How to Recycle and Dispose of Your Office Desks

When the time comes to refurbish your office with new furniture, you will face the challenge of removing all the old furniture.

If your office feels dated and the décor is affecting your employees' mood and productivity, it is time to invest in some new office furniture. We often do not consider what to do with our old furniture until it is too late, leaving office desks, storage units and chairs tucked away in a corner.

We have put together some suggestions to help you decide what to do with your old office furniture and how to recycle and dispose of your office desks:

Sell your unwanted office desks 

When moving offices or carrying out a refurbishment, you may wish to update your workspace with new, modern office furniture. However, there is often nothing wrong with your existing furniture, so you may be reluctant simply to throw it away.

If you think selling your office desks is the best option, there are a few things to consider. Before contacting anyone who may be willing to buy your old furniture, it is important to check that it meets certain requirements:

• You must be able to provide quantities and images of the furniture you wish to sell.
• The furniture must be of high quality and undamaged (apart from general wear and tear)
• Most companies prefer large quantities of matching furniture
• Check whether the company will collect the furniture from your area

There are several options when it comes to finding someone to take the furniture off your hands. In many larger cities, you can find second-hand furniture dealers who may be willing to take your items. Alternatively, there are numerous recycling specialists who may be willing to use parts of the furniture in a project.  

Donate to charity

Another way to dispose of your unwanted office furniture is to donate it to local charities. There are often local groups or organisations near you where you can donate office furniture, equipment and supplies. A quick Google search will usually provide several options, although there is often a collection charge.

There are also websites dedicated to recycling old furniture, where registered charities and schools can benefit from donations of unwanted office desks, storage units and chairs. You can also promote your company as a ‘green’ business by helping the environment and donating your old furniture so that it can be put to good use.

Contact your local council

If your office furniture is damaged, you are struggling to move it in time or you are unable to sell it, you can contact your local council to arrange the removal of unwanted items.

The local council may remove your old furniture or direct you to companies that can collect it for you; there will almost certainly be a charge for disposing of the items, particularly if they are collected.