Furniture is certainly one of the most important reasons to feel at home and cozy in your home. It is the accessory that ties the space into a whole and helps you enjoy its comfort. But when it comes to furnishing or renovating a home, buying furniture can be a significant expense. That is why the trend of buying used furniture is increasingly coming to the fore.
The purchase of second-hand furniture was once aimed only at flea markets, but in recent years other furniture providers have also encouraged this type of use, as the purchase of second-hand furniture is a good investment that is kind to your wallet and especially to the environment. IKEA was one of the first to take such a step, inviting its customers to return and sell used IKEA furniture, and in return receive a gift card.
Green Friday
IKEA as part of the campaign "Green Friday" raises awareness of sustainable consumption and encourages customers to return their old IKEA furniture. During the campaign, members of the IKEA FAMILY club will receive a great offer, as they will receive a refund for their returned old IKEA furniture with 50% increased amount from the estimated value of the furniture, which will be returned. Offer valid from 10 to 28 November 2021. As a company that aims to become climate positive by 2030, IKEA will then resell the purchased products in Corner for circular use in the IKEA store in Ljubljana. "Green Friday" will thus be even more sustainable.
Tips for buying used furniture
1. Try furniture before buying
No matter where you buy used furniture, test it thoroughly. Open cupboard drawers, sit on chairs and lean on tables. If the item has been damaged, you should check that it is still in a satisfactory condition for use at home. Even if it's damaged, make sure you or someone else can fix it.
2. Trust your instincts when buying used furniture
Furniture that has been in someone else's house may have smells from the previous owners. Some odors are easy to get rid of, but others, such as pet and smoking odors, are not. Don't get so excited about the furniture that you don't pay attention to this fact.
Photo: IKEA3. Reupholstering can save you money
Second-hand and old furniture may have been made of quality materials and only need a minor renovation. Think about how you can fix this and save money on buying a brand new piece of furniture.
4. Laminate and veneer furniture can be beautiful
Don't overlook veneer and laminate furniture just because it's not solid wood. Check that the veneer adheres to the particle board or the substrate material to which it is attached. Depending on where you will be using the piece of furniture, laminate furniture can withstand more everyday wear and tear than wood.
5. Hardwood furniture is more durable if we take good care of it
Hardwoods like oak and maple are great for furniture. When buying used wooden furniture, especially sofas, avoid soft woods such as pine wood. Pine is better for pieces that don't need to withstand weight and pressure over a long period of time. Research the type of wood when considering buying a used piece of furniture for its durability.
Photo: IKEA6. Metal furniture
Wrought iron or aluminum furniture is beautiful when restored. When you find used metal furniture, think about the potential, not the way it looks. Remove the rust and repaint with a durable paint specially formulated to cover metal furniture. You'll be amazed at how a fresh coat of paint will breathe life into your new furniture.
7. Children's furniture
Furniture for the early life period - from birth to the age of two - is usually very well preserved, because in the first two years children are not such little "destroyers". Therefore, when furnishing the first children's room, just look for used furniture.
8. Furniture that needs to be assembled may not have all the parts
Modular furniture is a good and economical alternative to buying expensive furniture. But please note that the offer includes all original parts and that it fits the original purpose as it was when it was first assembled.
9. Make sure you repurpose old furniture properly
Do you want to use an old wardrobe as a bathroom drawer under the sink? A great and trendy idea, but make sure you paint the wood or other cabinet material with a waterproof finish.
10. Shop with dimensions on hand
When buying used furniture, you need to have an idea of what kind of space you need to fill and how big that space is. Since you are not buying from a furniture catalog that has predetermined dimensions and descriptions, you need to be prepared because you will not be able to return the furniture if it does not suit you.
Photo: IKEA11. Choose environmentally friendly repair materials
Opt for organic varnishes and paints when restoring a used piece of furniture. This will not only benefit nature, but also your health when you place the furniture in the living room.
12. Corner for circular use
In IKEA Slovenia, you can find perfectly preserved Ikea furniture that was brought there by the former owners in the Circular Use Corner. The advantage of this type of choice is that IKEA employees already check the used product and confirm it for reuse according to IKEA standards. Definitely one of the great options for a joint journey to reduce the carbon footprint and preserve our planet.
Photo: IKEA, YouTube screenshotHow to return used furniture to IKEA Slovenia and obtain a gift card?
- The return of old IKEA furniture is possible at the IKEA Slovenia store throughout the year.
- When returning old furniture, check which products can be returned and purchase them online assessment of the value of used furniture.
- You then receive a QR code, an approximate estimate of the purchase value and an application number.
- All pieces of furniture must be assembled and delivered to the IKEA Slovenia store, namely to the "Returns and exchanges" section.
- You do not need an invoice for a refund.
- IKEA employees will assess the condition of each piece of furniture and make a final offer, which you can reject if you do not agree with it.
- If you accept the offer, you will receive a gift card with the estimated value of the furniture in return. Between November 10 and 28, 2021, when you present your IKEA FAMILY card, you will receive a gift card with an amount 50 percent higher than the estimated value of the furniture.
- All returned products are disinfected in accordance with COVID-19 safety measures, depending on the material and condition of the product.
