Have you got a bunch of old furniture lying around that you’re ready to get rid of? Maybe you’ve undergone an interior refresh, a basement clear-out, or perhaps you’re ready to downsize. Regardless, if you have old furniture that you’re ready to get rid of, this is your sign to save it from the landfill by calling a junk removal company that prioritizes recycling.

What’s the big deal about old furniture?

In Canada alone, furniture accounts for hundreds of thousands of tons of landfill waste, known infamously as “F-waste”. Not only is this an incomprehensible amount of waste, but furniture waste also takes up far more space in the landfill versus other more compressible items because of its construction, often made of wood and metal.

Besides ballooning the size of our landfills, furniture waste is particularly bad for environmental reasons. Because of the complexity of materials used in household furniture, it takes far too long to break down in the landfill. As it slowly decomposes, greenhouse gases like methane are emitted, and toxic chemicals from the treated wood and upholstery leach deep into the soil and groundwater. Most furniture these days is made with special flame-retardant chemicals, which contribute to the environmental havoc.

This problem of furniture waste was compounded during the pandemic times when office buildings around the world decided to re-evaluate their work setup, which included an untold number of relocations, downsizings, and consolidations.

What can be done?

The landfill should be an absolute last resort – especially for your furniture. As consumers, we have a responsibility to limit our landfill contributions, and there are a few things we can do when it comes to old furniture waste.

Avoid buying “fast furniture”

If you’re aware of the fast fashion problem taking over the modern clothing industry, you can probably draw conclusions about its evil twin, fast furniture. Much like the fast fashion phenomenon sweeping the globe thanks to ultracheap production and materials from Asia, fast furniture is, unfortunately, growing in popularity. Fast furniture includes cheaply made furniture that is available for far lower prices the quality pieces, which are widely available on apps like Temu. This stuff is not built to last but instead allows people to keep up with interior design trends and replace their furniture more quickly.

Instead of relying on fast furniture for the lowest possible prices, keep an eye on the booming second-hand market. Online marketplaces and second-hand shops stock plenty of high-quality furniture that will actually last.

Give old furniture a new life

If you’re ready to get rid of an existing furniture piece for whatever reason, consider giving it another life before simply throwing it away. As they say, “One person’s junk is another’s treasure”, which is particularly true with good quality furniture. There is no shortage of potential buyers ready to pick up old furniture from your house, take it off your hands, and give it years of more love.

There is also a growing furniture restoration movement, as people are realizing a little bit of labour can turn an old, grubby desk into something beautiful again. Pop into your local furniture shop to inquire about repairs, and take matters into your own hands with the help of sandpaper and paint. With a little effort, you’ll be surprised by the masterpiece you can recreate – and the money people are willing to pay for it.

If you don’t want to sell or refurbish your old furniture, hope is not lost. There are many local donation facilities available that would be happy to take your furniture that’s in reasonable condition and disperse it to families in need. Especially with the rising cost of living, there are plenty of less fortunate and lower-income families happy to receive second-hand furniture.

Environmentally minded junk removal

Not all junk removal companies operate the same. At The Junk Box, we prioritize reusing and recycling on our mission to reduce landfill waste and do everything we can to help the environment. That means anything that can be recycled gets recycled. Furniture pieces that can be reused are given a second home via refuge areas, donation facilities, and community organizations. We do whatever we can to avoid dropping items in the landfill.

The Junk Box has been hauling junk in Victoria for nearly 40 years now. What started as Dale’s Hauling Service in 1987 has grown into a long-standing family business run by our founder and his three sons. We place a strong emphasis on recycling and keeping as much out of the landfill as possible. Give us a call for your furniture removal and we’ll provide you a 2-hour window to expect us. Once we’re finished, we’ll fold up any tarps, sweep the area, and leave your property clean and pristine.