5 Reasons To Buy Secondhand Furniture Over New

Making a house a home can be a wonderful and fun process. From inspiration pics to Pinterest boards, family conversations, space planning, and deciding what story you want each room to tell, this is something I really do enjoy doing. There are many furniture shops around and plenty of new options available at our fingertips but what can truly make a home are those pieces that are a little bit different and I think the best way to find them is by shopping secondhand. Here are my 5 reasons to go preloved with your furniture.

Saves Money

It’s an obvious one, but shopping secondhand will save you money. Whether you choose to look on Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, in charity shops or house clearance stores, all will have their furniture far cheaper than the well-known furniture stores. Ok, yes, some items may look a little used, but as with ordinary shopping, you can also shop around when it comes to secondhand, or you may like a little upcycle project (see below). If you see something you like in one place, but the condition isn’t quite up to your standard, save the info and use this to find it elsewhere. Also, don’t forget to haggle. People are always looking to get rid of items taking up space, so make an offer before jumping straight in at the asking price. Hey, you may even strike lucky and find something for free.

Supports Local and/or Charities

As I mentioned above, a lot of secondhand furniture will be found in local house clearance stores, charity shops or via local people. By shopping this way, you will be helping to support small businesses, a charity that relies on these funds or even somebody who lives near to you who needs to make a little extra cash. I’d much rather my money went to these places over a large corporation.

Unique Finds

As handy and cost-effective as somewhere like Ikea can be, do you really want other people to walk into your home and go, “I’ve got that sofa/coffee table/wardrobe”? Having unique pieces will make your home stand out for the right reasons and it will spark up far more interesting conversations. Just think about the history and stories behind those old pieces, who knows where they have been in the past and who has used them. Who wants conventional when you can have different?

Upcycle Potential

If you can’t quite find what you’re looking for but you have an idea in your head, a secondhand piece of furniture that has been well-loved could become an upcycling project that will let your creativity come out. A lot of items that need a fair bit of work will be priced lower or will be free and once you’re done, you will truly have a unique piece for your home.

Better for The Environment

Every time someone purchases something secondhand, they are preventing it from heading to landfill or incineration and they are keeping that circular economy going. The less demand we make on brand new, the smaller the impact we will have on the planet because brand new means more resources being used up, more pollution and higher carbon emissions through shipping. Secondhand shopping really is the way forward if we want a sustainable future.

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