
Moving in old age: What happens to my furniture?
Sell furniture, but do it right
You probably have one or two pieces of furniture in your home that you could get a lot of money for if you sold them. With a little luck, you might even be able to get more at an antique shop than you originally paid for it. But finding the right buyer isn't always easy. You can sell your furniture online, for example on eBay classifieds. It's important to take your time: you need to take photos, advertise your furniture on the site, and wait until a buyer comes along.
You don't need a professional camera for the photos: cell phone photos are perfectly adequate. Just make sure you take the photos in good light and that your furniture is as tidy as possible and free of decorations so that interested buyers can see exactly what they are getting. it is tempting to simply offer all your furniture as a package to save time. However, you will actually find buyers more easily and get a higher price if you offer all your furniture individually.
The alternative is a junk dealer. They will come to your home and save you time, but will most likely try to haggle you down as much as possible. Be sure to find out in advance whether the dealer is reputable, as you are letting a stranger into your home.
Giving away furniture, donating it, and knowing it's in good hands
You don't want to make a profit yourself, but still want your treasures to be in good hands? Then why not give them away or donate them? Ask around among your friends and acquaintances to see if anyone is interested, or contact a donation organization directly. You can find information about organizations in your city at the DRK or the employment agency, for example. Here, too, you can list your furniture online on platforms such as eBay Classifieds and give it away. Facebook flea market groups are an alternative. These exist locally in most cities.
Don't be afraid to list furniture that is no longer in perfect condition. What seems worthless to you may be a real treasure to someone else. Many young people specifically buy antique furniture to refurbish it and give it a modern flair. This trend is called "upcycling." To attract people who are interested in this, you can use the term "upcycling" directly in the description of your furniture.
A win-win for everyone: leave the decluttering to the new buyers
When selling your house, you can of course also come to an agreement with the buyers in the purchase contract: you leave the furniture to the new owners. They then decide for themselves which items they want to keep. They are responsible for disposing of the rest themselves. This way, both sides benefit: your buyers get new furniture for free and you don't have to worry about disposal. If your furniture is no longer in good condition, you can also offer a reduced purchase price if the new residents take care of clearing it out.
Quick and easy: disposal by the moving company
Are you hiring a company to help you move instead of doing it yourself? Then don't hesitate to ask if they can also dispose of your old furniture for you. Many moving companies offer this service and either resell your furniture or take it to a recycling center for a fee. This doesn't save you the disposal costs, but you can get everything done in one day and don't have to lift a finger.
Are you selling your house and not sure what to do with your furniture? We would be happy to advise you on your individual options.
Photo: © cookelma