Should You Keep or Donate Furniture in Sydney?

Life can get a little cluttered and crowded at times. Although opting for a completely minimalist look is not for everybody, decluttering and cleaning up once in a while can be beneficial.

A good rule of thumb is that if you have not used pieces of furniture in a year (items you have no plan of keeping), you should probably get rid of them. But hold on, we are not talking about tossing them in the trash to end up in a landfill or selling them. We are talking about considering to donate furniture in Sydney.

Donating is a fantastic way to both declutter and feel good because you can be assured that your belongings will be given to someone who needs them.

Places to Donate Your Furniture in Sydney

If you are wondering where you can donate furniture in Sydney, we have suggested some tips you might want to consider:

1. Charities Are a Safe Bet

Donating your unused and unwanted sofas, lounges, beds, dressers, and drawers to a charitable organisation is the best option. These organisations are primarily dedicated to assisting and supporting those who are in need.

When it comes to choosing which charity to donate your furniture to in Sydney, you have a variety of options to choose from. Many of them use their profit from sales towards helping the less fortunate. Some of them will advise you to contact them first to see what sort of donations they can accept as not every one of them is set up to receive the furniture.

But what if you do not want to donate to charity but still want to give your furniture to someone who needs it more than you? There are several other options on the table.

2. Your Friends and Families May Need Furniture

You never know who needs furniture in your circle of friends and family. Someone you meet or a distant relative most likely needs a bed, sofa, chair, or chest of drawers. Ask for information from others. Make a phone call to your cousin or uncle, or enquire at work or post a note on the staff bulletin board.

Someone may be searching for what you are trying to get rid of and will come and collect it for you.

3. Online Advertisement Is a Wise Move

Another fast and easy way to donate furniture in Sydney is to post it on the internet. This does not require any financial investment. There are two options for free online furniture ads.

The first is Gumtree—a classified website that is completely free to use. The second is Facebook Marketplace—newer but just as useful. You can list products for sale or donation on both sites. You will be shocked how easily an unwanted item can be sold by listing it on one of these sites for free pickup.

Dos and Don’ts of Donating Furniture in Sydney

If you want to make the most of your donations, follow these tips:

DO ask yourself if your furniture can still be used by someone else.

Put your furniture pieces in the giveaway pile if the answer is yes. The key thing to remember when donating is that if it serves the purpose for which the item was designed, a donation drive will accept it.

DON’T give away damaged furniture.

Aside from making sure that someone can still use your furniture, you need to see to it if it is in good, useable condition. Do not pass along furniture with rips or stains. No matter how much people want to have your items, nobody would want to inherit your damaged belongings. If you have damaged items, look for a local company that will recycle these items.

DO drop off your valuable items at an OP shop during opening hours.

If a charity calls to say they’ll be in your area, or if you have no idea what you want to offer, schedule an appointment with them. Pickup services are an excellent free option for getting rid of big things like an old sofa or dresser. You’ll have cleared some clutter even though you donate just a few boxes of clothes.

DON’T off-load beds, sleeper sofas and the like.

Tables (coffee, dining, and computer), sofas, bookcases, lamps, beds, dressers, entertainment systems, hutches, footstools, patio sets, and recliners are all acceptable things to donate.

However, if you want to get rid of a sleeper sofa, box spring, or mattress, you’ll need to be cautious. These sleep-related furniture pieces aren’t approved for donation – and who can blame them, given the growing issue of bed bug infestations from used mattresses?

DO recycle!

Some of the pieces of furniture that end up in your throwaway pile can be recycled. For example, your old table can be taken to a furniture shop and transformed into stools, while your old drawer can be dropped off at a collection point.

DON'T leave your donated items outside the donation drive.

If a sheltered after-hours drop-off spot is specifically designated, do not drop off objects while the charity is closed. Call ahead to see if you need to use a specific entrance and what hours donations are accepted.

DO ask for a receipt.

Receipts are necessary for tax-deduction purposes. Place all charitable receipts in a folder so they are easy to find when it’s time to file your taxes. And if you are not sure if you will be able to deduct the contribution, get a receipt.

Do you want to keep or donate your furniture in Sydney?

Unless you can still benefit from it for the next two to five years, you should donate your unwanted furniture to a charity in Sydney. You can also ask around your family, friends, and colleagues to see if anyone wants or needs the item in question.

Finally, you can seek help from professionals. As experts in providing furniture removal services, Deceased Estate Sydney can help you sort which items you should keep and which ones you should donate. Your house will be a little less cluttered sooner or later, and anyone in need will be happy, making both you and them feel a little better about the day.

Deceased Estate Furniture Removal: Should You Keep or Donate Furniture in Sydney?