Recycle shop or oversized garbage?

[Isthiezak]

I'm moving out of my current apartment in a few weeks, and I'll have to get rid of a lot of my furniture, as I'm moving into Tokyo, and there's no way I'll be able to fit all of my current stuff in.

I don't have any form of transportation myself. A friend of mine moved out a few months ago, and got a recycle shop to come and take his stuff off him, but rather than giving HIM money, they charged him more to take it off him than it would have cost to just put the stuff out as sodai-gomi.

Is this normal? Granted, the recycle shop wasn't particularly close to his apartment, but still, it seems excessive.

just dump it outside a recycle shop or find one that will pick it up for free

[Isthiezak]

I've got no means of transporting the stuff my myself, so I will need a place that'll pick it up.

[LOstSamurai]

Originally Posted by Isthiezak

A friend of mine moved out a few months ago, and got a recycle shop to come and take his stuff off him, but rather than giving HIM money, they charged him more to take it off him than it would have cost to just put the stuff out as sodai-gomi.

Is this normal?

my 2 yen: if your things are quite new (1 year), you might get some money.

In my case, the recycle shop paid me between 2 and 15 percent for my stuff (aircon, fridge, gas stove, bike, washing machine etc.). All the things were between 1 and 2 years old and in very good shape. If you get 2000 yen for somethings you paid 50,000 only one year ago, it hurts...

But on the other hand: they come and pick it up. Best advice is to call the recycle shop in advance and let them know what exactly you have. Then you can decide, whether to take em or not.

[Kad]

If you need a way to move your stuff around, renting a small truck is not that expensive.
Also you can put ads around and do some give away for other fellow gaijin, that's how I got most of my stuff when I move in.

[Jacque_S]

You need to know the rules first. Get out that little booklet you would've been given when you moved in. If it fits within the definition of sodai-gomi, just leave it out at sodai-gomi day, or arrange with the municipality to pick it up. You may need to make an appointment and/or buy a sticker thingie to pay the fee. If it's a large appliance that requires recycling or paying the city a fee, you're probably better off paying someone to take it off your hands. Recycling shops vary...some will come by and take everything for nothing, others will charge you.

[kotoha]

I've never had a recycle shop charge me to take anything! It depends on the shop but they should come to your place and walk around and look at what you've got. If they think they can sell it for quite a bit of money they should pay YOU, not huge amounts but something. Some of our old furniture (especially things that were in good condition, but had been cheap to begin with) they took to resell but if they can't resell it for very much, they'll just take it for free... free for you and free for them though, so better than sodai gomi, which you usually have to pay for. They also will tell you if there is anything they DO want... they offered me money for my dresser even though I didnt want to sell that particular item!

You should be able to refuse the estimate that the recycle shop gives you, too. If they want you to pay them to take something, just tell them you don't want them to take it after all. They kind of give you the estimate with the attitude that you'll take it, whatever it is, but if you think you can do better by selling it yourself, of course you can reject it at any time.

Maybe try a different shop than the one your friend went to... I've never gotten rich from selling to a recycle shop or anything but you should be able to get at least a couple hundred yen for any furniture pieces in decent condition.

Selling to other individuals is also an option, but it depends on the kind of thing you want to sell. If you're selling something that can be carried to the post office and shipped, or taken home on a bus or train, you're more likely to find a buyer on this site than if it's a bed or something. A lot of gaijin don't have cars, and since you don't have one either, you'd be limited to selling to people who DO have a car big enough to put the item in, and willing to come pick it up. You can get more money that way but it might be hard to find a buyer depending on what it is.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and if its the REALLY cheapy furniture (those assemble-yourself type pressed wood bookshelves etc) and you can't find anyone to take it for free, you usually can disassemble it and put it out on the regular burnable garbage day. Just check for the size limitations in the booklet mentioned in the above post. Depending on your city, some places will pick up small appliances (i.e. I've put out a toaster before and had it taken, but don't try it with a plasma TV or anything) on non-burnable day for free.

[Gaijin 06]

Originally Posted by Jacque_S

You need to know the rules first. Get out that little booklet you would've been given when you moved in. If it fits within the definition of sodai-gomi, just leave it out at sodai-gomi day, or arrange with the municipality to pick it up. You may need to make an appointment and/or buy a sticker thingie to pay the fee. If it's a large appliance that requires recycling or paying the city a fee, you're probably better off paying someone to take it off your hands. Recycling shops vary...some will come by and take everything for nothing, others will charge you.

Still in Canada, failure-boy? Mummy looking after you? Bless.