It might be challenging to know how to get rid of big, undesirable goods, whether you’re moving, buying new furniture or appliances, or just decluttering. The battered old couch, the noisy refrigerator that runs nonstop, the hazardous trampoline that takes up room in the garden. (Yes, I am using all of these as instances from my own life.) Can you simply put them outside on the curb and wait for trash management to pick them up? Have you managed to transport those items to a landfill, only to have to shell out a perpetually bothersome amount for getting rid of them?
Furniture can be disposed of and some cash can be made at garage sales. The drawbacks include time: the back and forth of the negotiation process, as well as the work involved in moving your furniture to the sale location and remaining there during the transaction.
If you simply have a few pieces of furniture to get rid of, it could seem excessive to plan a successful garage sale as it is a science. Consult with your neighbors; you could discover that they share your circumstances. Together, plan a community sale to attract more attendees and obtain support for managing the event. These items are not appropriate to sell during a garage sale.
Get in touch with an estate sales firm if you need help from a professional or if you have a whole house full of stuff to get rid of. They can take care of payments, oversee the specifics, and conduct the event.
Instead of haggling over costs or making adjustments, estate auctions are especially common among families who have lost a loved one and need time to grieve and heal. Find out where you may sell your furnishings.
The secondhand furniture market was revolutionized by online markets. eBay and Facebook Marketplace are two significant platforms. With a whopping 133 million members on eBay and 1.185 billion on Facebook Marketplace, you’ll likely find a buyer for even the most eccentric pieces of furniture.
Whichever platform you select, plan to dedicate some time to capturing images, crafting descriptions, and perhaps even fielding inquiries from potential customers.
Another recommendation from Bonnie Borromeo Tomlinson, home organizer and author of Stop Buying Bins, is to “use your local area Facebook Buy Nothing page.” You can put up your giveaways on social media, and someone will come get them. This simplifies everything and keeps no money exchanged.
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Consignment is an excellent choice if your used furniture is exceptionally well-maintained or valuable. Once more, conduct research. A store might be a better fit than the others because each one has a different target market, pricing structure, and set of policies.
It is important to distinguish between consignment and second-hand stores. Borromeo Tomlinson says, “An owner of a [second-hand] shop buys things to resell.” They are typically not always vintage or antique; rather, they are curated according to the shop owner’s interests. “People enter into contracts with the store owner to sell items on their behalf” at consignment stores, according to her. The proceeds are divided, usually 60/40, in percentage.
Ask about the types of furniture that stores accept and the terms of payment before making any decisions about consignment or direct sales to retailers. Find out what happens if no one buys it and what proportion of the sale goes to the seller if you are selling on consignment.
In Alexandria, Virginia, Willow Wright is the owner of Urban Redeux, a veritable gold mine of unusual, vintage home decor. She advises contacting nearby retailers.
According to her, “Find out if any local vintage or antique stores in your area accept items as donations or on consignment.” “Some retailers, like us, might make an exception for unique and uncommon items that fit in with the design of their store.”
The most environmentally friendly method of getting rid of gently used furniture is to donate it to a charity. In addition to receiving a tax benefit for your trouble, the furniture will go to a good home.
Reusing materials The majority of the information on Earth911 is about recycling. However, you can find a list of local nonprofits that take furniture, such as Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, by entering “furniture” into their recycling search page.
Ask the charity what kind of furniture it accepts when you get in touch with them. Do you need to schedule a delivery, or will they pick it up? And never forget to ask for a tax receipt.
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Recycling furniture isn’t always an option. It’s challenging to recycle items without reducing them to their component elements, which is the case with furniture. For individuals who want to recycle household items, Earth911 offers free resources. But don’t count on any miracles.
“The truth is that furniture is not made to be easily recycled, and the costs of processing often outweigh the value of materials,” the company’s website states. Since the majority of wood used to make furniture has been painted or varnished, it cannot be composted. The majority of furniture that cannot be reused will therefore wind up in a landfill.
Some patio furniture exceptions include those made entirely of plastic or metal, which are occasionally recyclable.
