Can You Recycle IKEA Furniture? (4 Helpful Tips)
Having old furniture lying around can clutter your home and make it look messy. My parents gave me my first pieces of furniture for my home. But, when it came time to change them, I had to think of where to take the items I had in the house.
Some of the old things were IKEA furniture, and I came to find out the company has a buyback policy. They buy specific secondhand IKEA furniture and sell it as secondhand. However, not everything is returnable, so I had to sort out what to take back.
This article explores more about the IKEA Buyback and Resale policy. Also, we look into tips that can help us recycle old furniture that we no longer use.
Can You Recycle IKEA Furniture?
Mom and dad told me to pick furniture to take when I moved from home. They had such a wonderful IKEA collection that I was spoilt for choice. But, after some time, I wanted to change my style and sort of ways to dispose of the pieces I had.
As I was carrying out some recycling research, I came across an IKEA buyback policy. I never knew IKEA bought back furniture to resell. You should have seen me dance around, knowing I’d get some cash for the different units.
As per the company policy, anyone with IKEA furniture can sell back those they no longer use to the company. They do so safely and straightforwardly, which I liked. Later, the goal is to resell this furniture as secondhand items to someone else. That way, the furniture has a new home and won’t end up somewhere in a landfill.
IKEA makes it quite easy for its customers to sell their unwanted furniture.
What are the Steps of Recycling IKEA Furniture?
The following are steps that you can follow to do the same.
1. Pick the Furniture to Resell
Not every item in my home was up for resell. There were specific pieces from my parents that I wanted to keep. But, other things were no longer in line with the style I wanted in my home. So, I picked them out and began placing them to one side.
IKEA has a strict policy when it comes to the buyback policy. They only accept IKEA furniture that’s in good condition and hasn’t been modified in any way.
There’s a list on the company website detailing the eligible and ineligible furniture. The ineligible list was an eye-opener that forced me to take out two items from my pile.
2. Use the Buy Back Estimator Tool
Once my IKEA furniture was sorted, I was ready to find out what I’d get for each item. IKEA has a Buy Back Estimator Tool that lists the different IKEA furniture.
I had to detail to the company the state of each item I intended to take. Based on the condition of each piece of furniture, I got an estimation from IKEA.
3. Clean and Deliver
I liked the estimates and was ready to deliver the IKEA furniture. But, some pieces were quite dirty, so I had to clean them up. Afterward, a friend helped me load them up to a truck I hired and took them to the nearest IKEA store.
I had my estimate with me, and someone came to inspect the furniture when we arrived. There was an Estimates and Returns section at the IKEA store where buybacks are handled.
4. Get an Evaluation
The estimate I had wasn’t the final buyback amount. Someone from the IKEA Estimates and Returns section evaluated each piece of furniture and gave different estimates. That was how I got the final buyback price for all the items I had with me on the pickup truck.
The employee gave me an IKEA refund card. They took the items to their store, becoming part of the Circular Hub. The lady I spoke with gave me some pointers about the furniture they buyback and those they reject.
How can Deal with Secondhand Furniture that IKEA Doesn’t Buy Back?
Not all items you take to the IKEA store fit their buyback criteria. The following are furniture the store won’t buy back.
- Furniture that isn’t from IKEA.
- Any outdoor furniture. This even includes indoor furniture that’s been outside for some time.
- Any IKEA furniture that’s remodified or hacked in any way.
- Any bed textile products including mattresses, pillows, or blankets.
- Armchairs and sofas.
- Unassembled parts of products from IKEA.
- Soft household furnishings like towels and mattress protectors.
- Baby and children furniture like cots, changing tables, and beddings.
- Glass items.
- Electronic appliances.
- Kitchen Items like cabinets, fronts, and benchtops.
- Oversized IKEA furniture.
- PAX wardrobes and accessories.
I had several of these things and opted to leave them at home. Here are the items I took back and were accepted by IKEA included:
- Two chairs and two stools.
- A dresser.
- A chest of drawers.
- A desk.
- Two small tables.
- A bookcase.
As for all other items I had like sofas, I had to develop different ways or recycle them. My friend went with a set of outdoor furniture that I had. Doing so gave me a few ideas on recycling these remaining items.
4 Helpful Tips on How to Recycle IKEA Furniture
1. Donating Old Furniture
I visited a charity shop in my area and spoke with the owner about donating the IKEA furniture I had at home. Any person can donate these items to such shops and sell them.
The money they make goes towards funding different helpful projects in the community. Ours employs homeless people giving them a chance to earn a livelihood and get off the streets.
2. Repurpose Old Furniture
I had a chest of drawers at home that mom had bought elsewhere. Since this wasn’t an IKEA product, I couldn’t take it back with the other items.
But, a friend gave me a great idea. I turned the old chest of drawers into a planting box with a little love and paint. I placed a potted plant on every shelf and had such a lovely setup. This is now my pride and joy, and even other friends have borrowed the idea.
Another piece of furniture I’ve taken to my garden is an old armchair. I took off all the stuffing and cloth. Then I coated the wood with a sealant. The chair sits under a tree next to my garden holding a potted fern.
3. Online and Craft Sale
If you have some furniture that you no longer use and is in good condition, you can sell it secondhand. I had some items that I didn’t get from IKEA but wanted to sell-off.
The good thing is if you have a social media presence, you can display the items for your friends and followers to see. It’s an easy and quite cost-effective way to sell old furniture secondhand.
Apart from selling online, you can also refurbish and resell the furniture in a craft market. Our town holds an annual secondhand items fair that’s quite popular. People bring items they want to sell off secondhand, and most items find a new home.
4. Roadside Display
In many places, people leave old furniture by the road with a sign that’s it’s free. This is a popular way to give out items you no longer use if you don’t want to sell them.
My neighbor did that a while back, and this couple was skipping to the car after snagging four bar stools and a large table. Many people get such items, give them some love and end up with something unique.
Summing Up
IKEA has a Buyback Policy, but they don’t accept all IKEA furniture. Those items that they don’t accept can be recycled, reused, or repurposed in other ways.
The 4 tips above can help you work out what to do with items you no longer use.