So you’ve outgrown your bedroom set or, maybe you’re starting a new in light of a cross-country move. Whatever the case may be, finding a new home for your furniture can be a hassle––but it doesn’t have to be! While it may be tempting to leave your unwanted things on the curb for a lucky passerby, or the garbage man, chances are someone will take it off your hands, and pay good money, too. After all, they don’t have to deal with the dreaded hassle of furniture assembly, it’s a fraction of the price, and it could be exactly what they’re looking for.
Selling your furniture, decor, and other houseware items is a great way to cover the cost of replacing them in your new home, or even to help with the expense of your move. Not a savvy salesman? No problem. Here’s exactly how to market your furniture to make a couple of extra bucks.
Before listing your apartment furniture for sale online
1. Clean and repair
The first thing to do when attempting to sell unwanted apartment furniture is to clean and repair your items. You may choose to sell furniture “as is”, but prospective buyers will be more enticed by clean items in good working condition. Prep can be as simple as dusting furniture and wiping down with a wet cloth, or as extensive as repairing any rips or tears in upholstery. If you are selling a sofa with removable couch covers, throwing them in the wash prior to taking your listing photos will be an added touch to help improve the look of your well loved furnishings. Here are a few common cleaners safe for upholstery and wood furniture.
- Woolite carpet & upholstery foam cleaner
- OxiClean max force stain remover spray
- Murphy Oil Soap wood cleaner
- Orange Glo wood cleaner
2. Do some research
It’s important to do some research before you list your apartment furniture to make sure you are setting a fair price and getting the most return. Learn the style of your furniture to be able to accurate describe the piece in the listing. Mid-Century Modern is a popular design style that many buyers are in the market for currently, so knowing if a piece falls into this category could help your listing gain views. Similarly, modern and antique designs are commonly searched styles. To help you identify your pieces consider using the Google Lens tool. Simply take a photo of your furniture and upload to Google Lens to find similar matches. This can also give you information on designers and common listing prices.
3. Take quality pictures
Quality pictures will help your ad stand out from the rest. To make sure your things look picture perfect, take pictures during the day to maximize your natural light. Crumbs on your couch, dirty plates on your dining room table? No thank you. Remove clutter from the surrounding areas, and ensure you’ve cleaned any dust or dirt from your items. Try photographing your item from several different angles and document any scratches, chips, dents, stains or defects to alert potential buyers and help them make an informed decision.
4. Write detailed descriptions
To avoid back and forth with potential buyers, include as much detail as possible in your description. List out all notable features such as dimensions, color, material, weight, where it’s from, and how long you’ve had it––the more, the better. For good measure, provide a link to the exact product if possible, as most of this information can be found on the manufacturer’s site as well as additional images. This way, there will be no confusion on whether your leather ottoman is “Espresso” or “Black.”
5. Name your price
You’ll want to price your items to sell, but don’t underestimate their value. Consider the quality of your item, how well you’ve taken care of it, and what it would cost someone to buy it brand new. Also, think about the time energy it takes to assemble furniture; all they have to do now is move it. If you have furniture sets such as a dining room table with matching chairs, you can list them for sale individually, as well as bundled at a reduced price to entice buyers. If you’re pressed for time, significantly discounting your belongings will help you part with them faster.
After you list your apartment furniture
1. Spread the word
While Facebook is great for spamming your friends and family with puppy videos, it’s also the perfect place to share what you’re selling. To drum up more interest, you can also post to Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and community apps like Nextdoor. Still no takers? Try hanging flyers throughout your apartment complex, at your office, or on community bulletin boards.
2. Be responsive to inquiries
Buyers move fast and are often reaching out to multiple sellers to secure a good deal. Be sure to be responsive to any prospective buyers and answer all questions about your items in a timely manner. Be open to negotiations, while not undervaluing your items. Once you have a confirmed buyer, select a time for pick-up or drop-off that works for your schedule. If the item is heavy, kindly remind the buyer to bring help to remove the furniture from your apartment so that you aren’t stuck with the heavy lifting. Make your payment information known and secure. Never provide bank information to someone you don’t know. In most cases cash, Venmo, or Paypal is the easiest form of payment to accept.
3. Avoid scams
Never release your furniture to a buyer without securing payment. This also goes for smaller items you might decide to send to the buyer in the mail like artwork, decor, or clothing. Always make sure you have received payment before you send your items out the door.
Where to list your apartment furniture for sale
There are many different options for listing your unwanted apartment furniture. Here are a few of the most popular:
FAQ: Selling apartment furniture online
This will depend on the condition of your furniture, age, damage, and quality. Another factor to consider is how much time you have to sell. If you have a few months before you move you can start your price higher and gradually decrease until the sale is made. But, if you have a tighter timeline, listing at a lower price can get the items off your hands sooner.
This is a great problem to have. If you have multiple buyers interested interested in your furniture, the best thing to do is to go with the person who responded first and is able to pick up the furniture the soonest. The worst thing to do is to raise the price of your furniture once you have more interest. This can turn potential buyers off and you could end up back to square one.
First, start by lowering the price. If no one is responding to your listing it’s likely that the cost is too high. Always be sure to compare your listing price to others in the area to make sure that you are offering a competitive sale. If you still don’t have interest and are getting close to your move out date, consider listing the item for free. While you won’t make any profit on the furniture, you will still get free removal of the item from your apartment which will save you the effort of coordinating with movers or having to move the piece yourself. You can also consider donating the furniture to a donation center that offers free removal.
Final thoughts
Selling your unwanted apartment furniture will take some effort on your part, but can also make you some extra money. Not only will you have some extra cash in your pocket, but you’ll be saved the hassle of moving furniture you don’t intend to keep. Remember to be open to negotiations and responsive to inquiries. Now that you have your unwanted furniture out, you can start shopping for your new decor. Out with the old and in with the new!
You’ve found your furniture a new home, now find yours! Browse hundreds of available apartments on Zumper.com now!
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