what to do with all the furniture etc?

Murphybear

As already suggested get one of the charities who are happy to take furniture come round. Hopefully some good will come of it - it's much better than putting it into a skip

System

There are furniture reuse organisations all over the country.
Contact FRN (Furniture reuse network) for details in your area.

I run one in Aberystwyth, for example. We collect any furniture or household items, including electrical, for no charge if they are in reasonable condition and working.
Everything is sold at reasonable prices, we give discounts to people on low income, and mark down many items to 99p or free if they don't sell.
Any above-average items are sold for whatever we can get, the income subsidies the cheaper ones.
It's a self sustaining not for profit company.

Savvy_Sue

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

There are furniture reuse organisations all over the country.
Contact FRN (Furniture reuse network) for details in your area.

I run one in Aberystwyth, for example. We collect any furniture or household items, including electrical, for no charge if they are in reasonable condition and working.

I suspect, however, that you won't take upholstered dining chairs which don't have the correct fire safety notices on them ...

I said this was going to be my next research project, and it is. My parents had a set of dining chairs, two carvers and I remember four 'normal' chairs although I can only find 3 atm. They originally had leather seats and back pads, but many years ago they had them re-upholstered. At least one of them needs doing again as the seat is starting to sag. But they still have 'rock solid' frames.

I know a charity shop won't take them because of the fire regs. The local auction house isn't interested. They won't be to everyone's taste, they are probably Edwardian and larger than today's chairs.

It will make me cry if they have to go to the tip, but I don't know if I've got time or energy to Freecycle them because they're not where I am IYSWIM.

And then there's the bedroom full of wool ...

luxor4t

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I suspect, however, that you won't take upholstered dining chairs which don't have the correct fire safety notices on them ...

I said this was going to be my next research project, and it is. My parents had a set of dining chairs, two carvers and I remember four 'normal' chairs although I can only find 3 atm. They originally had leather seats and back pads, but many years ago they had them re-upholstered. At least one of them needs doing again as the seat is starting to sag. But they still have 'rock solid' frames.

I know a charity shop won't take them because of the fire regs. The local auction house isn't interested. They won't be to everyone's taste, they are probably Edwardian and larger than today's chairs.

It will make me cry if they have to go to the tip, but I don't know if I've got time or energy to Freecycle them because they're not where I am IYSWIM.

And then there's the bedroom full of wool ...

Can't make any helpful suggestions, but I am sending my best wishes.

[Deleted User]

When a neighbour's mother died and she had to clear a 3 bedroom house (her mum had lived there for nearly 50 years) she cleared out all the valuables and her mum's clothes, and then invited a local auction house in to advise her what was worth trying to auction, then take it away. The rest of the furniture went to a local hospice charity shop (they took loads of it) and she did put lots of stuff on Freecycle which went incredibly quickly (things like lamps and cushions and rugs and mirrors and books and dvds and all sorts of things). She sent emails out to friends asking if anyone needed any furniture (one friend took a desk, chair and filing cabinet). It took her about a month to clear it all. She was determined not to use a house clearance service (where she would have to pay them) and earned several hundred pounds from the auction.

Savvy_Sue

I have found the local auction house very helpful (although they aren't interested in those chairs I mentioned earlier). They have identified some things I'd not have given a second thought to (guillotine, no finger guard anyone? I told the enthusiastic 16 yo that no, we could not sell it! but apparently we can!) and best of all, once we as family have removed what we want they will come and take what they think will sell.

And the wool is the highest value item on the list!!! Although I'm going for a preliminary trawl with a friend next week ...

Rebecca_Palmer

Hi, Its a bit sad to say that old furniture has its devaluation value so it could probably sold out in a lower price compared to new ones.

dawyldthing

When we decluttering my nans I put it all on gumtree. It was all gone within the week and I wrote a add along the lines of 'these are the good things you can have if you help to get rid of something from the list' someone gave us £50 for the old washer, table and chairs and something and everything else went by someone taking something useful for free by taking something else to the tip for us. It's definately worth a try

Katiehound

Before you clear anything out fast do check all the drawers etc. My friend's mother had a habit of storing expensive little items, think jewellery, in old screwed up brown paper bags or the likestuffed in the weirdest spots! Her engagement ring never turned up.
(oh and there was a bedroom full of wool too! and a jam jar wall in the garage)

eamon

Assuming that this still needs to happen. Check if there is a CHAS (Catholic Housing Advice Service) in his town. They will recycle furniture and resell (cheaply) to people moving into housing with little or no furniture.