If you're moving out of state, downsizing, or simply want to buy new furniture during your move, knowing what to do with your old furniture is a must.
If you live in an apartment rather than a house, you generally can't just leave the furniture out by the dumpster, and even if you do live in a house, you can't always put multiple large items out for pickup.
Why Do People Get Rid Of Furniture?
Everyone has their reasons, but for the most part, people get rid of their furniture while moving to save money, space, and energy. Moving requires a lot of lifting, and if you have older furniture or more furniture than you need, moving it can be a hassle.
If you're considering getting rid of your furniture but aren't sure what to do with it, use these tips to help.
Let's get started!
Sell it!
This may seem obvious, but there's a HUGE market online for used furniture. You're not going to get rich selling off your dinged up dresser, but you can absolutely make a few bucks to help you with the move.
Take well-lit photos of all of your furniture and put them up on places like Facebook and craigslist. Check for other similar items to see what a good asking price for the furniture might be.
Be prepared to haggle a bit, but selling your furniture can help you earn a little extra money and avoid being wasteful.
Donate Your Furniture
Similar to selling your furniture, there is also a huge opportunity to donate your furniture as well. Assuming the furniture is in decent condition and isn't broken, places like Goodwill or Salvation Army will take it off your hands.
Make sure you ask the donation center about any potential tax credits you can get for donating the furniture as well.
Keep in mind, though, almost all charities will require you to deliver the furniture yourself, so if you're trying to avoid that, this isn't a great option.
List The Furniture For Free (With Pickup)
If you don't care about making extra money, you can list your furniture online for FREE...with one catch: someone else has to pick it up.
If your main goal is to get the furniture out of your home while doing the least amount of work possible, this is a great option.
If the furniture is in decent shape, you're bound to get a ton of traction. If you don't want to interact with people, you can put the furniture on the curb and make a "curb alert" posting online. Give the address and any other details about the furniture and mention it's free if you come to pick it up.
Dumpster Rental
If your furniture is in bad shape, you can always rent a dumpster to get rid of it. By renting a dumpster, you eliminate having to transport the furniture and make the process of throwing it out quick and simple.
Most companies will deliver a dumpster to you, and you fill it up, then they haul it off.
This is the best choice if you have a large number of bulky items that won't get picked up by your normal garbage service.
Schedule Multiple Curbside Pickups
If you have a little bit of time to spare, call your local garbage service and see how many items you can leave for curbside pickup at once. Schedule a time for them to come take the furniture, and repeat as needed.
Most garbage services come one day a week specifically for large items, but if you're trying to throw out all of your furniture, you'll have to call ahead and make sure they can pick it up first.
Closing Thoughts
Moving can be stressful and hard on your body. If you're starting to plan your move and want to start fresh, getting rid of your old furniture to make room for new stuff can be a great feeling.
You should always try to be responsible and recycle and donate where possible, but if you absolutely have to throw away your furniture, make sure you call ahead and make sure it gets into the right hands.
Do you have any other ideas on how to get rid of furniture? Let us know your ideas in the comments section below!
I love your advice to look for tax credits from your local donation center when you drop things off. My sister is trying to clear out a lot of things from her home this year. She needs to make sure she gets a dumpster to just throw most of it away.