3 feet long is one item).
Not taken: construction debris, TVs with their electronics inside, tires. Freon appliances go through the Mayor's Action Center.
Overflow: the Citizens' Transfer Station on S. Belmont Ave., Saturdays, $2 a car or $5 a pickup.
Anderson
Heavy Pick-Up: arranged by calling Best Way Disposal (765-649-7272); picked up the day after trash day.
Counts: furniture and appliances, except anything that ever held Freon.
Not taken: remodeling debris and extra move-in or move-out trash. The city points residents to Best Way for those.
Yard waste: October 1 to December 15 in paper bags, or the Yard and Garden Recycling Center on W. Eighth St.
A quick way to decide
| Job | Cheapest route that works |
|---|---|
| A couch and a mattress | Indianapolis heavy trash day, or Anderson Heavy Pick-Up |
| A carload of garage junk | Citizens' Transfer Station in Indianapolis ($2); in Anderson, ask Best Way about excess trash |
| Drywall, cabinets, flooring | A dumpster. Neither city takes construction debris at the curb. |
| Moving out of a whole house | A dumpster in Anderson (move-out trash is excluded); in Indianapolis, a dumpster once it is more than a few items |
| Shingle tear-off | A dumpster sized for weight |
Indianapolis changed trash vendors for 2026 and says heavy trash days and rules stay the same. If your pickup day looks off, check it on the city's trash pickup lookup.