Plan your furniture pickup.

Your scope, in one place

Make an item and access list

Copy the template into your notes, download an editable text copy, or use your browser’s Print command. No name, phone number, email, exact address or access code is needed here.

“Not sure” is a useful answer. Do not guess at weight or truck capacity.

For a mixed list, record each item’s planned route and what is actually confirmed. One accepted donation does not confirm the other pieces or their collection. For a glass-top table or mirror, record the glass and its condition separately. Check glass-specific donation and disposal questions before moving it.

Powered recliner or adjustable bed? Note any plug-in parts or battery pack without moving or disconnecting them. Check preparation and battery-disposal questions before treating the whole piece as ordinary furniture.

Download the item checklist (.txt)

Open it in a notes or text app and fill in your own copy. Downloading does not send your details or request a pickup.

Broad area or neighborhood:

ITEMS TO REMOVE
Item + quantity:
Approximate size, if known:
Condition or anything unusual to mention:
Glass or mirror parts: attached or loose; any cracks or breakage:
Powered parts or battery pack, if known; manufacturer/model and preparation still to confirm:
Current location (room, garage, floor):
Planned route (keep/move, donation, disposal or undecided):
Acceptance and collection confirmed by, or still checking:
Alternative if this item is declined or collection changes:
[Repeat for each item or group.]

ACCESS
Steps or stairs:
Elevator available for furniture; reservation or time window to confirm:
Narrow doors, tight turns or long distance to parking:
Loading place and access hours; building or City permission to confirm:
Who will attend, if required; who can approve the item list and final price:
Anything about access I am unsure of:

SCOPE AND TIMING
Items that must stay:
Is the removal list final, or might items be added?
Preferred timing:
Is that flexible, or is there a fixed deadline?
Questions to resolve before agreeing to work:

AFTER COLLECTION
Date and items actually collected; anything left behind:
Agreed changes and final amount on the invoice or receipt:
Donation recipient and confirmation actually received, if applicable:
Unresolved questions and who will follow up:

STORAGE UNIT, IF APPLICABLE
Items going to another address rather than disposal:
Facility-approved access and who will attend:
Notice, empty-unit deadline and closing steps to confirm:
Who handles anything left behind and final cleaning:

Describe furniture where it sits. Do not move heavy items or disconnect equipment just to complete this checklist. For appliances, unusually heavy items or uncertain materials, ask your chosen business what it accepts and what preparation it requires.

What should furniture-quote photos show?

If a business asks for photos, use them alongside your item and access list. Take pictures from an accessible position; do not lift, dismantle or move furniture just to photograph it.

1. The whole item or group: show which pieces are going. Add a written count, especially for matching chairs, stacked items or sectional pieces that one picture may hide.
2. Details that change the description: note visible damage, glass parts and any sleeper or reclining mechanism. Describe anything hidden or uncertain in words instead of taking it apart.
3. The carrying route: show relevant stairs, tight turns or doorways if you can do so without moving anything. Add the floor, elevator arrangements and loading distance in your notes; photos may not explain these.
4. What stays: identify nearby furniture that is not included. Use item names or a numbered list so a room photo is not mistaken for a whole-room clearance.

Review each picture before sharing it. Leave out people, mail, documents, screens and access codes you do not intend to disclose. Ask the business which private channel to use and whether a written description can be used instead.

Ask what still needs checking in person and whether the amount discussed is an estimate or a confirmed price. Photos alone do not confirm item acceptance, carrying work, a collection date or a booking. Record those answers in the quote comparison worksheet.

Plan for a move-out deadline

Copy these four lines into your own notes. Decide when you will switch plans if the first route is still unconfirmed.

Deadline from my worksheet:
First route and what is actually confirmed:
When I will switch to a fallback if needed:
Fallback route; eligibility, access and timing checked:

Moving out of an apartment? Ask property management where furniture may be placed, whether collection must be arranged separately and which dates or access rules apply. Record the answer before moving anything to a dumpster or shared area. Regular trash service does not establish that a furniture pickup is arranged. The UT off-campus utility guide includes guidance on property-managed trash and bulky items.

Confirm the building window before the pickup

A collection time and permission to use the building are two separate things to confirm. Ask management these questions, then give the answers to the business quoting your removal:

• Can furniture use the elevator, and does it need a reservation? What time window is actually available?
• Which entrance and loading place may the crew use, and when can they access them?
• Does management need any paperwork from the removal business before allowing access?
• When must the items be gone relative to the inspection or key return?

Do not assume these requirements apply to every building. Record what your property confirms. If the elevator is unavailable or the approved window changes, ask the removal business to reconfirm the access, price and timing before agreeing to the work. Keep access codes out of shared quote-comparison notes.

Need space on a downtown street?

Building permission does not reserve public street parking. If your loading plan needs reserved downtown spaces or parking outside posted rules, check the City’s temporary parking-permit information. The City asks for requests at least 48 hours in advance for processing and public notification. That lead time is not an approval or a pickup reservation. Confirm which permission applies to your location and date before relying on the loading place.

UT students: the official move-out donation page describes a residence-hall program. Confirm current participation and collection arrangements with the program; do not assume campus pickup covers an off-campus move.

If the first route does not fit, compare the other disposal routes. For a firm deadline, record what is confirmed and when you will switch to a fallback. This site cannot arrange a pickup.

UT program information checked September 16, 2026.