How to Get Rid of Used Furniture

Got some used furniture you’re looking to get rid of? Before tossing it to the curb or dropping it off at your nearest landfill, consider a different option. Sure, it might look like garbage to you. But to someone else, it’s a perfectly usable dining set or couch.

Disposing of old and unwanted furniture is a drag, no doubt about it. It’s clunky and heavy. So much so, that just getting it outside can be a back-straining ordeal—even if you’ve managed to rope your friends into helping you out. Thankfully, there are better ways to go about it. Instead of landfilling used furniture, you can ensure that it gets a second life by helping the environment and someone in need.

Donate It

One of the best ways to dispose of used furniture is by donating it to a charity or a non-profit organization in your area. Not only will you be helping get a usable piece of furniture into a new home of someone who needs it, but you will also be reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.

In some cases, you might have to haul your old furniture to a drop-off location just to donate it. But that’s not always true. Sometimes, you can arrange to have it picked up, too. Plus, all donations can be deducted from your taxes.

Furniture Bank Association of North America (FBANA) – Through FBANA, you can locate your nearest furniture bank. Furniture banks provide furniture to those in need at little or no cost. Many will pick up gently used furniture straight from your house.

Goodwill and Salvation Army – If you don’t have a local furniture bank, check your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Some will even pick up. Convenient, right?

Habitat for Humanity ReStore – ReStores pick up gently used furniture, among other things, in most communities and resell it at a reduced price.

If these options don’t appeal to you, homeless shelters, women’s shelters and thrift stores are also usually looking for furniture. Feel free to get rid of used furniture at these locations too.

Sell or Trade Your Used Furniture

Every time you toss out a used piece of furniture, you create more waste. And potentially waste more cash. Turns out, that old recliner might be worth something to someone. There are tons of classified websites out there with people looking to buy. Start with Craigslist. If you’re in Canada, give Kijiji a look, too.

There are plenty of virtual platforms to sell used furniture on as well, such as Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, or Letgo. It’s beneficial to use your network of social media contacts to spread the word.

Trade networks are also worth checking out. Instead of selling an item, trade it for something you need. This is an easy way to participate in the circular economy. There are several sites and apps that cater to trades like Freecycle or Bunz.

Repair or Repurpose

Sometimes all that is needed to salvage an old piece of furniture is a little elbow grease. Repairing furniture instead of disposing of it can not only keep it from landfill, but it can also help save you money since repairing furniture is typically much less expensive than buying something new.

If you’re tired of that piece of furniture, you can also step it up a notch by refurbishing it. Sanding and repainting wooden furniture is a great way to make something feel new in your home again. Or you can turn old furniture into something new in your garden, or using pieces to create a new piece of furniture all together.

Junk Removal

For something hands off, you can have someone else pick up your old and unwanted furniture for you. Companies like 1-800-GOT-JUNK? take care of everything, all you have to do is arrange a time for them to come by and pick up your stuff. And they claim to recycle and donate everything they can.

If You Absolutely Have To, Landfill It

We get it, sometimes you don’t have any other options. Maybe that old sofa is infested with bedbugs. Maybe it’s just not salvageable. Whatever the case might be, before you drop it at the curb, make sure your municipality’s curbside program accepts bulky items. If not, you might have to bring it to a drop-off location. If your city’s part of the Recycle Coach network, it’s as easy as downloading the app and searching our What goes where? tool to find out your municipality’s bulk furniture procedure.

Know Your Options

Getting rid of used furniture doesn’t have to be a hassle. By following these steps, you can easily avoid the landfill whenever possible, while also contributing to the circular economy. So, make sure to look into the different options available in your area, and help reduce waste.