Love your planet
Re-use your furniture
Like fast fashion, fast furniture is an issue. The availability of mass produced items encourages people to change their furniture frequently and often they aren’t built to last.
But there is a solution.
Buying second hand is one of the best ways of giving your home a unique look for less and helping to save our precious natural resources. When you do want a change there are lots of ways of passing items on rather than throwing them away.
So if you’ve never thought about buying vintage, going to a Repair Café, donating to a reuse charity or selling online, we’ve got lots of hints and tips to help you love your home for less.
Rehome your furniture
Sell or donate your unwanted furniture quickly and easily.
New to selling online? Follow our tips for a straightforward sale.
Swipe left or right to activate carousel
Put it in its place
If you’re selling online, make sure that you have selected the most relevant category to list your item under. State if the buyer will need to collect and don’t forget to include your contact details.
Picture it
Upload as many photos as you can and include pictures from multiple angles, as well as close-ups of any marks or damage.
Describe it
Write a detailed description of the item you’re selling, e.g. dimensions, colour, any brand name or model numbers and age. Include whether the item is from a smoking household or a home with pets. Be honest about any damage to avoid time-wasting, for you or the buyer.
Clean it
Check the item over and give it a clean before advertising. It will look its best in the photos and you might spot a minor repair that could make all the difference to the final price.
Price it
Compare similar listings beforehand to decide on a fair price. Let buyers know if you’re open to offers, or equally if you don’t wish to negotiate. You can always edit it later.
Save it
Always keep the fire safety labels on upholstered furniture to maximise its reuse potential.
Find out more
Rehome your furniture with a local reuse organisation or charity shop using our search facility.
Try out your buying and selling skills with these sites
Repair
Love your stuff for longer
Visit a Repair Café
If you have a broken electrical item, bike or piece of furniture why not visit a local Repair Café?
Repair Cafés are community events where expert volunteers repair household items and sometimes clothes and textiles for a small donation. They also offer tea, coffee and sometimes cake! While having your item repaired, you can also sit with the repairer and learn how to make the repair yourself next time.
Details of Repair Cafés in Hampshire are listed below. But there are more coming to Hampshire soon. Please contact us if you know of any others or are planning to start up your own event.
| Repair café | Time and Location |
|---|---|
| Alton repair café |
Saturday 8 February 10am - 1pm Alton Community Centre, Amery St, Alton, GU34 1HN |
| Andover repair café |
Third Saturday of every month 10am – noon Andover Mind Centre, Westbrook Close, South Street, Andover, SP10 2BN |
| Bordon repair café |
Fourth Saturday of every month 10am to noon The Furniture Helpline, Hampshire Road, Bordon, GU35 0HJ |
| Gosport Repair café |
Second Saturday of every month (except August) 10:30am - 1pm Make Gosport, Unit 5, Quay Lane, Hardway, Gosport, PO12 4LJ |
| Lymington repair café |
Saturday 15 February 9:30am - 12:30pm Lymington community centre, New Street, SO41 9BQ |
| Portsmouth repair café |
Third Saturday of every month (except August) 10:30am – 1pm Buckland United Reformed Church. 174 Kingston Rd, Portsmouth PO2 7LP |
| Southampton repair café |
Freemantle United Reform Church, 257 Shirley Rd SO15 3HS First Saturday of each month (except January) 10:30am – 1pm St Denys Community Centre, Priory Rd SO17 2JZ Third Saturday every other month (e.g. November, January etc) 10:30am – 1pm |
| Totton repair café |
Saturday 22 February 10:30am - 1pm Totton & Eling Community Centre, Testwood Lane, Southampton, SO40 3AP |
| Velmore repair café |
Last Saturday of every month (except December), 10am - 1pm, 02380 261139 Velmore Community Centre, Falkland Road, Chandlers Ford, SO53 3GY |
| Bike repair and reuse |
These projects may be able to repair your bike, let you rent one or purchase a second-hand bike or receive donations of bikes that you no longer wish to use |
Make repairs yourself
If you are handy with a set of tools or just fancy having a go at home, iFixit is a useful resource. You can find free repair guides for a wide range of household devices.
For other items, search online, attend a class or visit your local library for guidance on skills from sewing to basic DIY.
Making it Work: A reuse and repair toolkit
Hampshire County Council, in partnership with a number of public and voluntary sector organisations in Hampshire, has developed a reuse and repair toolkit.
It provides practical advice and inspirational ideas for reuse organisations that are looking to reduce their costs and make more of the items they receive. It’s also a great resource for anyone interested in repairing or upcycling their own furniture or textiles.
Buy pre-loved furniture
Swap flat pack furniture for ‘one of a kind’ finds from a local reuse organisation.It’s often cheaper and benefits good causes. What’s not to like?
Like what you see?
Visit local reuse organisations for more great used furniture finds.
You could also find a bargain through private selling sites.
Pick up a bargain
Local furniture charities have a lots of unique items often at a great prices and they provide a vital service to those in crisis or on low incomes. So you could pick up a bargain and support a great cause.
List of Local Furniture Charities
- Community Furniture Project, Basingstoke | Telephone 01256 320 700
- Emmaus, Winchester | Telephone 01962 868300
- Fleet Lions, Fleet
- Furniture Helpline Bordon | Telephone 01962 868300
- Jacob’s Well Care Centre, Gosport | Telephone 023 9258 3050
- SCRATCH, Southampton | Telephone 023 8077 3132
Spot The Bargain
Second hand furniture: less faff than flat pack, cheaper than buying brand new, and quality so good you'll struggle to see the difference.
Hiring or renting
Many of us wouldn’t think of hiring a table or a sofa, but actually it’s a great way of getting the look you love while keeping the flexibility to change your mind.
If you’re having a party don’t forget to check out rental services for cutlery, crockery and tableware. Much more sustainable than paper plates and plastic cutlery, plus they look great too!
Why not try a website like Fat Llama or search online for a service near you.
Ever thought about hiring clothes? Find local clothes hire services from our Sustainable Fashion page. Or toys? Check out Whirli's subscription toy box service.
Buy, donate, sell or repair
Know a site or organisation that should be on here? Let us know.
For more ideas and hints to reduce and save money visit Smart Living
