Puzzled

So now that I've renewed the lease on my apartment (that echoing sound you hear is my empty wallet), I've decided to invest a bit in making my apartment more livable. My first order of business is to get rid of my old sofa/day bed since sleeping on that thing gives me chronic back pain.

Herein lines my dilemma; I dunno how to get that fucker downstairs to the garbage room of my building.

When I first got the sofa, it took two heaving, sweating men from kuroneko to lug it inside my door. It's so heavy that just sliding it over about 20 cm requires effort. It's also a two seater, so it's too big for me to carry out the door anyways, regardless of it's weight.

How do I get the damn thing down to the garbage room?

I checked with the garbage website for my ward and they will not pick up large garbage at your home unless you're a senior or disabled in some way. All my male Japanese friends are smaller or frailer than I am, so the weight of the sofa might snap them like dry sticks. 

Recycle shops won't take it because Mochi's claws of doom have done their work on both front ends.

The only thing I could think of was to inquire with a benriya-san (a kind of handyman service in Japan that does almost anything). I just got a quote from one of them back today and it was 9000 yen just to bring the sofa downstairs. Nine...thousand...yen. WTF? For that price I could buy a cheap new sofa! I think it shouldn't cost more than 4000 to 5000 since I'm not asking them to take it away and throw it out for me!

Anyone who lives in Japan, feel free to give me suggestions on how to rid myself of this inconvenient piece of furniture!

Comments

[Coop]

Don't live in Japan, but if it is wooden frame, take it apart with a hammer (or something larger)and bag it up for the trash. If it has a metal frame I would say take a hacksaw to it. Both will take a little elbow grease, but is cheaper than 9000 yen. Another thing you could try if they have them is a private moving place, or if you get a new couch/bed/futon have them take the old one away.

[Kathryn]

Yeah I was going to suggest taking an axe to it!