5 Best Options for Responsibly Removing Furniture

Est. Reading Time: 6 Mins

Whether you plan to move, renovate or buy new furniture, there might be a certain nagging question that’s on your mind: “What do I do with my old furniture?”

Because many of us have become environmentally conscious, we don’t want our old furniture to waste in landfills. So, what else can we do to keep our furniture from ending in landfills?

You can give away old furniture. But an old sofa or chair might be difficult to remove if it isn’t in great condition. Giving away to a charity might seem like a good idea, but many organizations have high standards for used furniture.

And if you decide to throw your furniture to the curb, garbage trucks will not accept them since it might be too big for them to handle. So, how does one give away used furniture the right way?

This article will discuss five disposal options for you in your pursuit of getting rid of your old furniture.

In This Article...

Selling Used Furniture
Giving Away Used Furniture
Donating Old Furniture
Recycling Used Furniture
Using Furniture Delivery Services

1. Selling Used Furniture

Seems like the most logical thing to do, right? If you don’t want your furniture to end up in a landfill, you pass it on to the next person in the hopes that they, too, will enjoy it for a long time.

However, selling used furniture can sometimes be difficult if it’s not in great condition. Often we get so used to our furniture items we don’t see the imperfections that stick out like a sore thumb.

Used furniture can also be difficult to sell as so many people are trying to give away their old furniture.

However, not all hope is lost. Because we live in a digital world, several websites are dedicated to selling, buying, and giving away used furniture pieces. Some sites, like Facebook, even have a feature where you can buy and sell used items at ranging prices.

Selling your furniture online is an easy way to quickly remove old furniture, and can help you reach a bigger audience than you would by just leaving it at the curb. The websites below are some examples of marketplaces you can use to sell your old furniture.

What To Do With Used Furniture: 5 Best Options

2. Giving Away Used Furniture

Along with using online resources to sell your furniture, another option to consider when removing old furniture from your home is giving it away for free.

Although getting some extra cash from selling your furniture sounds like a great idea, perhaps you’re not in it for the money. Maybe you just want to get rid of it as safely and as quickly as possible.

So, what can you do? Posting a free furniture ad on buy-and-sell websites is still a good option, but there are community events you can participate in to help give away your old furniture.

Giveaway Weekend is a program held by both the city of Ottawa and Kingston. To participate, place large items you no longer want out at the curb for someone else who might want to pick them up. This is another great way to help others while keeping household goods out of landfills.

Check out when the next pick-up day is in your area: Covid-19 restrictions may affect these services.

Ottawa: Give Away Weekend

Kingston: Giveaway Day (Click giveaway day at bottom of the list of disposal opportunities for dates and details)

3. Donating Old Furniture

Donating is a great option for giving away old furniture to those in need. But you might be wondering, who accepts furniture donations?

Here at La-Z-Boy, for example, we sometimes get asked if we donate used furniture to a local charity for those less fortunate. Although we do not donate furniture directly, our highest importance for our furniture is to stay sustainable and for people to enjoy our furniture for many years.

This is why La-Z-Boy Ottawa & Kingston have had several programs donating furniture over the years. We also have partnerships with CHEO that help us with donation items whenever the opportunity arises.

We are committed to providing our clients with an up-to-date and current list of furniture donation options. They range from charitable donations to furniture recycling and other methods of furniture removal when needed.

Some charitable organizations even take gently used furniture and donate it to a family in need. There are some restrictions on what they will take, however, and their pick-up areas may be limited. But, this can be a good option for giving away gently used furniture.

In Ottawa, consider the following organizations:

In Kingston, consider the following organizations:

If you have any questions about whether or not your items can be useful, please contact these organizations directly.

4. Recycling Used Furniture

Though the options above may sound enticing, you might’ve run into a dead end with no bites to your furniture lure. But never give up in the face of rejection!

If your furniture is more than gently used and you cannot give it away, furniture recycling is the next best option.

Furniture recycling allows you to dispose of your old furniture responsibly and help convert these used materials into creating other useful products without needing to extract or use new materials.

Some furniture materials that are reusable for other purposes include textiles, foam, wood and certain metals.

Below is a list of organizations that provide furniture recycling or disposal services throughout the Ottawa & Kingston regions.

In most cases, there is a fee, which can cost between $90-$500, depending on how many pieces you have.

5. Using Furniture Delivery Services

One last option you can use is if you’re replacing old furniture with new pieces. Some furniture stores that deliver new furniture may remove used furniture from your home.

Though they come with a fee, this can be convenient since you won’t have to lift a finger.

So you may be wondering, does La-Z-Boy remove old furniture? The answer to that is yes! La-Z-Boy offers a $50 fee for each seat removed from your house. As for mattresses, the fee is $200.

If you’re planning to keep your furniture, for an additional fee of $25 per furniture piece, we can assist with either moving out old furniture from different rooms or bringing it to the curb.

What's Next?

As you can see, several options exist for removing old furniture. Whether you decide to sell, give away, donate or recycle your old furniture, you now have all the information needed to make an informed choice.

Good luck with your quest to eliminate your furniture in the most eco-conscious way possible.

If you want to replace your living room furniture, we can help bridge your new furniture era! Visit us at one of our local Ottawa or Kingston locations to start shopping today. If you’d prefer, you also have the option to schedule a visit in advance online.

Our La-Z-Boy team is always eager to lend a helping hand. You might also want to take advantage of our complimentary in-home design service should you need help designing the room of your dreams!

If you’re interested in seeing the type of furniture we offer, take a look at our best-selling furniture articles: