Home Content // Buying Second Hand Furniture: Essentials To Remember*

Furniture is expensive. In fairness to the manufacturers, furniture has to be expensive — because it’s expensive to produce. Furniture is also generally designed to last for awhile, which means there is more of an emphasis on ensuring it’s built to last.

While it might be understandable that furniture is often expensive, that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with when your budget is tight. If you’re in need of new furniture to replace something broken or just to finish off that newly-renovated room, then you might need to expand your options when it comes to your purchase.

One of the most commonly suggested methods for saving some cash when buying furniture is to buy second hand. That’s a good idea, but don’t go ahead until you’re confident you understand the implications of these essentials.

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REMEMBER: Upholstery Will Need Deep Cleaning
No matter how good a condition the upholstery appears to be in, you’re going to want to deep clean it. You’ll need to use a good method for upholstery cleaning to remove any unpleasant stains from the fabric. For any smells that linger, apply bicarbonate of soda for around three hours, then vacuum the bicarb away. Going through these steps should help your item to feel as good as new again.

REMEMBER: Photos Can Lie
No matter how good a deal you think you have spotted, never — ever, ever, ever — buy a second hand item without seeing it first. This can be absolutely disastrous, as — naturally — buyers will be selective in what they photograph, or might even edit the photos to make the item appear to be in better condition than it actually is. Be a sceptic; always ask to see an item in person. Insist on it, in fact.

REMEMBER: Transport Considerations
If you’re buying from a second hand seller, it’s rare that you will find someone who is willing to deliver. This means you’re going to need to factor in the moving costs from the likes of Shiply when it comes to figuring out how good of a deal you are getting. If an item costs £100 new and you can get it second hand for £80, then that sounds like a good deal… until you factor in the £25 for delivery.

REMEMBER: You Have No Recourse If Things Go Wrong
If you buy an item from a conventional store and find it’s not what it was described to be, then you have recourse; namely, you can return it for a refund. The same is not true with second hand furniture; as soon as you hand over the money, the item — and all its flaws — are your responsibility. This is another reason it is absolutely essential that you always see an item in person before buying; you need to be able to check it over and ensure you’re happy with what you’re buying.

Second hand furniture can be the perfect bridge between the items you want and the money you have available to you. Keep the above in mind when buying, and you won’t go far wrong.