How do I check where my Trash Bin is kept on which hard drive?

My account trash is in /Users/$USER/.Trash

There are also .Trash folders on external volumes, and in some cases cloud storage places like Dropbox and OneDrive.

However, why are you keeping lots of files in your trash. It is not a great place to use as an archive. Much too risky.

If you really want to keep those files, then why not put them into a folder you create anywhere you want them to live.

Or implement a good backup system, and then keep your trash empty, because the files you really want are on your backup.

PS. If you manage to replace your /Users/$USER/.Trash with a pointer to an external disk, make sure you test it, as it is possible that the Finder does not do what you expect. Text it to make sure.

It’s the trash bin, not the landfill.

move your landfill to the external drive.

They should all be in the top level folder named .Trashes

On external volumes that do not have a /Users/$USER/.Trash, any user deleted files end up in

/Volumes/<volume-name>/.Trashes/501

Where the 501 is the "User ID" number for that user. By default most Mac users have a User ID of 501 as the first macOS account created on the Mac after unboxing. If you create additional users, or use Migration Assistant outside of the unboxing initial boot, then 502, 503, etc... User IDs may be created.

There needs to be a trash folder on each volume. Click on the Trash icon in the Dock, drag everything you'd like to keep onto the external drive, and then empty the Trash.

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