It’s a time for celebration - you’ve decided that your home/space needs a serious interior design refresh, and you’ve made your case to the necessary parties (aka your significant other). Next step is hiring an interior designer, or making a plan on your own for all of the beautiful new pieces you need to buy to make this grand vision of yours come to life. How fun! But wait…..you suddenly realize you have to deal with the old tan microfiber sofa you have, that is not looking cute. And the wobbly table lamps you’ve been hauling around since college. And the high quality Persian rug your grandmother gave you, that just doesn’t work in your new design plan.

I’ve heard this dilemma a hundred times before - new clients are so excited to have their newly designed rooms, but are stuck on what to do with old pieces that are not going to stay. Check out my recommendations on what to do with old furniture and home items when you are ready to replace them.

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WHAT TO DO WITH OLD FURNITURE AND HOME ITEMS? #1 - POST ON NEIGHBORHOOD FB PAGES

Neighborhood specific Facebook Pages are a phenomenon. I’m sure you aware of these or are probably already on yours! It is a Facebook Page or Group that is invitation only or approval based for residents of a specific neighborhood or area. Users then post photos of ALL KINDS of random items for sale on the Facebook Page, and other neighborhood residents negotiate or buy (via comment) on the posted item. A pick up time/date is set, and cash is exchanged. This method of buying/selling home items seems to be quite a bit safer than Craigslist, and most people that are part of these groups reports very active user involvement. I personally know many people that have had a lot of success buying/selling their used furniture and home items on Neighborhood Facebook Pages.

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WHAT TO DO WITH OLD FURNITURE AND HOME ITEMS? #2 - HIGH END CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

For higher quality furniture and home decor items that you are looking to sell, I would recommend researching local area high end furniture/home consignment shops. They are picky about the quality of furniture pieces they accept, and they do inspect items for damage, so keep that in mind. The great thing about high end consignment shops is that the work is done once you drop off your items. They can display your used items with other consigned pieces, showing the shoppers how to imagine your used piece in a new light. The consignment and payment policy varies wildly among consignment stores, so I would call a few to get the scoop before hauling your stuff around.

WHAT TO DO WITH OLD FURNITURE AND HOME ITEMS? #3 - DONATION

If you have truly “used” looking furniture and home decor items, my last suggestion is obvious but your best bet. Donating your furniture pieces to local churches, rescues, charities, or other donation organizations is a good work and is so appreciated! Again, call around first and see what the needs are before loading up your wares. I wouldn’t waste your time trying to sell heavily used/dated home items - the money made is often not worth the time spent. However, making a valuable donation to an organization in need is worth the effort every time!

I hope these tips were helpful for figuring out what to do with your old furniture and home pieces. Have you used any of these 3 methods before? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below! And, please share this blog post with anyone you know that is in this predicament!