Piano Disposal: How to Get Rid of a Piano You Don't Want Anymore

Karen Flores

Dec 5 · 4 min read

What do pianos and anvils have in common? They're the 2 things that fall on people's heads in the cartoons. Did you ever think about why that is? It's because pianos are SO HEAVY. Yes, pianos are not fun to get rid of. That doesn't mean it's impossible, you just might have to get creative. Here are some tried and true piano disposal tricks.

Sell it

If the piano is still in relatively good condition, you might be able to get some cash for it. I myself once bought a piano on Craigslist for $250 and moved it with a friend and a Uhaul trailer (which I admit was probably a bad idea). Craigslist isn't the only place to sell - you might also try "Facebook Marketplace," or another online platform for buying and trading. You can also reach out to your community because you never know who is looking for a piano.

Give it away for free

If you haven't discovered the "free" section on Craigslist, you're in for a treat. Depending on where you live, you might be facing some competition, but it's worth checking out. If you have a piano that isn't in great condition, you probably won't be able to get money for it, but putting it in the free section on Craigslist will at least help you get rid of it. If you're really lucky, you might even find a taker who is willing to haul it out and transport it themselves.

Donate

There are many places where you can donate a piano. Most of these organizations will require that the piano is in good condition, but it's worth calling and finding out.

You can donate your piano to foundations such Pianos for Education or The Beethoven Foundation. These types of organizations usually provide free piano pickup as well as a receipt for tax deduction.

You can also make a few phone calls to find out if any thrift stores near you will accept pianos. Many of them do, although they also will likely require a piano in good condition. Some thrift stores even offer a pickup service and will bring a truck to your house to come and get the piano.

There are also websites out there that are looking to rescue pianos, or find a more eco-friendly way to dispose of them. You can "put your piano up for adoption" here

Churches, theaters, and schools are often in need of pianos, and this is a great way to give back to the community. Don't be afraid to call or email, you'll usually get a quick response, and if they aren't interested, they might have some ideas for you.

Street Art

Have you ever seen one of those painted pianos on the street and wondered where it came from? This is one of the weirder and cooler fads out there, and you can be a part of it! If you pull it off, you might even get some street cred in your community. With this tactic, you will need to transport the piano yourself, but the fun thing is that you could also paint it yourself! You will have to check with the town first and probably the stores around the spot that you want to plant your art to make sure that everyone's on board with your art installation.

Consider restoring your piano

If you're up for a project, you can always consider restoring your piano. For this, you obviously need to get a consultation from an expert to assess if it's worth the time and money. But if you're really lucky, you might be able to restore your piano for a reasonable price and sell it for more than you would have made if you sold it as-is. And who knows, if you restore and refurbish your piano, you might end up wanting to keep it - and that's not a bad thing.

Keep it as a decoration

Impress your dinner guests with your over-the-top creativity with ideas like this...

There are endless ways to turn a piano into art, so why not get creative and turn it into something cool.

Dissasemble Your Piano

If you know that your piano is going to end up in a landfill no matter what, and you don't want to pay for its removal, I would highly recommend disassembling it before you attempt to haul it off. Check out this article on how to disassemble your piano.

Junk Removal Services

If none of these options work for you, you might have to resort to paying for one of those junk removal services, which is not a great option. These junk removal services are pretty expensive as it is, but pianos are so difficult to move that you might be looking at upward of $300.

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Here are some national (USA) piano removal services...

Go Load Up

170 locations across 49 states. This company tries to sell or donate all "junk" first to keep as much unwanted junk out of landfills as possible. Visit site

1-800-GOT-JUNK

This is probably the most well-known junk removal service, and yes they do piano removal! Visit site

Two Men and a Truck

Operating in 44 states, this company does junk removal as well as piano moving, so you've got options.

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To support some smaller local piano removal companies, here is a list of some local piano removal businesses by state (plus some in Canada). If you don't see your state below, you might have to resort to one of the bigger national companies.

California: