Sometimes old, tired furniture needs a bit of an upcycle through modernising or replacing. If you’ve been renovating your house, you may be left with furniture you no longer want. So what is the best way to give your furniture a second life? From upcycling, to reusing, or even reselling. Here are some top tips on how you can do your bit for the environment, as well as making more space in your home.
Bad Habits
One bad habit a lot of us have got used to is to just throw things away. Without really thinking about the impact it has on the environment. Perfectly fine items of furniture that maybe we don’t want.
But that could be great for someone else. We need to get in to the habit of trying to keep items like this in rotation for longer. Whether it’s donating it to charity, giving it to a shelter, a friend or family member.
Upcycling
Sometimes your furniture can be given a new lease of life. Upcycling your furniture is a great way to reduce waste. There are plenty of great how-to articles and videos online teaching people how to revamp their old furniture. Upcycling, or buying second hand is also a great way to save money.
Reuse
You get to declutter your home, and someone else gets to enjoy a piece of furniture you no longer need or want. Perfect for improving your sustainability!
Online Marketplaces
Online marketplaces can be a great way of finding and connecting with someone who wants your furniture. The following sites are great online marketplaces…
- eBay
- Facebook Marketplace
- Nextdoor
- Preloved
- Shpock
Car Boot Sales & Auction Houses
A guide to furniture reuse wouldn’t be complete without mentioning car boot sales and auction houses. If there are any local car boot sales, you might want to consider trying to sell your furniture there.
If you think your furniture is valuable or antique, you could take it to an auction house to be sold for you.
Give Your Furniture Away For Free
If you’d like to give your stuff away for free, you can try charities, social projects or try online sites. The big names in the giveaway site world are Freegle and Freecycle.
There are some charities, social enterprises and non-profit projects that specialise in furniture reuse. There are plenty around so it’s worth researching if there are any in your local area. Most organisations are able to collect furniture from your home for free. Which makes it super easy to shift your items.
Please note that businesses can only accept upholstered furniture if it still has a fire safety label intact. This does not apply when you’re selling/donating to a member of the public though.
Household Waste Recycling Centres
If you’ve got the wheels and the muscles, you can take your furniture to your local HWRC for disposal. HWRC’s are also known as the tip, dump or a civic amenity site. They often have a reuse bay for items you can upcycle. Upcycled furniture can be a gold mine if you have the time to make them look great again.
LoveJunk Marketplace
LoveJunk is an online marketplace that helps residents find their nearest & cheapest licensed and insured waste carrier or reuse organisation. Dispose of, or upcycle your furniture cheaply and responsibly. If you need help with furniture disposal, you could give LoveJunk a try. Take a photo of your furniture and list it on their marketplace.
What do you do with your old furniture items?
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