How to Handle Furniture Disposal When Moving

Do you plan to move soon but don’t want to take all your old furniture with you? Are you looking for a way to get rid of your furniture when you start moving out of your home?

In Australia, moving around is a normal occurrence. Most people move, so they’re closer to their jobs or school. Others do it because they’re upgrading their house or improving their health.

In 2020, over 43,000 Australians moved to regional areas because of the health crisis. Melbourne had the largest number of emigrants. In other parts of the country, most people only moved within the region.

If you’re planning to move soon, continue reading to learn about the proper way of furniture disposal.

If you’re planning to move soon, continue reading to learn about the proper way of furniture disposal Sydney.

We also included moving tips and how to remove other trash in the home.

1. Furniture Disposal Method: List Old Furniture in Craigslist Free Stuff

Did you know that you can now use Craigslist to get rid of your unwanted furniture? Make a listing of your unwanted furniture and items as a giveaway on the website. All you need to do is place the listing under “curb alert” or “free stuff.”

The process of giving away your furniture on Craigslist is simple. Take photos of your unwanted items. Post them in the free section of the Craigslist platform. Before long, your hands will be free of them since many people are willing to shoulder transportation fees for free furniture.

Adding too much furniture to the move can cost you more, especially if you already have a limited budget. With Craigslist, you can save more money by giving away old furniture. Plus, you’re helping people most to better homes.

2. Sell Your Furniture in a Garage Sale or Online

Career or work is one of the most common reasons people move out of their homes. As more people began to work from home, they also sought a quieter lifestyle. Now, people prefer living in smaller cities or the countryside.

Let’s say you’re moving out because renting in a metropolitan area isn’t necessary anymore. What if your furniture is still somewhat new, but you can’t bring it to your new home? Giving it away online may not be the best idea, especially if you’re running low on funds.

Worry not, since a lot of buyers of good furniture are willing to pay for them. All you have to do is to hold a garage sale. You can invite the whole neighborhood, your friends, and other people you know to check it out.

You can also advertise your garage sale on various online platforms like social media networks. It increases your chances of selling everything. Below are a few tips on how to hold a successful garage sale:

How to Hold a Successful Garage Sale

Before starting the garage sale, ensure that everything is ready. Decide the prices of the items and furniture beforehand. However, don’t expect they will sell at your listed price.

With that said, be ready to negotiate the prices of the items. Keep in mind the goal of the yard sale is to get rid of unwanted furniture. Profit should only come as your secondary target.

Decide on a good time and day for the garage sale. You’d want the event to be on weekends since most people can visit. For best results, schedule it on a bright Saturday on the first weekend of the month.

While waiting for the event, clean and polish all the items. Prepare your location, ensuring that it’s safe and attractive to customers. Advertise the event on social media or the local newspaper.

3. Give Furniture Away to Family and/or Friends

If you know any friends or family who might want your unwanted furniture, offer it to them. It’s a good way to improve your relationships. Plus, your friends and family will be more likely to take the clutter away on their own.

You won’t have to think about spending any money on transporting these furniture pieces. Be careful about choosing the right people for your old furniture. Some people might feel offended if you ask them if they want your old things.

With that said, make sure to give away usable and presentable furniture. Don’t offer old furniture, especially if they look like rubbish. You can also post on your private social media accounts and ask if anyone wants them.

Make sure only your friends and family can see your plan to give away furniture. Take photos of the items and send them to the people engaging with your post. If your furniture has slight damage and other defects, include them.

4. Hire a Mobile Dumpster or Skip Bin

One of the best ways to get rid of furniture is to hire a skip bin company. Choose a reputable company, such as Mobile Skips. For example, if you plan to move out of Sydney, click here to learn about their services in the region.

What happens when you rent a skip bin? First, you place the order for the bin and set a schedule. Most companies allow their customers to use it for two to three days. During this period, the bin will be at the address.

While the bin is at the location, you can load anything on it. It includes unwanted furniture, waste, tools, appliances, clothes, debris, and more. Most companies will have towable bins to ensure convenience.

You can move the skip around or use it to send items to the dump with your car. However, remember the skip’s loading capacity and towing requirements. If you’re unsure, send your inquiries to the company.

5. Place Furniture on the Curbside for Pickup

You can throw away furniture to the curbside, too. It’s a good move if you live near the main road or have resourceful neighbors. Strangers can inspect the used furniture and pick it up if they want to take it.

If nobody takes your furniture, the garbage collectors will.

In some areas, leaving used furniture on the side of the street counts as littering, resulting in fines. Check your area’s littering rules before deciding on this. If it’s a violation, contact a waste management company to deal with it.

Sometimes, your neighbors may get to the clutter before they do, and that’s fine. All that matters is getting rid of the old furniture to pave the way for the new.

6. Donate Furniture You Don’t Need 

Are some of your furniture still in great condition that you’re hesitating to throw it away? There are around 56,000 registered charities and similar organizations in Australia. If you plan to move out, you can contact any of these charities and send them your old furniture.

It’s a good method of furniture disposal, especially if you already have a charity organization or local church in mind. If you’re unsure, here are some charities that will take your stuff when you move out:

• The Salvation Army Australia
• Vinnies
• The Smith Family
• Habitat for Humanity Australia
• Goodwill Op Shops

Those charities are national and international organizations. You can also pick a local charity to donate your used furniture. Some charities help the disabled, homeless, and other impoverished people.

7. Haul Your Unneeded Furniture to the Dump or Scrapyard

What will you do if your furniture is too old and battered? What if nobody wants to take your old furniture? Another solution for quick furniture disposal is to take the waste straight to the dump.

Drive your furniture to the local dump or scrapyard. If the dump is too far, contact the company. They may offer to pick old furniture up for free.

The good thing about this solution is that most companies will pick up almost any furniture type. However, keep in mind that some companies don’t want oversized items. To ensure that you have a proper furniture collection, let the scrapyard know about the size before calling them to your home.

You can also call private companies that specialize in garbage removal. However, this can be somewhat costly compared to public waste management services. Consider it when the local dump won’t take your bulky furniture.

8. Tips on How to Be Smarter With Your Furniture

It’s trickier to get rid of furniture than most people think. Do you want to avoid the hassle of figuring out where your old furniture will go next time? Learn from this experience and be smarter with your furniture choices.

As promised, here are some tips on handling and managing your furniture.

Get Space-Saving Furniture

As the global population rises, each person’s living space becomes smaller. The modern solution is to use space-saving furniture. These types of furniture include expandable and collapsible ones.

After your move, consider going to the home improvement section and look for these furniture pieces. In most cases, they’re cheaper than their bulkier counterparts. Never skimp on these and buy high-quality ones for your new home.

Be Smarter When Buying New Furniture

Before buying new furniture to improve your home’s aesthetics, think it through. Consider the amount of time before moving away from your current dwelling. Are you planning to move within the next month or after a few years?

If it’s the latter, it’s smarter to avoid buying new furniture. Remember that there are many other issues to consider when you’re moving out of your home. You don’t want your old furniture to add to those problems as well.

Invest in Furniture Only When You’re Making a Long-Term Move

Do you see yourself spending many years in the new home you’re moving to? This is your chance to buy durable and long-lasting furniture. It makes more sense to invest in quality furniture this time.

With that said, avoid buying furniture if you’ll only move for a short time. The new furniture will only be a source of stress when it’s time to move out again. Plus, it’s not worth the money of buying brand new furniture if you don’t plan to bring it with you to your next household.

9. Tips to Keep in Mind When Buying Furniture for Long-Term Use

Keep in mind the fabrics and materials of your desired furniture. Avoid buying those with hard-to-clean surfaces. You want furniture with fabrics that can withstand wear, especially in high-traffic areas.

Pick furniture pieces based on how capable you are of maintaining them. Be realistic with your choice, especially if you know you can’t provide regular maintenance. For example, a leather couch is a good choice because it only needs to dusting and cleaning now and then.

Finally, always look for quality furniture and other household items. Never invest in cheap but unstable or light furniture. They’re undesirable, especially if you have kids that like to climb and play on them.

Light furniture can tip over and cause unnecessary injuries. Cheap furniture may have surfaces that bubble up when water or other liquids spill on them. This type often uses MFD as a main material or component.

Remember that furniture is one of the few things worth investing your money in. If you’re going to spend money on furniture, it’s better to look for high-quality items. They’re not only beautiful but also durable.

Pick the Best Furniture Disposal Method for You

Those are the various ways to get rid of furniture that you don’t need or want when moving. We hope our guide on furniture disposal helped you find a solution to a common moving-related problem. Use these tips to ensure that your next move is lighter and less crowded with unwanted furniture.

Why stop your learning process here? Do you want to keep learning other ways to make your move easier, faster, or more convenient? Visit our other guides for more educational and informative content, such as this one.