How to Get Free Furniture Near Me
When we moved into our two-storey house, we were moving from a partially furnished basem*nt apartment.
After putting all our savings into the house purchase, we could barely afford anything else.
We needed basic furniture like a sofa, table with chairs, dresser, desk, end tables, etc.
Furniture is expensive! We had to explore free furniture options. We had no choice.
To our surprise, there were a lot of websites, apps, and resources with free furniture available.
How can I get free furniture near me?
Here’s a list of ways to find free furniture near me.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaningif you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you.Please read thedisclosurefor more information.
Free Furniture Resources Near Me
1. Freecycle
Freecycle is a network of over 5,000 groups with over 8 million members. Membership is free.
As a member, you can give or get items for free.
I love that Freecycle is about gifting and waste reduction.
If you no longer need the item, you can always list it back on Freecycle and return it to the community.
This is one of my favorite resources to get free furniture. I got an Ikea bookshelf from Freecycle.
2. Craigslist, Kijiji, VarageSale, OfferUp, Gumtree
Craigslist, Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, VarageSale, OfferUp, and Gumtree (UK, Australia, and other areas) are all online sites and apps where you can buy and sell goods.
They also all have a free section with 100% free stuff, including furniture.
Just Google the website, type “free”, and your city or town to find where the free stuff is.
You can also use your zip code to search the entire local area.
Know that free stuff usually goes fast! It’s still worth monitoring, especially if you’re less particular about the condition of items.
You can also always post “Wanted” ads on these websites to see if anyone in your community is willing to part with something for free. It never hurts to ask!
3. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a great option for finding free furniture in your area because it’s super easy to use, and many people access it daily.
You can find all sorts of listings for unwanted furniture from people decluttering their homes or maybe just making way for something new, and they’re not charging a dime!
It’s a simple way to connect with locals in your area to find good deals without spending a penny.
4. Facebook Groups
There are a lot of local Facebook groups with members in your community giving away free stuff.
I’ve seen free furniture listed in local buy and sell groups, mom and dad groups and “free” or “pass it on” groups.
To find these local groups, when you’re on Facebook, search “buy and sell,” “mom” or “dad,” “free,” “freebie,” “pass it on,” and your town or city.
My area has 2 “freebie” groups with several listings posted daily. I’ve even seen ISO or in search of listings and people responding to them offering their home goods for free.
I highly recommend joining these groups and watching for free furniture posts!
Another great place to search is the Buy Nothing Project Group.
They operate very similarly to Freecycle. They offer members a way to give and receive, share, and lend items through a network of local groups. Membership is free.
To join a group, find one in your area. When you’ve found your community, click on the link and it’ll redirect you to your local group on Facebook.
You can start a group here if there are none currently in your community.
5. Freebie Alerts: Free Stuff App
The Freebie Alerts: Free Stuff app is available on both Android and Apple devices, and it is a whole program designed to help find free furniture. It’s a free stuff marketplace if you will.
The best part? You can even enable push notifications to alert you when what you’re searching for becomes available in your area.
6. Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a local neighborhood resource.
You can use it to sell your household items, learn about local events, monitor criminal activity in your area, etc.
Similar to local Facebook groups, you’ll occasionally see free furniture and other household goods offered.
7. Yard Sales
Yard sales are the best places to find furniture that won’t break your bank account.
You can occasionally get free items left over by the curbside at the end of the yard sale (usually around 2-3 p.m. on a Saturday during yard sale season).
Families want to avoid lugging items back into the house, especially furniture and large appliances.
I’ve gotten loads of free things by doing this.
Related: Hosting your own yard sale is a great way to earn money that you can put toward your furniture budget. It’s an easy way to make money quickly and eliminate the stuff you’re no longer using. Here are tips on how to host a yard sale successfully.
8. Moving Sales
Moving sales are a great way to find free furniture as well.
People are packing up all of their belongings and may not have room for the bigger pieces of furniture in their new home, or they just flat out don’t want them anymore.
People become less attached to their once-loved pieces and are more willing to let them go without charging.
Plus, you may be saving them money by taking the unwanted furniture off their hands if they would need to pay a moving service to transport it.
9. Estate Sale
With estate sales, the seller often needs to get rid of everything in the house. They’re motivated to move items.
Estate sales typically have gently-used furniture and other unwanted items for reasonable prices.
Their unwanted furniture can mean good deals for you!
As they near their closing date, they might even give away free furniture. Otherwise, they would have to pay a company to haul it away.
10. Thrift Stores
Both the Salvation Army and Goodwill have voucher programs for people who are financially struggling.
Contact them to determine if your local Salvation Army or Goodwill is participating and ask about their eligibility requirements for the free furniture vouchers.
In general, it’s a good idea to contact other local thrift stores and non-profit organizations in your area, too. They get donations all the time, and they have limited space.
They need to move inventory and might be willing to offer free furniture.
11. Furniture Banks
Local furniture banks collect furniture donations. They give these to individuals or families who are in need. For example, if you lost your job, are homeless, etc.
Sometimes, even furniture stores donate to local organizations to help give back to their communities.
To find your local furniture bank, Google your city + “furniture bank.”
12. Heroes Warehouse
The Heroes Warehouse is a non-profit organization that helps previously homeless United States veterans with free furniture and essentials.
They accept new and gently used items in good working condition, so you know you’re getting relatively good quality items with their furniture assistance program.
13. Reddit
Reddit is more than just a good forum for advice and information.
You can check out their Barter and Recycle sections for free furniture.
If you have any gift cards, you can use their Gift Card Exchange section to turn your gift cards into cash for furniture!
14. American Red Cross
The Red Cross provides disaster relief to individuals and families who have experienced disasters, from home fires to hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.
The Red Cross responds to an average of 60,000 disasters every year.
They adapt their resources to the needs of the people. It might include anything from free meals to new furniture.
15. Ashley Furniture Free Bed Assistance Program
Ashley Furniture has a Hope to Dream program where they give away beds to underprivileged children between 3-16 who don’t have beds and come from low-income families.
They’ve given over 100,000 free beds to children.
If you know of a child who can qualify, you can place a nomination here.
16. Have a housewarming party
If you’ve moved into a new house, set up a housewarming party and create a furniture registry.
You can create an Amazon wishlist and send it to family and friends.
You can also create a housewarming registry through Bed Bath and Beyond.
17. Swap party
A swap party is an excellent opportunity to get free furniture!
What’s a swap party?
It’s an event for friends to get together to trade items. There are rules so that it’s fair and fun for everyone.
Since you know where the furniture is coming from, you can feel comfortable knowing you’re getting things in good condition.
This is one of my favorite ways to shop for things on a budget because:
- It’s FREE – you don’t have to spend any money.
- You can get rid of the clutter at your place!
You can turn yourunused goods into new things you actually need!
Related: Tips on How to Host a Swap Party
18. Local community curbside giveaway
My community does this a few times a year.
It’s a great way to get free furniture and other essentials for your household.
In my community, every household is invited to put their goods on the curb for 12 hours.
Anything that’s not picked up has to be brought back inside.
I’ve participated in 2 of these and gotten a lot of goods from them.
One of the best finds I encountered was a patio set – a cast iron table with two chairs. There was just a bit of paint peeling on one of the chairs, which could be easily fixed.
If you don’t have a community curbside giveaway, you should suggest this to your township.
It’s a great way for families to do some decluttering and for other families to get furniture nearby for free.
19. Check college and university campuses
When students finish school at the end of each term, they’re not always able to get rid of all of their dorm room furniture.
You’ll often see computer chairs, tables and beds next to the communal trash bins or just outside the dorms on the lawns.
It’s worth taking a drive-by to see what free furniture is available.
If you don’t have time to read the entire article, here’s a video summary of all the ways to get free furniture near me including living room furniture, tables, and bedroom furniture:
20. Trash pick up day
While most houses just put out their trash, you’ll occasionally see some goods like free furniture.
It’s likely because people are moving or decluttering.
Here are indicators signaling that free furniture might be left by the curbside:
1. Whenever you see a sold sign or a moving van at a house or apartment building
This is actually how we got a big, beautiful flower painting down the street. We saw the painting by the curb around 1-1.5 months after the sold sign went up.
It was a painting that was used for staging the house for sale. The frame alone was worth $50.
2. Around the 1st and 15th of the month
This is the period when leases are normally finished, and people have to move. Some renters can’t take the furniture and leave it on the lawn.
3. Community-assigned days
Your community might have an assigned day of the week or month where sanitation services are specifically assigned to pick up furniture or large items that can’t fit in a trash bag.
It’s a good idea to check your community calendar or contact the township to see if this is in place.
21. Ask the landlord or previous tenant
If you’re moving into a rental unit, ask the landlord or previous tenant about the furniture you see in the rental unit.
This is how we got a free couch when renting a basem*nt suite.
We had no furniture and inquired about the couch. It was a win-win situation because the previous tenant couldn’t move the couch.
She assembled it in the unit, and it was too bulky to move out. You would have to take it apart, which would destroy the couch.
22. Focus on businesses
Small and medium-size companies are going out of business all the time.
Watch for the “going out of business” sign.
You can often get sturdy, high-quality office furniture for a fraction of the price.
Watch for businesses moving as well.
When my office moved, we had to downsize significantly.
We sold expensive hydraulic desks, tables, and chairs for 30-50% of the original price. They were in mint condition.
23. Local Newspaper Classifieds
Local newspapers provide space for people to list things they’re selling and giving away in the area so they can be reached by a larger audience.
It never hurts to keep an eye on this for things you’re searching for or even things you’re not.
You may find something that fits a hard-to-design space in your home!
24. Notice boards
There are notice boards all around town.
If you live in an apartment building, look at the apartment news and notice board that’s usually right near the mailboxes.
Local bulletin boards are often found at coffee shops, grocery stores, libraries, etc.
I rarely see free furniture on these boards, but you never know.
You might get lucky!
25. Instagram and Twitter
Though these platforms are image and text-based, it is still possible to find free furniture on them.
Everyone is using hashtags. By searching for ones such as #freefurniture, you can generate a list of posts utilizing that hashtag.
26. Storage units
Have you heard of the TV show Storage Wars?
When storage units get auctioned off because people aren’t paying rent, the buyers often don’t want everything in the unit.
They’re just after the few gems they can easily resell.
Furniture is occasionally not one of them because moving and storing is big, heavy, and expensive.
While you don’t know who’s buying the units, the storage staff do.
The storage staff also knows about storage units that don’t sell. They’re motivated to get rid of the stuff in these units quickly to make it available to attain storage income.
It’s a good idea to let the storage staff know you’re interested in any remaining furniture – that you’ll haul it away for free.
27. Renew your furniture
If you already have furniture but it’s a bit dated, you can always renew it with a fresh coat of paint.
We did this with our front entrance bench and changed the color to a neutral gray, matching the rest of our decor.
Now it’s stunning!
You can also get a new slipcover for the couch or chairs.
One of our friends uses a slipcover over their bar stools/dining room chairs. It doesn’t look like a slipcover because the fit is just right.
I love how they’re removable and washable. They protect the furniture from cat scratches and kid spills.
28. Fix your stuff
You don’t need to be a furniture manufacturer or repairer to learn how to fix furniture.
You can YouTube anything nowadays and find answers.
We have a wooden coffee table that had severe scratches. We just Googled how to fix the issue and rubbed coffee grounds on the scratch. It covered it up nicely!
29. Look for a furnished place
Furniture is expensive.
It’s worthwhile to look for a furnished place, especially if you only anticipate living in an area for a short time (e.g., you’re in a contract job or you’re traveling).
You’ll save time and money on all the costs of furnishing a place, like the purchase and shipping costs and the hassle of reselling it afterward!
I regret not doing this when we moved to a different country for a year.
We furnished our entire apartment.
In the end, we couldn’t even sell all of our furniture. We had to give much of it away, including putting a big dining room set on the curb. What a waste!
30. Ask family and friends
Consider posting the request on social media or discreetly asking family and friends.
Some people might be in the mood to declutter.
Some might already be moving, downsizing, helping to offload a deceased relative’s belongings, etc.
If you know any newlyweds, they might be in the process of combining two houses or apartments into one and have free furniture to give away.
31. Ask for cash instead of gifts
Instead of getting gifts for your birthday, Christmas, and other special occasions, ask for cash instead.
You can use the cash towards furniture and other things you need.
32. Churches
If you need free furniture, let the staff at your local churches know. They’re often willing to help people in need.
They might ask around for donations.
I know the local church in our community organizes indoor yard sales every month to raise funds.
All the goods available are by donation.
Due to limited spacing, some products not sold at these events are often given away for free.
33. Scrap Yards
Though it’s not an ideal place to be scouting for furniture, it could provide an opportunity to find something usable.
Some people just need to get rid of furniture quickly and can’t find anyone to take their pieces, so they dispose of them at the local scrap yard.
Some pieces may need to be brought back to life with some refurbishing, or you could get lucky and find something gently used.
The key to this method is timing, however.
You’ll need to find and claim the free pieces before they’re made into scrap and become unusable.
Additional Ways to Get Free Furniture Near Me
34. Make more money
Ultimately, there are only so many ways to get free furniture. If your financial situation is difficult and you want to afford furniture, you must consider making more money.
As it can be difficult to negotiate for a higher salary, you can focus on a side income instead.
There are many ways to earn a side income.
For example, you can get an additional work-from-home job that’s flexible, like being aVirtual Assistant. Here are over 10 legitimate work from home jobs.
If you aim to make an extra $100/month, you can become a pet sitter through Rover.
Here are other ways to make money quickly.
35. Save money
Another way to be able to get furniture is to cut expenses.
Scan through your expenses and see where you can trim costs.
For example, you can eliminate your home phone if you already have a cell phone. You can substitute your cable for Netflix or rent DVDs from the library for free.
If you’re looking for additional ideas, here are 18 things I stopped buying daily to save money.
If you’re knee-deep in baby costs, check out this list of free baby samples.
Another idea is to go through a no-spend challenge when you don’t spend money for a certain period.
I highly recommend this exercise as it stretches your limits and forces you to be creative to avoid spending money.
Recap of How to Get Free Furniture
- Freecycle
- Craigslist, Kijiji, VarageSale, OfferUp, Gumtree
- Facebook Marketplace
- Facebook Groups
- Freebie Alerts: Free Stuff App
- Nextdoor
- Yard Sale
- Moving Sale
- Estate Sale
- Thrift Stores
- Furniture Banks
- Heroes Warehouse
- Red Cross
- Ashley Furniture Free Bed Assistance Program
- Have a housewarming party
- Swap party
- Local community curbside giveaway
- Check college and university campuses
- Trash pick-up day
- Ask the landlord or previous tenant
- Focus on businesses
- Local Newspaper Classifieds
- Notice boards
- Instagram and Twitter
- Storage units
- Renew your furniture
- Fix your stuff
- Look for a furnished place
- Ask family and friends
- Ask for cash instead of gifts
- Churches
- Scrap Yards
- Make more money
- Save money
Final Thoughts on Finding Free Furniture Near Me
There are many ways to get free furniture. You can try all these options or just a few you feel comfortable with.
Good luck with your free furniture search!
Resources for Saving Money
Looking for other ideas to save money?
Here are my favorite money saving resources:
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) allows you to get cash back for shopping online at over 2500 stores – many of which you would normally shop at like Amazon, eBay, Macy’s, Kohl’s etc. It’s FREE to sign up.
To top it off, for U.S. residents, Rakuten will give you a welcome bonus of $10after making your first online purchase of $25 or more.
ForCanadians, it’s a$5 welcome bonus for signing up.
You can read more about how to use Rakuten here!
Honey is an application that looks at the items in your cart and helps you search for coupon codes. If it finds relevant codes, it enters them AUTOMATICALLY! You never have to search for coupon codes online again!
It also has other money saving features like cash back, price drop notifications, and a price history. It’s also FREE to use.
Here’s my detailed review on Honey here.
If you spend hours meal planning every week only to stress out some days and eat out, you might be interested in the $5 meal plan. For $5/month, they send you a weekly meal plan where every meal will cost approximately $2/person! They save you time and money so that you can focus on doing things you enjoy like hanging with your kid!
They offer a 14 day FREE trial(approximately 40 recipes) – regular or gluten-free – that you can cancel at any time with no questions asked.
This membership has 2 great benefits: free 2 day shipping and free access to movies, TV shows, music and books. You no longer have to worry about last minute items. You can cancel your other movie, music and book subscription services. You can also get 20% off diapers and baby food when you have more than 5 subscriptions.
Get the Amazon 30 day FREE trial here. You can cancel at anytime. No questions asked.
Related Articles for Getting Free Furniture
- No Spend Challenge: How to Not Spend Money for 30 days or More
- Honey Review: How to get the Best Prices Available
- Ebates Review: How to Make and Save Money Fast
- Best Money Saving Tips to Save You $1000’s
- 18 Things to Stop Buying to Save Money Every Day
- 11 Ridiculously Easy Ways to Save Money on Groceries
- EyeBuyDirect Review: How to Get Glasses for Cheap Prices
- Best Frugal Living Tips
Enjoyed this post?
It would be great if you couldshareitandfollowme onPinterestandFacebook.
