How to Dispose of & Recycle Old Office Furniture

We all love buying new furniture or appliances to spruce up our workspace, but it's also important that we dispose of old, unwanted office furniture responsibly.

If you're planning to liven up your office space with an impressive new desk, chair, or storage solution, we have all the information you need to get rid of your old stuff.

You have several options for disposing of your old office furniture; You can give it to the tip, sell it online or donate it to charity. We cover all your options in more detail in this article.
Can I take old office furniture to the tip or recycle it?

If you feel like your furniture is not in good enough condition to give away, you can take it to your local recycling center. This is a good choice if you have some things you want to change. However, you won't be able to take large amounts of old office furniture to a recycling center as most do not carry commercial waste.

If you want to recycle tables, chairs and equipment from commercial buildings, it's a good idea to look for other options.

There are companies and charities that help dispose of commercial furniture, such as Debra, the British Heart Foundation and Over2Hills.

Can I donate my old office furniture to charity?

There are independent recycling projects that are willing to take your old office furniture and sell it, and all profits will go directly to charity. There are national charities, including Emmaus, Sue Ryder and the British Heart Foundation who all offer to come and collect your furniture, but there is no guarantee they will have space or availability.

Many local projects also exist, so check with your local council for further details.

If you plan to donate tables, chairs and other old furniture to charity, you need to check that each table has a fire label. Charities will not accept donations without fire labels securely attached.
Can I sell my old office furniture?

You can get rid of office chairs, tables and other old furniture by selling them, but only in good condition and suitable for use. It's worth considering selling old office furniture to small businesses who might benefit most from it. It's also better for the environment, so ask first before resorting to tips.

If you're having trouble contacting businesses who might want your old office furniture, you can try using resale websites such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree. This will help you find potential buyers in the local area.

While this takes more time and effort than taking it to a recycling center or having it collected, it's a great way to make a little extra money while still being responsible.

How to sell old office furniture online

If you're interested in selling your old office furniture online, we've put together some quick tips to help you get the best results.

Make sure all your photos are clear with good lighting
Clean the furniture before you take any photos
Provide details about the furniture (this should include any damage, scuffs or marks)
Say whether the furniture will be disassembled or intact
Include shipping information
Consider selling in bulk or individually to appeal to a wider audience
List your old furniture at a fair price

Professional office furniture removal

Your final option when it comes to disposing of old office chairs and desks is to have them removed by professionals. This is probably the easiest and most efficient way to move old furniture. Hiring a team means you can relax knowing your furniture will be collected and disposed of responsibly.

If you're looking to purchase new furniture to replace your discarded furniture, Furniture At Work has an impressive collection of tables, chairs, storage solutions and more, available to purchase individually or in bulk. Find a new style or theme for your office space on our website.