What to do with old office furniture

Published 2026-10-26Last checked 2026-11-15Sources listed below

Before you buy new furniture, check what you already have. Much of it can be reused in the new layout, refreshed, or passed on to someone who needs it. Here is a simple order to work through.

Why it matters

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 12.1 million tons of furniture and furnishings were thrown away in 2018. That figure covers homes and offices together. Of it:

• 80.1% went to landfill.
• 19.5% was burned with energy recovery.
• EPA found no measurable recycling data, except for mattresses (about 40,000 tons).

Reuse keeps furniture out of that stream and usually costs less than buying new.

Step 1: take stock

Walk the office with a list and a tape measure. For each item, note:

• What it is and its size (for example, desk 60 x 30 in).
• Its condition: good, needs repair, or worn out.
• Whether it fits the new plan.

Number each item and add it to your floor plan. The free office layout planner helps you test where things fit.

Step 2: reuse it in the new layout

• Desks and tables often move to a new layout with no change.
• Storage can be grouped into a central storage wall.
• Cubicle panels may be reconfigured into new runs. Ask the maker or an installer, because parts must match.
• Chairs that still adjust properly can stay. See our desk setup guide for how a chair should fit.

Step 3: refresh what is tired

• Replace chair castors, arm pads or gas lifts instead of the whole chair.
• Re-cover chair seats or panel fabric.
• Refinish or replace worn desk tops on sound frames.
• Clean and re-key filing cabinets.

Step 4: pass it on

• Donate to schools, charities, community groups or reuse centres. Many will collect. Ask for a receipt if you need one for tax records.
• Sell through used furniture dealers, office clearance firms or online marketplaces.
• Give to staff. Old chairs and desks are useful for home offices. Agree a simple, fair process.
• Furniture banks and reuse networks take items that help people setting up homes.

Step 5: recycle what is left

• Metal frames, filing cabinets and steel shelving can go to a scrap metal recycler.
• Ask your local waste authority which materials they accept, and how.
• Some makers run take-back schemes for their own products.
• Remove fabric, foam and glass before metal recycling if the recycler asks.

What to do with old office chairs

1. Check it still adjusts: height, back and arms.
2. Fix small faults (castors, arm pads, gas lift).
3. Reuse it in a meeting room, home office or quiet area.
4. Donate or sell if it works but you do not need it.
5. Recycle the metal base and frame if it cannot be saved.

Sources

• US EPA, Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data (furniture and furnishings, 2018)