5 Ideas on What to Do with your Old Furniture

Almost every single one of us confronts this particular question when we are about to move to another city, “What do I do with my furniture now?”.

It’s definitely a hassle to think about it, and more so when we have to handle it. But, think about it. It’s not only about this. A grave situation that is staring us in the face is the condition of the environment. 

Solid waste, such as furniture cannot be disposed of easily. This makes it hazardous to the health of the environment & your surroundings in many ways. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, in a section of its report on ““Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling”, mentions  that the furniture & furnishings generated in the U.S. in 2018 was 12.1 million tons.

Trust me, that’s a lot! It’s not only about the amount. The material which constitutes the furniture is also taken into account. Plastics, glass, textiles were some of the materials that were found. 

The problem lies in the process of recycling. It’s not easy to do it for all of these materials. The issue of furniture waste can be resolved with practicing certain methods such as reusability, recycling, etc. 

So, the question here is, how can you do your part to help reduce the amount of furniture waste in America? Here are a few ways to do it:

1. Buy Used Furniture

This option is extremely feasible for those people who do not want to shell out a large amount of money on fresh new furniture. Buying used furniture is easier on the pocket, plus you also make sure that you are helping reduce furniture waste. How, you may ask.

Since you are buying furniture which was someone else’s possession in the past, you are ensuring that there is negligible manufacture of new furniture. This option somewhat constitutes the process of recycling. 

Inhabitr has an array of products in the buy used furniture category. Check them out!

 2. Rent Furniture

First and foremost, let’s think about the concept of renting furniture. To rent furniture implies that the items will be in your possession for a certain amount of time. And how does it contribute to less furniture waste? You ensure that it is not being thrown away, and actually gets used by someone else.

That’s not all. It does not burn a hole in your pocket either. You can rent it for as much time as you want, and simply give it back when you don’t need it. 

And guess what? You can rent furniture at nominal rates from Inhabitr. We provide white glove delivery, assembly & setup!

3. Recycle or Upcycle

Recycling is one of the most feasible options to reduce furniture waste. Here, you can opt for a few ways so that recycling of your furniture is optimized. Try selling your old furniture online.

Ensure you upload the recent photos of the furniture pieces, its current condition & age, and measurements. You can also repurpose your old furniture by utilizing it for another purpose, for example, turning an old table into a workbench. Another option is furniture removal. Re-selling it will definitely take care of this step for you.

4. Donate Furniture

Many non-governmental organizations, orphanages, etc might be in need of furniture. If you have old furniture & want someone else to benefit & make good use of it, the option of donating furniture is always available. You can reach out to various such organizations online & enquire if they are in need of it. It’s always a good idea to ask about their requirements, send photos & measurements of the furniture pieces you wish to give away. 

If you are finding it difficult to find these, there are a few furniture donation companies which moving.com has stated in one of its articles. Here are the links to make it easy for you:

• DonationTown
• Goodwill
• Habitat for HumanityReStore
• Pickup Please
• The Salvation Army

5. Give to your family & friends

In case any of your family members or friends are moving to a new place, you can always offer to pass on your old furniture to them. This way, they will not have to bother about buying new furniture, and you will also be helping out in reducing furniture waste. You can even announce the give-away on your social media channels. It’s a great way to reach out to your friends who might be looking for the very same thing.

Do your bit!

There are several ways to do your part in protecting & preserving the environment. By adopting some of the above methods, you will be doing your bit. It’s true furniture waste has a negative impact on the environment, but you can help to substantially reduce it. 

When it comes to renting & buying used furniture, do check out Inhabitr’s various products & furniture sets at nominal rates!