Junk Removal on Martha’s Vineyard:
The Honest Guide
Getting rid of stuff on this island is more of a project than it should be, mostly because everything has to leave by boat - which is why disposal costs what it does and why “just take it to the dump” isn’t always simple. This page walks through your real options for junk removal on Martha’s Vineyard: what things cost, what the transfer station will and won’t take, when you’re better off doing it yourself, and when it makes sense to hire it out.
We're Better Call Bosko, an island-based crew that hauls junk in every town, including up-island and out to Chappy. Here's the straight version.
Your three options for getting rid of junk
Option 1 - Do it yourself at the transfer station (cheapest, if you can).
If you own or can borrow a truck, have the strength, and it's one or two items, your town's transfer station is your least expensive route, and we'll happily tell you so. A few things to know first: you need your town sticker or permit, hours shift seasonally (and are shorter up-island), and bulky items - mattresses, appliances, furniture, TVs - carry separate per-item fees. Our Martha's Vineyard Transfer Station Guide breaks down which facility serves your town and what costs extra.
Option 2 - Have it hauled (when DIY stops making sense).
The transfer-station route falls apart when you don't have a truck, the items are heavy or upstairs, it's a whole houseful, or you're off-island coordinating remotely. That's when a hauler earns its fee - we bring the truck and the crew, carry it out, sweep up, and handle every disposal rule and fee for you.
Option 3 - Donate or sell it (for anything still usable).
Furniture and household goods in decent shape can stay on-island where they're needed, through thrift shops, community groups, or the island buy/sell/free pages. It keeps usable stuff out of the waste stream (and off your disposal bill). When we haul, we do this step for you - usable items go to donation first, before the transfer station.
What we take
Furniture (couches, sofas, sectionals, dressers, tables, bed frames), mattresses and box springs, appliances (fridges, washers, dryers, stoves, freezers), electronics and TVs, exercise equipment, hot tubs, renovation debris, whole garages/basements/attics/sheds, yard and patio items, and the general pile that's been "next weekend's project" for two years. If it isn't hazardous and a crew can carry it, we can almost certainly take it. Not sure? Text a photo.
What no one can take in a regular haul
Some things are banned from normal disposal in Massachusetts or need special handling, so we'll always point you to the right route instead:
• Hazardous materials - paint, chemicals, motor oil, fuel, propane tanks, asbestos. These need designated hazardous-waste collection.
• Mattresses in the trash - they're banned statewide and must be recycled (we handle that; see mattress removal).
• Active bed bugs - needs a pest professional first.
What it costs - and why there's no price chart
We don't post prices, and here's the honest reason: an accurate junk-removal price depends on things a chart can't see. A single mattress in a ground-floor garage and the same mattress down three flights of a narrow Edgartown staircase are genuinely different jobs. So instead of a fake number online, we look at photos first, then give you a real, firm quote before any work starts - the number we quote is the number you pay, with no surprise fees when we arrive. Some jobs are one fixed price; larger or open-ended ones are hourly with a minimum, explained up front.
How the actual pickup works
1. Text photos of what needs to go, with a note on where it is (curbside, basement, second floor).
2. We send a clear quote - usually fast.
3. We haul it - you don't lift anything. You don't even need to be home; curbside, garage-code, and "it's under the deck" pickups are routine, and we text you a photo when it's done.
Junk removal in your town
Each town has its quirks and we know them: historic-district access in Edgartown, tight Campground cottages in Oak Bluffs, freight and year-round homes in Vineyard Haven, dirt-road barns and sheds in West Tisbury, long up-island driveways in Chilmark and Aquinnah, and yes - the On Time ferry to Chappaquiddick.
Related help
Single big item? See furniture removal, mattress removal, or appliance removal. Whole property? See estate & property cleanouts. Just a garage or shed? See garage cleanout and shed cleanout. Replacing furniture? We can deliver the new piece and haul the old one in one trip - see white glove delivery.
Quick answers
How much does junk removal cost on Martha's Vineyard?
It depends on the volume, the items, and the access - which is why we quote from photos rather than a chart. Text photos to (970) 376-8687 for a firm number.
What's the cheapest way to get rid of junk here?
If you have a truck and can lift it, the transfer station. If you don't, hiring it out saves you the vehicle, the labor, and the dump-hours hassle.
Do I have to be home?
No - as long as we can access the items, we handle it and send a photo when done.
How fast can you come?
Often within a few days, sometimes same-day. Summer fills faster, so text early if you have a deadline.
What happens to my stuff?
Donation and recycling first, transfer station last.
Get a clear quote before we start
Text photos of the job to (970) 376-8687. We'll look at what you've actually got, ask what we need to ask, and send back a clear quote before any work begins - the number we quote is the number you pay. Or call - a human named Bosko answers. Fully insured. Serving all of Martha's Vineyard, including Chappaquiddick.