For many people, furniture pieces are among the first big purchases they make. You probably bought the furniture that you currently have in your own home with the intent of using it for a long time.
But what if the living room set, kitchen furniture, and bedroom pieces that you bought years ago no longer serve your needs as well as they once did? What if you want to save money to buy newer furniture or save space so that you can move around more freely in your house? Moreover, what if you need to move out of your current place entirely and bringing all your old furniture with you is out of the picture?
The good thing is there are several ways to deal with such problems without immediately throwing your furniture away. Below are five clever ways to offload your second hand furniture that don’t involve sending it straight to the landfill.
Offload Your Furniture to a Relative or a Friend
First, it’s an option to give your furniture away to a family member, friend, or someone else in your social circles who may need it more. Your contacts will appreciate getting the first pick for furniture items that you would otherwise sell or give away to strangers. You may also get some extra satisfaction from giving your old furniture to people you know, as you’ll be able to imagine them making happy memories with furniture items that served you well.
Sell Your Furniture Online
If your furniture’s in good enough condition, it’s also an option to sell it online. There’s a pretty big market for secondhand furniture comprising people who want to use it for their homes or offices—or people who want to refurbish it for commercial purposes.
Finding an interested buyer online may be as easy as posting listings of your furniture on one of your social media accounts, then waiting for someone to bite. However, if you want your listings to get even more traction, and if you want an easier time setting up shipping and payment options for your items, consider putting them up for sale on a trustworthy e-commerce marketplace.
Sell Furniture and Other Old Items at a Garage Sale
People who prefer to sell their items the “old school” way can hold garage sales or yard sales in their neighborhoods. Find a way to spread the word about when your garage sale is happening at your address, how long you’ll be opening shop, and what else you’ll be selling alongside your old furniture.
Buyers who are curious about your event—especially those who like seeing items up close as opposed to looking at them online—may show up at your doorstep and get your old furniture if they’re offered a good price. The tried-and-tested method of the garage sale may be one of your best options for getting rid of your old tables, chairs, and couches.
Join a Furniture Swap or “Freecycling” Group
What if profiting off of your old furniture isn’t a big deal to you? If that’s the case, you can choose to offload it through a furniture swap with someone else. A friend, officemate, or other contact may be looking for the exact type of furniture that you want to give away. They may be able to trade with you for another piece of furniture that serves your needs better, or they may be able to offer you another item of similar value—for example, a kitchen appliance—in exchange for a bedroom ottoman.
Another innovative cash-free method you can try is the “freecycling” method, where you join an online group full of people who are either accepting free items or giving away items for free. Post about your old furniture and offer it to anyone who can pick it up at your place or cover the cost of shipping to theirs. Through the freecycling method, you may be able to get rid of your old furniture items quickly without putting them up for pickup by garbage collectors.
Donate Your Furniture to a Charitable Organization
Lastly, you can give your old sofas, dining chairs, study desks, or other furniture items away to a charity organization like a school, orphanage, or home for the elderly. Furniture isn’t as frequently donated to charity as food, clothes, and money are, which is why charity orgs and their beneficiaries may be more than happy to receive what you give them. Find out which organizations are accepting furniture donations and make arrangements to have your items shipped or picked up.
Some Last Tips on Getting Rid of Your Old Furniture
Before you sell or give away your old items, make sure they’re in presentable condition. It’s also good practice to tell your buyers or receivers about any cosmetic issues or wear-and-tear that they might encounter. That way, you can set expectations and give them the opportunity to think about how best they can use your furniture.
Your preloved piece of furniture doesn’t have to go straight to the trash when you’re done with it. By following any one of the suggestions above, you can ensure that your old items are put to good use—and that they can make their way to someone who will appreciate them.
