Are you wondering what to do with unwanted furniture?

Every year, Americans produce an alarming 12.1 million tons of furniture waste, with 80{5ab75762cf707683d7af2475431dd95a23fbc9cf5cb8a45517116f350cf35bde} going to landfills. Most of these happen because people are moving to a new house or have newer furniture to use. Disposing of furniture this way also emits CO2, which can be dangerous for the planet.

It’s such a waste to see people throw furniture away like this. What’s great is that there are alternative ways of dealing with unwanted furniture. Read what we’ve prepared below to know what to do with household items when it’s their time to go.

Give It to Charity

Donation is the first option to consider when dealing with unwanted household items. Furniture donation is more common than you think, with schools, homeless shelters, and furniture stores taking in old pieces of furniture. If you want to give it out to a dedicated organization, though, here are your options:

Habitat for Humanity

This nonprofit dedicates itself to building safe homes that families in need can afford. Habitat for Humanity offers a donation pick-up service for anyone willing to donate to their cause. They sell all the items they receive at their ReStores, a resale location for used furniture, building materials, and appliances.

What’s great about Habitat for Humanity is they operate in all 50 states. They even have branches in 70 foreign countries. It means no matter where you are, finding someone to contact and donate to isn’t too hard.

Goodwill

Goodwill is one of the most popular organizations in the US and Canada, with 4245 stores nationwide. Their cause helps fund employment training and job placement for the area they operate in. 

Like Habitat for Humanity, they offer pick-up services for anyone willing to donate. They’ll then put it up for sale at their Goodwill stores or on their online auction. Goodwill also accepts any old vehicle you may part with, like riding lawn mowers, RVs, and trucks.

Salvation Army

Salvation Army is among the oldest organizations in the country. They help with many needs, such as homelessness, hunger, and even disaster relief.

What’s great about them is that they have an online form for you to fill out. It helps in scheduling your donations, so they know when to pick them up. If their online scheduling services won’t work in your area, you can always call their local landline.

Because of government restrictions on re-selling, they can’t accept certain items. Baby items, metal desks, and furniture made of particle boards aren’t eligible. To avoid this, you can always call ahead to ask whether your household items are good for donation.

Freecycle Network

Freecycle Network is a nonprofit founded in 2003. They focus on reducing waste and easing the burden on landfills. While doing this, they also focus on building the strength of the communities they operate in.

Volunteers run the organization, focusing on local operations. The system allows them to better serve their communities. Workers here get a better sense of what their communities need and will encourage other locals to provide what’s needed.

What’s great about them is that they offer all donations for free. It’s a big help for those who need the furniture. 

Sell It Online

If you think your furniture is still in good enough of a condition to make a buck or two out of, sell it online. There are tons of online platforms available for you to use, such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

These platforms allow you to target hyper-localized areas. You won’t need to worry about shipping furniture quite a ways from your location this way. All you need to do is wait for someone to reach out to you and negotiate a deal.

What to Do With Unsellable or Un-Donatable Furniture?

When your furniture is in too bad of a shape to use again, you have only a few options left. Here’s how you can still dispose of them safely with no issues.

Put It on the Curb

Placing your furniture out on the curb works well if you live in an area with a large population density. When putting them out like this, one of two things can happen.

The most likely scenario is that your local trash collection agency picks it up and disposes of it for you. Take your furniture out on the right day in this case. You’ll face a fine from your local office otherwise.

In the less likely scenario, other locals will pick your furniture up. As long as it’s in good condition, someone will want it.

Contact the Sanitation Department

If your furniture is too large to dispose of, contact the local sanitation department. Make an appointment explaining what you need them to do for you. These departments often accept appointments as long as there are no more than 10 large items to pick up.

Leave the items at the curb the night before the appointed day. Coordinate with your landlord or neighbors so they know not to report the mess.

Leave It in the House

When you’re moving to a new house, you have the option to leave your furniture in the old one. You can contact services like Wake County Home Buyers and let them handle it for you.

Services like this will take what you leave at home and find a new use for it. They’re useful when you’re selling the property and can’t find a solution to get rid of unwanted items. With their help, you can rest easy knowing the showing and sale will go through without a hitch.

Know What to Do With Unwanted Furniture Today

Old furniture rarely fits well in your new home. Knowing what to do with unwanted furniture helps you dispose of it properly. Find the right solution and get rid of unwanted furniture the right way today!

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