What to Do With Old Office Furniture When Your Business Relocates
When a business moves to a new office, the old furniture is easy to forget about. According to EPA estimates reported by CleanTechnica, up to 8.5 million tons of office assets end up in U.S. landfills every year. A single cubicle can weigh between 300 and 700 pounds. Most of that weight comes from metal, wood, and plastic that could be reused or recycled. Before you start planning your move, take a look at what you actually want to bring and what needs to go.
Donate What’s Still in Good Shape
Desks, chairs, and filing cabinets that still work fine can go to local nonprofits, schools, or community groups. According to TurboTax, businesses that donate used furniture to a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit can deduct the fair market value on their tax return. You’ll need a receipt from the charity, and items worth more than $5,000 require a formal appraisal. It’s a simple way to clear out your old space, help your community, and lower your tax bill at the same time.
Recycle What Can’t Be Donated
Not everything will be in good enough shape to give away. According to Recycle Track Systems, only 0.3% of furniture waste sent to landfills in 2017 was recovered for recycling. Metal desk frames, aluminum chair bases, and steel cabinets can often be taken to a local scrap yard for recycling. Some cities also take wood and plastic parts. Check with your local recycling center before tossing everything in the dumpster.
Let Someone Else Handle the Rest
Whatever can’t be donated or recycled still has to leave the building. Lincoln Moving and Storage offers junk removal from our Kent location to handle old furniture, outdated equipment, and general office clutter. Our crew does the lifting, loading, and disposal so your team can focus on the new space. If you need to clear out an entire office down to the walls, our commercial decommissioning service covers the full teardown, including asset recovery. Call us at (800) 426-4780 or request an estimate to get started.