The living room wall unit filled with photos and memories, the large dining table in the kitchen where the whole family gathers on Sundays, and the spacious corner sofa where you've spent so many evenings: If you decide to exchange your house for an age-appropriate apartment in your later years, you can't take most of the furniture that has been with you for decades. But what happens to it? We've compiled four options and explain what's important in each case.
Selling furniture, but doing it right
You probably have at least one piece of furniture in your house that you could still get a good price for if you sold it. With a bit of luck, you might even be able to get more for it at an antique shop than you originally paid. But finding the right buyer isn't always easy. You can sell your furniture online, for example, via eBay Classifieds. It's important to set aside some time for this: you need to take photos, list your furniture on the site, and wait until you find a buyer.
You don't need a professional camera for the photos: cell phone photos are perfectly sufficient. Just make sure you take them in good lighting and arrange your furniture neatly and without any decorations so that potential buyers can clearly see what they're getting. While it's tempting to simply offer all the furniture as a package to save time, you'll actually find buyers more easily and get a higher price if you list each piece individually.
The alternative is a secondhand dealer. They come to your home, saving you time, but will most likely try to haggle you down as much as possible. It's also essential to check beforehand whether they are a reputable dealer, since you're letting a stranger into your home.
Give away furniture, donate it and know it's in good hands
You no longer want to make a profit yourself, but still want to know your treasures are in good hands? Then giving them away or donating them is a good option. Ask around among your friends and acquaintances to see if anyone is interested, or contact a charitable organization directly. You can find information about organizations in your city, for example, at the German Red Cross (DRK) or the employment agency. Alternatively, you can list your furniture online on platforms like eBay Classifieds and give it away. Another option is to join a flea market Facebook group. These exist locally in most cities.
Don't be afraid to list furniture that's no longer in perfect condition. What seems worthless to you might be a treasure to someone else. Many young people specifically buy antique furniture to upgrade it through DIY projects and give it a modern flair. This trend is called "upcycling." To attract interested buyers, you can use the term "upcycling" directly in your furniture descriptions.
A win-win for everyone: Leave the decluttering to the new buyers
When selling your house, you can, of course, also include an agreement with the buyers in the sales contract: You leave the furniture to the new owners. They then decide for themselves which pieces they want to keep. They take care of disposing of the rest themselves. This way, both sides benefit: Your buyers receive new furniture free of charge, and you yourself don't have the hassle of disposal. If your furniture is no longer in good condition, you can alternatively 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 not handling your move yourself and have hired a moving company? Then don't hesitate to ask if they also take care of disposing of your old furniture. Many moving companies offer this service and will either resell your furniture or take it to a recycling center for a fee. While this won't save you the disposal costs, it allows you to get everything done in one day without any hassle.
Are you planning to sell your house and unsure what to do with your furniture? We would be happy to advise you on your individual options.