6 Must-Know Tips for Picking Up Furniture Off the Curb, Pros Share

Whether you find it while dumpster diving, curb shopping, or thrifting, stumbling upon a perfectly intact piece of discarded furniture at no or low cost to you could result in an intriguing addition to your decor.

However, there can often be complications if not done properly. We asked pros to share their best tips to know before bringing any curb furniture back home.

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First and foremost, gauge if the piece is worth the effort (for your purposes). Solid-wood construction and wood-veneered items are typically more salvageable than laminated particleboard items.

Carrie Spalding, the founder of a DIY home decor blog and YouTube channel called Lovely Etc, explains how some pieces may have a plasticky feel and can easily be damaged by moisture. She advises that if the piece is wood veneer and the damage isn’t too heavy, you can sand, strip, and refinish it.

It may seem insignificant but check the dimensions against all of your home’s doorways. You don’t want to lug the piece home only to find that it doesn’t fit any of the doorways and thus goes back out onto the curb.

Finally, if you don’t think the piece is worth saving, consider snagging the hardware for repurposing.

@vintagefurniturefinds / Instagram

“Inspect the joints and seams for any signs of damage or weakness, check the underside and back for hidden issues, and ensure drawers or doors function smoothly,” Deborah Meyers, a furniture makeover artist, says.

Things to check on the surface are the extent of discoloration and scratches. Spalding also recommends giving any furniture a sniff because pieces can often absorb unpleasant smoke and mold odors, which may be difficult to get rid of.

@vintagefurniturefinds / Instagram

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