How to Make the Best Out Of Old Furniture When Moving
Finding a safe way to dispose of large furniture and appliances, especially when planning for a move, can be a pretty intimidating task for many. It can be even more complicated when looking to equip your house or office with new appliances and furniture but aren’t sure where to take the ones you already have. You may opt for business storage services. You, however, don’t need/have to struggle to get these items off your back/house. This article outlines easy steps and ways to dispose of your old furniture and equipment without spending a dime.
Easy Ways To Dispose Office Equipment
It isn’t always easy to relocate an office. The biggest challenge isn’t how, but what you will do with office furniture and equipment you no longer need. Unless you wish to move with the clutter to the new location and don’t mind paying for it, it would be advisable to look for better ways to get rid of them. Here are a few tips and steps to take when disposing of office furniture and equipment.
1. Make A Detailed Inventory Of Everything
A detailed inventory of everything you wish to keep and dispose of is needed to make the process more organized and easier. The checklist should include everything from chairs, desks, computers, tables, lamps, cabinets, and cubicles, among everything else. For larger offices, consider assigning an employee on each floor, then later combine it in a database or spreadsheet for easier processing. The inventory, however, needs to be accurate and detailed to enable you to make a more informed decision, especially on the equipment/furniture you wish to keep and dispose of. Make sure everything is logged before taking the next step.
2. Sell To Your Employees At A Good Discount
Don’t just have the equipment and furniture shipped out without consulting your employees. Some of this equipment might be valuable to them. Check to see if they might be interested in any of the furniture, then give it to them at a discounted rate.
For example, some employees might want to hold on to their office chairs or desk, especially for their home offices. You can thus choose to sell it to them, but at the most affordable price possible. Many will be interested in buying the office equipment for their home use simply because it is inexpensive, meaning it will save them lots of money had they chosen to invest in a new one.
Selling the equipment and furniture to your employees also demonstrates goodwill and trust to them. The company will thus generate an immediate revenue stream from the sales, and the employees get good quality equipment and furniture at a bargain. Giving employees a priority during the sale also helps boost your relationship with them, making them appreciate you even more. Just be sure to update the inventory list with each item sold. You can then use the updated list when engaging resellers, donation organizations, and recyclers.
3. List The Items Online
With the employees satisfied, the next step will be listing the left-over equipment online. One of the best and recommended ways to do this would be to contact a local furniture shop to help with the sales. The furniture store owner will want to come and check out whatever furniture you have, then make an inventory list of the items they would be interested in buying. Most of them will pick items that require little to minor repairs, after which he/she will recondition them then resell at a profit. Although the reseller might only be interested in getting the best equipment from your inventory, he/she can be persuaded to take everything for a specific price. All you need is to negotiate a lump sum with him/her to reach an agreement. Some resellers will be willing to pay a lump sum for everything you have, hence an excellent way to get everything off your back.
4. Consider Donating
You can choose to skip the reseller and donate all the equipment and furniture to a reputable charitable organization. You could also donate what is left after selling the items too. Donations are an excellent way to get rid of equipment you no longer need and ensure the equipment is put into better use, especially to the less privileged. As an added advantage, donating to a charitable organization attracts a tax write-off, which could be pretty beneficial for your company financially.
Proper judgment is needed when looking to give up items for donation. The items listed for donation ought to be in good shape and usable. You don’t want to give out a filthy, worn-down, and broken chair for donation, knowing all too well it won’t help the other person.
5. Contact Local Waste Management Or Local Scrap Yard
Do you still have lots of oversized furniture and equipment that cannot be put up for donation? The local scrap yard might be able to help. You, however, want to call to see if they do accept such oversized items. Check with their website or customer support to see what items they will accept and what they don’t. You don’t want to call them only to find out they won’t take that old piece of furniture in the garage.
On the other hand, Waste management companies can help get everything off your back, but at a fee. All you need is to tell them exactly what you need to be picked, your location; then they’ll send you a quote for the same. It is also worth noting that waste management companies will only charge extra for large items and not regular items. This means you might only have to pay around $10 for a chair or table that needs to be disposed instead of much more for larger items. Other companies provide an option to buy a special tag to allow for bulk item collection as well.
