Go GREEN in 2012 - Tips for Recycling Used Furniture

Refurbished Highland House Wingback Chairs - from Garage Sale

Refurbished Chaise Lounge - from Estate Sale

Refurbished Bench from Craigslist 

Sometimes I find an article that I could have written - in fact, have written in fits and starts.  This article from Earth911.com is just that type of article.  It mentions that chairs are the most thrown away item in landfill - I did not know that - and that is my most common refurbished product (see website).  It also lists my favorite sources of great used furniture that can be recycled:

• Craigslist
• Garage (and Estate Sales)

And it discusses some Do-it-Yourself ways to do the work - a nice discussion I am sharing.

We love our homes and we love making them by creating the feel of our space with furniture to reflect our style. As we grow out of what we have, though, or it gets worn out, most of us throw our old furniture into the landfill.

The U.S. EPA reported that furniture accounted for 8.8 million tons, or 3.6 percent, of our waste stream in 2005 (quadruple the tonnage in 1960).

By both recycling our old digs, sprucing up those we want to keep and buying used pieces when we crave new ones, we are opting out of the energy-intensive furniture supply chain.

If there’s any hope, revive your furniture with some updated upholstery or a snazzy new paint job (using eco-friendly paint, of course).

Chairs are the most common piece of furniture thrown away. To revamp them:

•                Seats are usually screwed on, so simply unscrew them. 

•                Remove the fabric (making sure the foam is still good).

•                Use a staple gun to cover it in the remnant or organic fabric of choice.

If you need to get rid of it, recycle it through reuse. To give or sell your own furniture to others, you can go to:

•                Craigslist: A site where you can scope out opportunities to buy new and free furniture in its “for sale” listings. Also try Ebay.

•                Freecycle: Creates localized lists where you can track what people in your neighborhood are giving away for free.

•                Donate: Your furniture will be a great addition to Goodwill or Salvation Army, and you can receive a tax deduction.

•                Garage Sale: This is a great thing to do when you feel the “spring cleaning” bug coming on. You can also tell your friends and neighbors that you have items to sell and give them first choice.

If reuse doesn’t work out, or the item is beyond repair, recycle it. Check with your local curbside program for bulk days or use Earth911 to find a recycling location.

If you’re looking for new furniture yourself, why not check out the sites above to see if anyone in your neighborhood is selling something great? You can check out Craigslist or scan your neighborhood during trash day, when most neighbors will leave their old stuff out on the sidewalk to make their journey to the landfill.