5 Ways to Get Rid of Large Furniture before Moving

The expensive and headache of moving large furniture is often not worth it. You should try to get rid of it, by selling it or giving it away before you have to move. You may be able to haul it to the landfill, but that should be your last resort if you don’t have any other options. Here are just a few ways that you can get rid of it:

1 – Try to Sell it

There are buyers who wouldn’t mind moving your large furniture for you if you offer them a good deal. You may have to charge much lower than you paid for it, because the buyer may have to hire a truck to move it. Keep tabs on local prices for used furniture, specifically what they go for at moving and garage sales and on Craigslist.com. Don’t price your furniture above those prices. It may seem as if you’re losing money, but you have to factor in the cost to move it if you don’t sell it.

2 – Give it to A Friend

If you’re not able to find a buyer, then you may be able to find a friend wiling to take large furniture off your hands. Tell all of your friends about the move and the need to get rid of the furniture. Take a picture of it and send it in a mass email to your list of friends, so that they can decide if they’d like to look into it further. You may need to help them load it on a truck, but it’s a more convenient option than transporting it your new apartment, and finding help to unload it or hiring a professional mover to do it for you.

3 – Donate it to Charity

Some non-profit organizations would be happy to pick up your large furniture for you, as long as it’s in good condition. These organizations will either sell it to the public and use the money to help fund their programs and services, or keep it for the organization’s use. To find one in your area with a pickup service, you need to check your yellow pages or search for one on the Internet. Organizations often post rules for pick up services on their websites, which may require you to call and set up an appointment.

4 – Offer it on Freecycle.org

You may be able to find someone to pick up your furniture on Freecycle.org. It’s a free service where members offer household and other items for free, and interested members can pick those items up. If you’re not a member, you’ll have to submit a form in your city to become a member. It’s a Yahoo! group, and you may have to wait a few days to get a response back from the moderator to gain access to the group.

5 – Haul it to the Dump

If none of the above ways work out, you may have to haul it to the landfill.  Some landfills charge a small fee, depending on the rules of the city where you live. You can also hire a local hauling service to take it to the landfill if you can’t do it yourself.

It may take time to get rid of large furniture, so don’t wait until the last minute. The sooner you work to sell or donate it, the better off you’ll be.