Berlin move-out guide · Updated 8 October 2026
Getting rid of bulky furniture in Berlin
The broken sofa, the wobbly IKEA shelf, the mattress nobody wants. In Berlin this is called Sperrmüll, and there are three legal ways to get rid of it. The cheapest one depends on whether you have a car — and on how many days are left before you hand over the keys.
The short version
Give away anything usable first — it saves you money and carrying.
With a car: a BSR recycling centre takes up to 3 m³ of bulky waste from households for free.
Without a car: book a BSR pickup, and book early — the cheapest tier needs more than three weeks.
Small loads: bring them to a free Kieztag on foot or by bike.
Never leave furniture on the pavement, not even for a booked pickup.
Three legal ways to get rid of furniture in Berlin
Before any of these, check whether the item could simply go to someone else. Our guide to giving away and donating furniture in Berlin covers the free routes.
Drive it to a BSR recycling centre (Recyclinghof)
Best for: Anyone who can borrow a car or van for an afternoon.
BSR runs 14 recycling centres across Berlin. Private households can bring household-sized amounts of bulky waste — up to 3 m³, roughly the load space of a large people carrier — plus electrical appliances free of charge. Larger loads go to BSR’s site at Gradestraße, which charges by weight; its Recyclinghof Plus also has the longest opening hours. BSR notes that the centres are busiest around midday, on Saturdays and after public holidays. Find a BSR recycling centre
Book a BSR bulky-waste pickup (Sperrmüllabholung)
Best for: No car, lots of furniture, or upper floors.
BSR collects bulky waste from inside your flat or from the property, from any floor (from the 7th floor up, only with a working lift). Book online — you can list items or upload photos to have them recognised — or through the BSR Service Center. You get a confirmation with an order number; keep it for changes. Furniture has to be taken apart so that two people can carry each piece without tools, unless you book dismantling as an extra. Book a BSR pickup
Bring it to a Kieztag
Best for: Smaller items you can carry or wheel there, on a date that suits you.
Kieztage are free collection days that BSR runs with Berlin’s district offices. You can bring furniture, carpets, mattresses, scrap metal, electrical appliances and old textiles, and each event has a giveaway area for things that are still good. You must come on foot or by bike — cars and small vans are not accepted — and leaving things at the spot before or after the event is not allowed. Kieztag dates by district
BSR pickup fees for private households
The earlier you book, the less you pay
BSR charges a flat fee that depends on how soon you need the pickup. These are the fees listed on the BSR booking page in October 2026; check it for the current figures before you book.
Up to eight large electrical appliances (at most three of them fridges, washing machines or similar white goods) and any number of small ones are collected free with a pickup. Above 15 m³, or if you are unsure of the volume, BSR arranges a free inspection first.
Timing it before handover
Work backwards from the day you return the keys. The saver fee only applies from the 16th working day — more than three weeks away — so book as soon as you know what will not sell. The pickup has to happen while you can still let the crew in, not after the handover. Leave a few days of buffer: things that did not sell, a bed you slept in until the last night and a broken shelf from the cellar tend to turn up late.
What not to leave on the street
Anything. BSR does not allow bulky waste on public ground, even for a booked pickup. Berlin has raised its fines for illegal dumping, and district enforcement offices ran city-wide inspections in April 2026; the city’s campaign page cites up to €1,500 for a mattress, up to €4,000 for a sofa and up to €15,000 for a fridge. A “zu verschenken” sign does not change that.
Less to carry, less to pay
Sell what still works before you book.
Every cubic metre you sell or give away is one you do not carry or pay for. If you have a whole flat to photograph, Garage Sale drafts item names, descriptions and suggested prices from a batch of photos and puts them into one catalogue you can share. It is free to list but still early, so share the link where your buyers already are.
Start with photosFrequently asked questions
How much does Sperrmüll pickup cost in Berlin?
BSR lists three flat fees for private households: €50 up to 5 m³ if you can wait until the 16th working day, €100 up to 5 m³ for pickup within 6 to 15 working days, and €96 up to 2 m³ for express pickup within 5 working days. Extra volume is charged per started cubic metre. Check the BSR booking page for current fees before you book.
Is it free to take furniture to a Berlin recycling centre?
For private households, BSR says bulky waste up to 3 m³ and electrical appliances can be dropped off at its recycling centres free of charge. Larger amounts go to the Gradestraße site and are charged by weight.
Can I put furniture out on the street for collection?
No. BSR does not allow bulky waste to be placed on public ground even for a booked pickup — it has to be inside the flat or on the property. Furniture left on the pavement counts as illegal dumping, and Berlin’s fines for it were raised.
What does BSR not take as bulky waste?
Construction waste, cast-iron bathtubs, car tyres and batteries, and hazardous substances such as paint are excluded from bulky-waste pickup. Electrical appliances must already be disconnected from power and water.
A company offered to take my Sperrmüll cheaply on behalf of BSR. Is that real?
Be careful. BSR warns that some firms pose as BSR or its subcontractors and then demand much more on the day. BSR says it does not use subcontractors for bulky waste, that its crews wear orange BSR workwear, and that you should only book through its website or Service Center.
Still usable?
Give away or donate furnitureWorth some money?
Where to sell furniture in BerlinPlanning the weeks ahead?
Move-out sale checklist