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Free bulky-waste pickup or a clear-out: which do you need in Nuremberg?

Nuremberg picks up bulky waste for free once a year. For a few big pieces, that is often all you need. Here is how the city's pickup works, and when a clear-out is the better choice.

By 3 min read

Drawing of a wardrobe, a sofa and a mattress by a wall, a calendar and an alarm clock at seven, and an orange van with boxes on a hand truck

Before you pay for a clear-out, check whether the city can do the job for free. In Nuremberg, every household can have its bulky waste (Sperrmüll) collected free of charge once a calendar year. If you only have a few big pieces and a few weeks to spare, that is hard to beat.

How the city's pickup works

The pickup is run by the ASN, the city's waste service. In short:

  • You apply online and list exactly what should go, by type and number. The crew only takes what you registered.
  • You wait. The city says the wait can be four to six weeks. You get your date a few days after you apply.
  • On the day, everything must be ready by 7 am on your own property and at ground level, for example in the courtyard, the garden or the garage. Not on the pavement or the street.
  • Every piece must be light enough for two people to carry, and nothing should be stacked higher than your head.
  • Old electrical appliances are collected too, but put them out separately, in a box.

You can also take bulky waste to one of the city's recycling centres (Wertstoffhöfe) yourself, free of charge. The details are on the city's bulky-waste page.

Watch out for fake "city" pickups

The city warns about private companies that look as if they work for the city. They ask for money in advance and then take only part of the waste, or nothing at all. The free pickup in Nuremberg is done only by the ASN. You book it on the city's website, and you always get a written or electronic confirmation from the ASN.

We are a private company too, and we say so. Our quote is free, and you get it before any work starts.

When a clear-out is the better choice

The city's pickup is made for single pieces. A clear-out makes more sense when:

  • a whole flat, house, cellar or attic has to be emptied, not just a few pieces;
  • you have a date, for example the hand-over to the landlord, and can't wait four to six weeks;
  • nobody can carry everything down the stairs and out to the courtyard by 7 am;
  • there are lots of small things, such as boxes of clothes, books and dishes, which don't count as bulky waste;
  • things have to be sorted first: what to keep, what to sell or give away, and what goes;
  • the rooms have to be left empty and swept clean.

In a clear-out, we carry everything out, take it away and leave the rooms swept clean.

Or use both

If you have time, you can combine the two: book the city's free pickup for the big pieces, and leave the rest to us. Tell us in your request what the city will take, so our quote covers only what's left.

Not sure which one you need? Send us a few photos, and we'll tell you honestly.