A new year feels like the ideal time for a good clear out; out with the old and in with the new!
Some believe that throwing away our unloved belongings can transform our lives. Others believe that updating our living space can help us feel refreshed and invigorated ready for the new year ahead. It’s true that the first few months of the year are a great time to grab a bargain as stores inundate us with seasonal sales. Whatever your reason for wanting to renew your living space it's worth thinking about what to do with your old furniture. An estimated 10 million household items are sent to landfill every year and most of the furniture disposed of in the UK is in good condition and could be reused.
10 million household items are sent to landfill every year.
3 million of these items could be re-used by people in crisis
If you are set to rejuvenate your home as one of your new year goals it’s worth considering and researching what to do with your old furniture.
Local furniture projects heavily rely on donations of good quality furniture along with other household items such as white goods and electrical items. There is likely to be one in your community that would greatly appreciate your pre-loved furniture. It’s true that "one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure" - when you no longer need a specific item of furniture it doesn’t mean that it has come to the end of its useful life and it may well be of use to someone else.
Here are some of our suggestions for donating furniture:
1.
A simple Google search will help you discover charities in your region that sell furniture, either to raise money or that pass furniture on to those in need. There are large charities across the country, such as Sue Ryder, British Heart Foundation and The Red Cross that take furniture donations and many will even collect your old furniture free of charge. Details can usually be found on their websites.
2.
The Furniture Re-use Network has tonnes of information about why it’s a good idea to donate your old furniture, how it helps both people in need and the environment. They also have a handy directory of charities that take furniture donations across the UK.
3.
Emmaus is a national charity that also takes furniture donations. They operate as a social enterprise; taking saleable pieces of furniture, giving them a new lease of life in their up-cycling workshops before selling them on. The money they make is reinvested in the charity which helps people literally work their way out of homelessness.
4.
Before you donate make sure furniture is in a decent condition, clean and complete. Any upholstered furniture may need to have a fire label attached. It’s always worth checking what type of furniture can be donated too as different charity organisations may collect slightly different items.
We would (obviously!) never tell you not to buy new, good quality furniture but if you are thinking of replacing an old item consider how, what you think of as clutter, could benefit others. Research the charities in your community that rely on donations and, next time you buy an item of our furniture, why not donate an unwanted item to a really great cause.
