When the weather starts to warm just enough, and the smell of spring is caught in the air, it tends to sprinkle a bit of cleaning fever on the average homeowner. Perhaps, the change in seasons just brings about a nesting instinct, or it may be that the sunshine sheds new light on the dirt lingering in the corners of the house. Either way, there is a good chance you will have a lot of trash leftover after the whole phase has passed. You may be tempted to just haul it all out to the curb for garbage collection, but before you do, you may want to take a second look. Not everything can be picked up by the local waste management service.

Furniture and Large Appliances

Garbage collection trucks do not normally have enough space to cater to large pieces of trash. Therefore, the old dresser that is falling apart or that fridge that finally did stop running will not get picked up. Be sure to check with your local garbage collection agency or a place like The Junk Box before hauling any large pieces out to the curb.

Old Plants

Those dwarf palm trees you have had in your sunroom may have been neglected all winter and now they are looking more like dwarf stumps. These probably have no more life left in them, but the trash is not always the best place for these old plants to be. Some trash collection agencies will not pick up natural materials, such as tree limbs or large houseplants. Therefore, your old plants will serve a better purpose in the compost.

Broken Home Decor

During your cleaning frenzy, you are bound to knock over a vase or scrub a mirror right off the wall. In the event that your spring cleaning efforts leaves you with broken glass, you should know that there are special precautions you should take before you simply put it in the trash barrel for pickup. Broken shards of glass pose a major safety concern for the trash collection agents and should be packaged differently and labeled for their safety. Sweep the broken glass into a cardboard box and make sure you label it so the contents are clearly visible.

Spring cleaning and ridding your home of unnecessary trash is always a good thing. While garbage collection at this time of year is a valuable service, be sure you know what should and should not be placed at the curb for pickup.