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Why is it so difficult to give furniture away?

(188 Posts)
pen50 Tue 09-May-23 16:45:25

Due to my father having lived to 23 years past his three score and ten, I am in possession of a lot more furniture than I need or have room for. It's all decent quality stuff, some is possibly dated, though it would appear from what I'm swamped with on social media that mid century furniture is currently quite fashionable. And yet I cannot get rid of it. Can't sell it, can't give it away, charities won't take anything upholstered unless it has fire safety labels (fair enough but so few people smoke now that it's not that much of an issue!)

What the devil can I do with it? My parents always bought good quality stuff, and looked after it, and it would go against all my principles to just bin it.

Currently I'm waiting for someone who said she'd take two chairs from a (free) Facebook Marketplace listing. She was supposed to be here well over an hour ago. Messaged me 40 minutes ago to say she was 20 minutes away.

I was stood up by another person yesterday too and wasted two hours (the stuff is stored 30 minutes from home) waiting for him.

Just a rant really unless anyone has actual recent experience of managing to get rid of furniture quickly. I've even offered to deliver it but no joy!

AmberSpyglass Wed 10-May-23 00:08:07

Young people aren’t the dumping ground for your hideous furniture!

biglouis Wed 10-May-23 00:17:30

You can always tell an antique dealers house. The only "new" things we have are the white goods and tech. All my furniture is inherited, bought from auctions or imported from abroad. I would not have modern furniture if you paid me, It simply does not have the quality.

fiorentina51 Wed 10-May-23 06:37:02

Google selling vintage mid century furniture UK.
I found these..
Not sure if it's of any use, but good luck!

retrovintageonline.co.uk/furniture-buyer-uk/
www.isyourhouse.co.uk/stuff
www.vintagehomestores.co.uk/sell-to-us

Calendargirl Wed 10-May-23 06:54:59

Nothing gets wasted it’s all passed to charity or my kids will take it and send theirs to charity

But that contradicts what others are saying, that charities don’t always want the stuff.

I think it’s great if they do take it. Win win all round.

Blondiescot Wed 10-May-23 07:05:03

We're currently facing the exact same situation with my inlaws' house. They always bought decent quality items, but trying to get rid of stuff isn't proving easy. We might end up having to get someone in to do a house clearance. In addition, my MiL spent a fortune over the years collecting Lladro ornaments, and I appreciate tastes have changed and people maybe don't collect them any more, but it seems a shame to just give them to charity.

NanaDana Wed 10-May-23 07:10:13

Had the same problem with a whole range of dark brown Ercol Old Colonial furniture a few years ago when we came to clear my late Mother's house. All in lovely condition, and the three piece suite had even been recently re-upholstered, but no-one wanted to buy any of it. British Heart Foundation eventually took it all away for free. Tastes have changed, and young people in particular seem to be more into the IKEA type of style.

Calendargirl Wed 10-May-23 07:59:59

AmberSpyglass

Young people aren’t the dumping ground for your hideous furniture!

It’s not all hideous, and if they can’t afford anything else….

Often hear about domestic abuse victims who are rehoused in places with not a stick of furniture. Surely a use could be found for some items in that situation?

Blondiescot Wed 10-May-23 08:15:52

Calendargirl

AmberSpyglass

Young people aren’t the dumping ground for your hideous furniture!

It’s not all hideous, and if they can’t afford anything else….

Often hear about domestic abuse victims who are rehoused in places with not a stick of furniture. Surely a use could be found for some items in that situation?

Totally agree - I often see posts on Facebook from people who have just been rehoused and have literally nothing. Surely taking someone else's unwanted furniture - even if it's not what they would ideally choose for themselves - would help to get them started and until they can afford to get something else?

Doodledog Wed 10-May-23 08:35:34

But there are more people getting rid than there are those who can take things. My mum had a large rosewood table and eight chairs. She paid a lot of money for it and didn’t want to throw it away. She persuaded me to take it, as I have a separate dining room and had children at home at the time. It took up most of the room and because it was highly polished the children couldn’t use it for drawing or similar, and we had to either keep it covered (so not seeing it’s beauty) or risk spoiling it. The constant juggling of placemats was a pain, and the room lost a lot of its functionality as a second sitting room. We got rid in the end, but I didn’t expect young people to want it. My mum was quite upset as even though she didn’t want it herself (and nor did I) she thought someone should be grateful for it as it was expensive. It doesn’t work like that though.

Musicgirl Wed 10-May-23 08:49:46

Are there any furniture projects in your area? They can collect furniture and give it to people in need.

MrsNemo Wed 10-May-23 08:58:12

We recently offered a fairly new sofa and two armchairs to a local charity - they were very fussy indeed and came to inspect before they sent a van to collect them. I can understand this though, as so many people use charities to unload things that are hard to get rid of, and unsaleable. Our furniture is mainly restored second hand. I like Ercol - but have bought only two new pieces from them over the years as the prices are astronomical. Having seen how beautiful this furniture is, and how well made, I couldn't settle for anything else, so ebay has been my furniture supplier for years.

NotSpaghetti Wed 10-May-23 09:00:19

Grammaretto

It's weird isn't it. Why are people so fussy.
I'm the same and have far too much.
I posted a few things on gumtree for sale and sold 2 old radiators. The rest is still here and I doubt I can give it away
On the other hand I am looking for an old kitchen unit for my workshop. Do people give these away?

Yes.
I gave mine away on - freecycle.

Fleurpepper Wed 10-May-23 09:03:37

I know, we are not supposed to say that young people today are very fussy- but ain't that the truth. When we got married, we had absolutely nothing. Mouldy furnished flats, then when we bought our first house, we made do with hand-me downs from colleagues, I made bean-bags, OH made a bed with bit of pine and slats, and second-hand shops- and slowly replaced as we went along. And never used credit, or bank of mum and dad.

Truth!

Hetty58 Wed 10-May-23 09:09:57

Fleurpepper, exactly, even had to put up with the hideous brown/orange carpets for years - along with the blue/white huge pattern curtains!

Harris27 Wed 10-May-23 09:25:55

We had the same when mil went into care we had to pay the council to take her stuff away.it looked so sad all piled up outside her house. Such a shame.

Doodledog Wed 10-May-23 09:31:29

Yes, many of us made do when we had our first homes, but things have changed for the better. Isn’t it better to be glad of that rather than seeming to want the same for young people today? Remember that we were probably younger, too. I was 21 when we bought our first home, and very few young people can do that now, as prices are so high.

It is sad to see loved ones’ prized possessions going unwanted - I do understand that, but they had the pleasure of choosing and living with things they loved. I also understand that young people want to do the same in their turn.

NotSpaghetti Wed 10-May-23 09:33:41

My "main" dining table is almost 2.5m long and 1m wide. It does not fold.
We have 14 chairs to "go with it" (two need work). I know and accept it won't be easy to re-home eventually but it was perfect for us with a big family as we had it made for us. I think I am reconciled to this - but was pleased this week when one of my daughters commented on what a "really useful table" it was!
Keeping fingers crossed she still thinks this when we eventually move! grin

Now there are only two of us we tend to sit at one end - but it does nean I can leave stuff out at the other end! grin

Callistemon21 Wed 10-May-23 10:21:48

Yes, we're allowed to say it although I must say not all are like that.
But perhaps the young people I'm thinking of are middle-aged people!

paddyann54 Wed 10-May-23 10:23:58

calendargirl theres rarely anything thats more than 4 years old ...thats why charities and will take it .Its still in fashion.

Visgir1 Wed 10-May-23 10:43:19

We used a Charity called "Stella's voice" they won't take furniture if it hasn't got the Fire label,or lamps with no safety sticker but they will take, knives, forks, spoons, pots pans. Vase's, Bedding everything.
They collect, just mark up what you want to go.
They distribute it to the needy families setting up new homes, after family "trauma".
Just Google to see if there is one in your area.

PinkCosmos Wed 10-May-23 10:45:31

Our local British Heart Foundation will collect items of furniture.

They won't take upholstered items that don't have a fire safety label.

FishandChips15 Wed 10-May-23 10:48:29

What about an auction house that way they will collect and yes you will have to pay commission, but at least it will be gone.

Gardenersdelight Wed 10-May-23 10:55:38

Have you tried offering on olio app or nextdoor.co.uk
We've had more success with both these rather than fb

Blondiescot Wed 10-May-23 10:55:58

It's all very well 'young people' wanting everything new, but let's face it, many of them will get themselves up to their necks in debt to have it all. I'm glad both my daughter and son were more sensible and saved up to buy what they needed. There are so many young families out there with massive debts now - all for the sake of wanting to go one better than everyone they know on social media. I know that's not the cause for all - and I'm not tarring them all with the same brush, but if I know quite a few in that situation, I'm sure others do too.

Chocolatelovinggran Wed 10-May-23 11:49:03

The odd piece put outside with a sticker " please take" worked well for me, and for my youngest DD when she and her husband bought a house full of junk. My middle DD has a lovely Ercol dining table and chairs set from grandparents which are for eating, homework, craft projects etc - absolutely not treated with reverence! Interestingly, the furniture seems small compared to much modern stuff, which suits her modest sized house. I noticed the size issue also in relation to china- my wedding set (52 years old ) has smaller plates and bowls than those sold today.