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Charity shops and free cycle for furniture

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Charity shops and free cycle for furniture

Mon 29-Nov-10
1:02 pm

mrsmortis

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Can I just say that people are mad? I'm absolutely amazed at what people are unable to sell.

I'm in the middle of furnishing our house (room at a time as my husband finishes rennovating - and I keep getting told off for buying furniture before the rooms are ready to take them!) so I've been frequenting charity furniture stores, ebay and freecycle.

I have just got a set of bedroom furniture (1930's dark wood dressing table, wardrobe and sheet cabinet) from freecycle. It was on it's third listing because the woman couldn't give it away.I know it's not particuarly fashionable right now but it's really good quality and if I wanted to it could bear being stripped and revarnished.

I've also bought a set of ERCOL dining room furniture for £350 from the British Heart Foundation shop (dresser, side board, table and 4 chairs). And that included delivery! The dinning room furniture would have been thousands new yet people would rather buy disposable furniture from the likes of IKEA. I just don't understand.

Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Mon 29-Nov-10
1:17 pm

Toffeeapple

North Bucks

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Tue 22-Sep-09

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You most definitely are not the only one. I found a fold-up chair in the summer at the side of a road and as soon as I get myself some paint and thinners it will be tarted up. Here, Age UK have a warehouse full of furniture that costs pennies compared to Ikea, they also have a shop in our High Street where I frequently have a forage.

I'll try that again!

Mon 29-Nov-10
1:36 pm

kayerunrig

lincolnshire

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When i got divorced , i was left with nothing but my computer 2 kids and a few bags of the kids clothes .

I think everything we own has come from , charity shops , local auctions and been begged from roadsides . I dont have a problem with this and even if i won the lottery would still do the same

Think i was green before it was fashionable

Mon 29-Nov-10
1:41 pm

typhoo

France - ex Ecosse

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A few years ago back in Scotland, we bought a new dining room table which was bigger than the one we had, so we had to get rid of a perfectly good large display cabinet. First advertised in local paper, but no takers, then phoned a load of charity shops, not one of them wanted it for free!!

Mon 29-Nov-10
10:47 pm

Terrier

York

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Freecycle is amazing, I've got rid of all sorts of things that would have just gone to the tiip - however I've also gained many things that were destined for the tip. We had some real good win/wins. We had some dining room furniture which we wanted rid of as we were knocking through the kitchen, charity shops wouldn't take it because it was teak, (don't ask me why..in fact if anyone knows why, I'd be interested) - it went to a couple with a disabled son that they were trying to set up in his own flat. We also gave our piano away on freecycle to a a lady with MS who couldn't afford one for her disabled daughter to learn piano. I't great to think one person's rubbish is another persons treasure.

Mon 29-Nov-10
10:52 pm

brightspark

Wilts

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We saw a curved 3-seater pink dralon sofa and matching armed chair sitting on a skip in Holland.

Dashed back home for the estate car, and loaded them up. This was 1990. Recovered and sent to auction 2 years ago - it fetched £600.

Not a bad rummage after all ..........

Women are like tea bags. . .

you never know how strong they are

until they're in hot water.

- Eleanor Roosevelt -

Tue 30-Nov-10
12:17 am

Michelle from Oregon

Oregon, USA

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As I sit here reading this thread there is an arm chair I can see that I saved from the dump. I used to sell furnature, once upon a time, and I took this chair from a couple that I sold new chair to. I finally got it recovered a couple of years ago, and probably will again when the cover wears out. Its a classic shape, and has an ottoman, and is just perfect as far as I'm concerned.

But I'm with you. Freecycle, free piles after garage sales are done, 2nd hand stores, I don't have a problem with any of that.

If you can't be a shining example, be a terrible warning!

Tue 30-Nov-10
3:19 am

Suz

Los Angeles, California

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Yep, we got our sofa/couch from Freecycle. It was immaculate. People are barmy!

Life is uncertain ………… eat dessert first!

Tue 30-Nov-10
12:53 pm

Heather E

Rubery, Worcestershire

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I love Freecycle. Just got rid of a perfectly good wardrobe recently - although it did take 3 attempts. Why do people send emails saying 'must have - desperate for' then let you down when it comes to arranging collection? yell Also got rid of a carrier bag full of foil baking trays - the sort that you get with tarts, quiches etc. A new 'baker' was more than keen to take them off my hands. I love charity shops as well - just the place for new vases and glassware. I keep them about 6 months then take them back for them to re-sell. I'm currently on a quest for a large, shallow dish with a narrow rim, to replace my frost-cracked bird bath / drinking bowl. I've seen plenty, but not one that is quite right, yet. But I know there is one out there somewhere and the hunt is tantalising.

Gone crazy. Back soon.

Tue 30-Nov-10
4:19 pm

Michelle from Oregon

Oregon, USA

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Heather E said:

I'm currently on a quest for a large, shallow dish with a narrow rim, to replace my frost-cracked bird bath / drinking bowl. I've seen plenty, but not one that is quite right, yet. But I know there is one out there somewhere and the hunt is tantalising.

What about a large plant drip tray/dish? You could use a terra cotta one, that would be pretty¦.?

If you can't be a shining example, be a terrible warning!

Tue 30-Nov-10
10:41 pm

Heather E

Rubery, Worcestershire

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Good idea, Michelle, and one I'll keep as a backup, though ideally I want something a little deeper and a bit more artistical. I'll know it when I see it. My current cracked one was originally the bowl part of a tajine (not sure of the spelling here and the spellchecker isn't offering any useful alternatives. What I mean is one of those Morrocan dishes for doing spicy lamby things with apricots and almonds and prunes and ¦. (drool, drool). Anyway, I digress ¦.) 'Crackpot' is about 2.5 inches deep, and about 15 inches in diameter, so it makes a nice big splashy bath for blackbirds. I was thinking, before Crackpot cracked, to fix a couple of lollipop sticks (the flat sort you get in ice-lolls) to the edge as diving boards for the little'uns. So I'm holding out for something similar. Little'uns (spadgers, not blackbirds) look so cute when they all line up on the rim egging each other on to take the plunge.

Gone crazy. Back soon.

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stumbling self sufficiency in a small space