Oakland resources for clearing an estate

Oakland bulky pickup: what your trash service includes

Every Oakland household, owners and renters alike, can book a bulky-item drop-off and a curbside pickup as part of its trash service. The drop-off takes up to four cubic yards at the Davis Street Resource Recovery Complex in San Leandro. The curbside pickup takes up to four cubic yards plus a limited number of large items such as appliances, mattresses and tires. Book either one through Oakland Recycles’ bulky service page or by calling 1-888-WM-BULKY.

Single-family homes are normally scheduled within two weeks and can add a second curbside pickup each year, 45 days after using the first two. Apartment and condo pickups are usually grouped into the last week of the month, and curbside service pauses for holiday tree collection from late December to the second week of January. For an estate, the allowance covers the last loads, not a full house. Use it after the family keeps and the saleable contents have been dealt with.

Household hazardous waste: paint, chemicals and batteries

Alameda County runs four free household hazardous waste drop-off sites, including one at 2100 East 7th Street in Oakland. No appointment is needed. Bring ID or a utility bill showing an Alameda County address, use sealed containers of up to five gallons, and keep each visit within 15 gallons or 125 pounds. Days and hours are on StopWaste’s drop-off facilities page.

The sites serve residents, not businesses, and the resident has to bring the materials in person rather than send a hauler. Decide early who in the family will make those trips, and call the StopWaste hotline at (800) 606-6606 if you aren’t sure the household qualifies. Leftover house paint has another free route: PaintCare’s California locator lists drop-off sites. At a single-family home, ordinary household batteries can go out on recycling day in a sealed clear bag on top of the recycling cart, with the ends taped.

Medications and sharps

Medications should not go in the trash or down the drain, and the hazardous waste sites can’t take them. Alameda County’s Safe Drug Disposal Program lists 103 collection sites across the county, 60 of which also accept used sharps. StopWaste’s medication disposal guide points to free pharmacy kiosks and explains how to prepare what you bring.

Gather medications early, before any sale preparation starts, and black out the personal information on the labels before you drop them off.

Mattresses, furniture and everything else

California’s mattress recycling program, Bye Bye Mattress, lists free drop-off locations. Some limit the number of units or need an appointment. If a new mattress is being delivered, state law requires the retailer to offer to take the old one back at no extra charge.

For donation, reuse, repair and recycling options for nearly any item, search StopWaste’s RE:Source directory with Oakland as the service area. Charities accept items based on condition and current need, so call before you load a truck, and have the saleable contents reviewed before anything is given away.

Probate, small estates and property tax

The California courts’ self-help center explains what happens to property after someone dies and when formal probate may not be needed. For a death on or after April 1, 2025, its guide lists a $208,850 limit for collecting personal property with a small estate affidavit, which can’t be used until 40 days after the death, and a $750,000 limit for a simpler court petition covering the person’s main home. The limits are adjusted every three years.

The Alameda County Superior Court’s probate page lists courthouses, forms and calendars. If the family might keep the house, read the county assessor’s Proposition 19 page first: an inherited family home generally keeps its lower property-tax base only if the heir makes it their primary residence. The assessor also lists a free legal clinic on property transfers.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Before anything is sold or removed, confirm with the estate’s attorney or adviser who has the authority to approve it.

Help for older adults and caregivers

When a parent is moving to assisted living or needs more support at home, Alameda County Senior Information & Assistance helps older adults and family caregivers find local services at 1-800-510-2020. The City of Oakland’s Senior & Disability Services has information specialists at its senior centers, along with care management and paratransit programs.

A move like this usually starts with deciding what fits in the new place. Our downsizing service takes care of the furniture and belongings that won’t come along.