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5 Things to Do with Old Office Furniture When You Move

When you move offices, your old furniture is one of the biggest decisions you face - and most companies get it wrong. This guide walks you through five practical, sustainable options for what to do with old office furniture, so nothing ends up in a skip unnecessarily.

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What to do with old office furniture when you move

Office moves create a problem that few people plan for: what happens to everything you're leaving behind? Desks, chairs, storage units, meeting tables - the furniture you accumulated over years doesn't just disappear when you hand back the keys.

Most of it ends up in landfill. Research suggests that the vast majority of office furniture disposed of during relocations is simply thrown away, contributing to significant waste and unnecessary carbon emissions. But there are better options - and several of them will save you money or help your organisation meet its sustainability targets.

Here are five things you can do with old office furniture when you move.

If your furniture is still in reasonable condition, donation is one of the most straightforward and impactful options. Schools, charities, social enterprises, and community groups often need functional office furniture and simply cannot afford to buy it new.

  • Contact local charities directly. Many organisations actively seek office donations - desks, chairs, filing cabinets, and shelving are all commonly requested. A quick search will surface local groups in your area.
  • Use a furniture reuse network. Organisations such as the Furniture Re-use Network connect businesses with charities looking for second-hand items. They can often arrange collection too.
  • Check with schools and universities. Educational institutions frequently need extra furniture for classrooms, common areas, and administration offices.
  • Get a donation receipt. Some organisations will provide documentation of the donation, which may support your sustainability reporting or CSR commitments.

The main requirement is that the furniture is clean, structurally sound, and safe to use. Most organisations cannot accept heavily worn or broken items.

2. Sell it - second-hand office furniture has a real market

If donation does not suit your timeline or the condition of the furniture, selling it is a practical alternative. There is genuine demand for second-hand office desks, chairs, and storage - particularly from startups, growing teams, and small businesses setting up for the first time.

  • List on dedicated platforms. Websites that specialise in used office furniture exist across most markets and attract buyers specifically looking for commercial-grade pieces at reduced prices.
  • Try general marketplaces. Platforms like eBay, Gumtree, or Facebook Marketplace reach a wide audience and work well for individual items or smaller quantities.
  • Approach office clearance companies. Some office clearance companies will buy furniture outright rather than simply removing it - the return is lower, but the process is hands-off.
  • Sell in bulk to dealers. Second-hand office furniture dealers buy entire fitouts and can often arrange removal as part of the deal, making this one of the most efficient options for larger quantities.

Pricing should reflect condition realistically. High-quality pieces from known manufacturers - ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks, quality storage - hold their value well and can fetch a meaningful return.

3. Recycle it through a specialist service

Not all furniture can be donated or sold, but that does not mean it has to go to landfill. Specialist office furniture recycling services break down pieces into their component materials - metal frames, foam, fabric, wood panels - and route each material into the appropriate recycling stream.

  • Use a certified office clearance company. Look for companies that provide a waste transfer note and can confirm diversion from landfill. This documentation supports your sustainability and ESG reporting.
  • Check for manufacturer take-back programmes. Some furniture manufacturers offer take-back or recycling schemes for their own products. It is worth contacting suppliers directly to ask.
  • Separate materials before collection. If you have time, separating metal from wood from upholstered items can make recycling more efficient and reduce the cost of specialist processing.
  • Request a recycling certificate. Reputable recycling services will provide documentation confirming how materials were processed - useful if you are reporting on scope 3 emissions or zero waste targets.

Recycling is a step up from landfill, but it is still an end-of-life solution. If you want to avoid the problem recurring at your next move, it is worth considering the options below.

4. Use a circular take-back scheme

Circular take-back schemes are designed specifically for this situation. Rather than treating furniture as waste to be disposed of, they treat it as a resource to be kept in use. When you return furniture through a circular take-back scheme, it is assessed, refurbished where needed, and put back into circulation for another business to use.

  • No landfill. Circular take-back means the furniture does not go to waste - it continues its life in another workspace.
  • Measurable impact. Reputable circular operators provide data on CO2 saved and materials diverted from landfill, which feeds directly into ESG and sustainability reporting.
  • Hassle-free removal. Collection and logistics are typically handled as part of the service, reducing the operational burden on your team during what is already a demanding move.
  • Supports circular procurement policy. If your organisation has a circular procurement commitment, using a take-back scheme is a tangible way to demonstrate it.

NORNORM operates a fully circular model as part of its office furniture subscription service. When a client no longer needs furniture - because they are moving, downsizing, or changing their layout - it is collected, refurbished, and redeployed. Nothing goes to waste. For companies that want to make furniture disposal genuinely circular rather than just less bad, this model is worth exploring.

Circular office furniture take-back and refurbishment process at NORNORM

5. Switch to a furniture subscription for your new space

The most sustainable approach to old office furniture is to avoid the problem the next time around. If you are moving to a new office, the decisions you make now will determine whether you face this same challenge in three, five, or ten years.

  • A subscription means nothing is ever truly yours to dispose of. With a circular furniture subscription, the provider retains ownership and responsibility for the furniture throughout its life. When your needs change, you return what you no longer need - and it goes back into the circular system rather than to a skip.
  • No upfront capital expenditure. Rather than spending significant sums buying furniture for your new space, a monthly subscription converts that cost to a predictable operating expense.
  • Flexibility as standard. As your team grows, contracts change, or your workspace evolves, a subscription makes it easy to add, remove, or swap furniture - without the disposal headache each time.
  • Shorter lead times. Because circular furniture is already in stock and ready to deploy, subscriptions typically offer faster installation than ordering new furniture through traditional channels.

NORNORM's circular subscription covers design, delivery, installation, and ongoing flexibility - all in a single monthly cost per square metre. For companies moving to a new office and wanting to avoid repeating the old furniture problem, it is one of the more practical models available.

Key Takeaways

  • Landfill is not the only option. Most office furniture can be donated, sold, recycled, or returned through a take-back scheme - all of which are better outcomes than disposal.
  • Condition determines the best route. Good-quality furniture suits donation or resale; worn items are better suited to specialist recycling or take-back.
  • Circular take-back schemes offer the most complete solution - removing furniture responsibly and providing measurable sustainability data.
  • The new office is the moment to rethink the model. Switching to a furniture subscription at the point of a move avoids the same disposal problem recurring in future.
  • Documentation matters. Whether you are donating, recycling, or using a take-back scheme, get confirmation in writing - it supports ESG reporting and sustainability commitments.

Planning your next office move and want to explore the circular approach? Learn how NORNORM's subscription model works.

FAQs

What should we do with our existing office furniture when we move? We don't really want to take it with us.

You have several good options depending on the condition of your furniture. If it is still in reasonable shape, donating to a local charity or community organisation is one of the most impactful routes. If you want a return, selling through second-hand platforms or to office furniture dealers is worth exploring. For furniture that cannot be reused, specialist recycling services can divert materials from landfill and provide documentation for your sustainability reporting.

We're leaving our office and have about 40 desks and chairs we don't want. What are our options?

For a quantity like that, your most practical options are selling in bulk to a second-hand office furniture dealer - many will collect as part of the deal - or using a circular take-back scheme if you want a zero-waste outcome. Office clearance companies can handle the logistics, though it is worth checking whether they divert from landfill and can provide a waste transfer note. If your furniture is in good condition, donation to multiple local organisations is also worth pursuing.

What's the most sustainable way to get rid of office furniture when you're moving?

The most sustainable outcome is keeping furniture in use rather than processing it as waste. A circular take-back scheme - where furniture is collected, refurbished, and redeployed in another office - keeps materials in circulation and avoids both landfill and the energy cost of recycling. Donation is the next best option if the furniture is in good condition. If you want to avoid the problem recurring, moving to a furniture subscription model for your new office means the provider retains responsibility for end-of-life disposal.

Can we donate our old office furniture? We want it to go to a good cause rather than be thrown away.

Yes - many charities, schools, community groups, and social enterprises actively look for office furniture donations. The main requirement is that items are clean, structurally sound, and safe to use. Furniture reuse networks can help match your donation to an organisation that needs it, and many can arrange collection. It is worth asking for written confirmation of the donation, which may support your CSR or sustainability reporting.

How do I dispose of office furniture responsibly? We want to avoid it going to landfill.

Start by assessing the condition of each item. Good-quality pieces should be donated or sold before considering disposal. For items that cannot be reused, use a certified office clearance company that provides a waste transfer note and confirms landfill diversion. Some furniture manufacturers offer take-back schemes for their own products. If you want a fully circular outcome with measurable impact data, a specialist circular take-back service is the most thorough option.

Is there a company that will take away our old office furniture and replace it with new furniture?

Yes - some providers offer a combined removal and replacement service. NORNORM, for example, operates a circular subscription model where old furniture is collected and refurbished as part of the service, and the new office is furnished and installed as part of the same agreement. This approach removes the need to manage two separate contracts and ensures the outgoing furniture is handled responsibly rather than going to landfill.

How much does it cost to get rid of old office furniture when moving offices?

Costs vary depending on the volume, condition, and route you choose. Donating is typically free and some organisations will collect at no charge. Selling can generate a return, particularly for high-quality pieces. Office clearance services usually charge by volume or weight, with certified landfill-diversion services sitting at a higher price point than standard clearance. Circular take-back schemes are often included as part of a subscription or service agreement, removing the cost entirely.

What happens to office furniture carbon footprint when it goes to landfill?

When office furniture goes to landfill, the embodied carbon locked into its materials - the energy used to manufacture the wood, metal, foam, and fabric - is effectively wasted. It cannot be recovered. Additionally, decomposing organic materials in landfill produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Keeping furniture in use through donation, resale, or circular take-back avoids this outcome and can significantly reduce the carbon impact of an office move. Circular models have been shown to reduce furniture-related CO2 emissions by up to 70% compared to buying and disposing of new furniture.

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