Purchasing or discarding furniture: help minimize waste and save money.

Whether you are buying or discarding furniture, follow these tips to minimize waste and save money.

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When purchasing furniture:

• Make sure to buy durable, long-lasting, classic items that will not damage easily if your home or office relocates, and will remain in style over time.

• Consider leasing furniture so that the manufacturer or retailer is responsible for reuse, recycling, or disposal at the end of the lease.

• Ask suppliers about used or remanufactured furniture; prices for quality, remanufactured furniture typically range from 30 to 50 percent less than new furniture.

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When discarding furniture:

• Donate usable furniture to charitable organizations. Before donating items, City Agencies must follow procedures for relinquishment of City property.

• Recycle damaged metal furniture. Large items that are at least 50 percent metal are required to be recycled in many places, such as NYC.

• If wooden furniture is too damaged for repair or refurbishing, recycle it by contacting a wood broker to determine if it can be used as scrap wood for mulch, fuel, or other uses. A materials broker can help your Agency find a local recycler.

Find this original article at NYC.GOV.