If you've inherited your grandma's old dining set or your uncle's antique plant stand, it's not always easy to know how to work these older pieces into your home. They may not match your style, or they might take up too much room. Fortunately, deciding what to do with your antique furniture really just comes down to knowing your options and choosing the one that best fits your situation. Not sure where to start? We have some tips to help.
What to Do With Antique Furniture You Want to Sell
Let's say your great aunt's sofa doesn't fit with your decor, and you don't want to hang onto it. Selling it is a great option, and there are a lot of choices for where and how to do it.
Sell Through Local Classifieds
Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other local classified services can help you get in touch with potential buyers for your furniture. This is a great option if you're not in a hurry to sell and can take your time getting stellar photos and putting a detailed listing together. There's also no middleman here — no big commissions or high fees to pay.
The downside of selling through a classified site is that you're in charge of dealing with potential buyers directly. You need to answer emails or messages, be available if people want to view the furniture and negotiate on a price.
Work With Antique Shops and Consignment Stores
Thrift stores, consignment shops, and antique stores will sell antique furniture for a commission, or cut of the purchase price. This is often quite high (around 40%) but these stores are a good way to get your antique furniture in front of potential buyers without a lot of effort on your part. These places often specialize in just what you're trying to sell, and people go there looking for exactly your piece.
Some antique dealers will also buy your furniture from you and then resell it, which gets it out of your house and off your hands a lot faster. You won't get top dollar with this approach, but you can move on with your life with minimal hassle.
Have an Estate Sale
If you have a ton of antique furniture to sell (and maybe some other stuff too), an estate sale can be a good way to go. Holding an estate sale can be a lot of work, but you can also hire companies to handle the details for you. This is useful if you don't want to deal with advertising, pricing items, negotiating on prices, and all the other aspects of making one of these sales a success.
If you need to know what to do with antique furniture you've inherited in the form of several rooms or a whole home, this can be your winning solution. Estate sales often turn a good profit, especially if your furniture is all wood or can be reupholstered.
Sell Your Antique Furniture on eBay
Selling antiques on eBay is a tricky business, but it can be a good way to get rid of a high-value piece of furniture you just want to turn into cash. You'll need to manage the auction, which includes taking photos and creating a listing, interacting with buyers, and shipping the items. The upside of this sales method is that you get access to a huge audience who might be looking for the specific thing you happen to be selling.
There's a downside, though. Big pieces of antique furniture are expensive to ship, so you may be limited to local sales (and a smaller audience).
As you're deciding what to do with your antique furniture, it's a good idea to get a sense of what it might be worth before you try to sell it or make any big decisions. Start by comparing your item(s) to others that have sold recently. If you suspect it's valuable, consider getting it appraised.
How to Donate Antique Furniture to a Good Cause
If you don't want to handle the hassle of selling your antique furniture, you can donate it to benefit an organization or cause that you support. The exact choice may depend on your location, but these are some of the options that may exist in your area:
- Habitat for Humanity Restore: Habitat for Humanity Restores help people furnish their homes, and the proceeds go to helping build new houses for those in need. You can request a pickup of large items, and your donation can be deducted from your taxes.
- Salvation Army: With lots of locations around the country, the Salvation Army is a good place to donate your antique furniture. They pick up larger items and give you a receipt to deduct your donation from your taxes during tax season.
- Collectibles With Causes: Donate your antique furniture to Collectibles With Causes so it can be sold to benefit charity. You can deduct the value of your antiques as a charitable gift on your taxes.
- Goodwill: Goodwill is a classic donation charity that'll pick up larger items in some locations, and it's a great place to give your antique furniture. You can deduct it from your taxes too.
What to Do With Antique Furniture You Want to Use in Your Home
Is it worth keeping old furniture sometimes? Absolutely. Don't worry if you're unsure about how to incorporate it into your decor! There are actually a ton of ways to repurpose antiques for totally modern uses.
Start by looking at the specific piece of antique furniture you're trying to use. Transform it by putting it to work in another room of your home, such as using an old china cabinet to store towels and soap in your bathroom or giving an antique radio cabinet a new life as a home bar. Give yourself some time to brainstorm new uses, and don't be afraid to get creative. Some antique furniture pieces can offer incredible storage opportunities in areas of your home you'd never expect.
You Can't Go Wrong if You Follow Your Heart
Deciding what to do with your antique furniture hinges on identifying your feelings for it. If you love it, keep it and use it in a way that works for your home and lifestyle. If you don't love it, sell it or give it to someone who will. There's no wrong answer here if you do your research and follow your heart.
