ALBANY, N.Y. -- Hudson and Ontario streets got a little pick-me-up. After students leave this area for their summer break, Department of General Services employees all but break their backs to get the sidewalks cleared of all things college.

"We're faced with the same thing year in, year out," said DGS Supervisor Corey Johnson.

Normally, trash pickup goes from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. But this time of year, these workers start their day at 1:30 a.m. and work until 4 p.m. Eventually, they're bound to run into something unexpected.

Johnson said, "One year we were working, I found deer, dead carcasses, from the hunters. Gotta be from them, I hope it is unless somebody's collecting roadkill."

But then there are those diamonds in the rough.

"A lot of it is in good condition," Johnson said.

Some of that furniture could have ended up at the Capital City Rescue Mission instead, where gently used furniture gets a second chance -- in fact, all sorts of stuff. They just got a huge shipment of mugs.

Mission Director Perry Jones said, "We just take it in and then we give it out free and we don't charge, whether it's clothes or furniture, all the things people need to set up a house."

And the Salvation Army said they'll do the heavy lifting and the hauling.

"We'll set up a time to come by," said Salvation Army Development Director Felix Perez. "We have companies that will help us pick up large amounts of furniture and bring it right down so it's put right to use."

"However about the time we get there to deal with the stuff, we have to throw it away," Johnson said.

And that could mean a good donation gone to waste.

Donating gently used furniture and house wares may be easier than you think. Give the Capital City Rescue Mission a call at (518) 462-0459 to drop off items, or call the Salvation Army at (518) 463-6678 ext. 17 and simply let them know when the furniture will be on the curb.