April 22, 2019April 22, 2019 ivandreaollero

Home Interior: When is the Right Time to Replace Your Furniture

Home & Garden

The expiration dates of some common home furniture are not always that direct like knowing exactly the date to replace packaged foods, groceries, or your everyday essentials that indicate their lifespan. According to a survey conducted by Apartment Therapy, only several people know how to determine if their furniture needs to go. There are 54% who think that furniture should last 20 years or more.

Although your furniture doesn’t have an expiration date, most homeowners nowadays are not into furnishings that will last forever. Factors including a more adaptable society, fluctuating tastes, and a wide range of furniture options, altogether make a new average lifespan of the furniture.

The lifespan of your home items depends on the number of years, on the authentic materials used, the manner the way they were built, the total number of daily use, and the quality of care given to the furniture. For instance, the sofa you use in your family room with kids, teenagers, and pets, probably won’t last as long as the one in the formal living room.

Take a look at the average lifespans for 12 of the most usual items found in your home:

Furniture Item	Lifespan
Coffee, End, and Occasional Tables	5-10 years
Mattress	5-10 years
Upholstered Chair	7-10 years
Office Chair	7-10 years
Sofa	7-15 years
Metal Patio Furniture	10 years
Wicker and Rattan Furniture	10 years
Wooden Chair	10-15 years
Chest of Drawers or Dresser	10-20 years
Desk	15 years
Bed	15-20 years
Dining Room Table	15-20 years

 

How To Know If It’s Time to Replace Your Furniture?

• The upholstery is stained and worn out.
• Furniture is broken beyond repair.
• Furniture doesn’t fit the space where it’s used.
• Furniture is not comfortable to use anymore.
• It’s not appealing to your taste anymore.

Coffee, End, and Occasional Tables

If your coffee and end tables are always exposed to hot coffee cups and wet drinking glasses, you need to replace them if they seem to be unsteady, looking unattractive and don’t fit the space and style of the room anymore.

Mattress

This is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home. It’s the place where you need to have that peaceful rest. So if you notice that it sags already, has odors, and can’t provide you anymore the same support you need for a needed sleep without back pain.

Upholstered Chair

Does it have stains, smelly odors, peeling or ripped upholstery? Are the recliners still in good in condition? It’s time to replace it if doesn’t function effortlessly.

Office Chair

Let’s do some math with your office chair! If you use it 40 hours per week, you can expect that it will last around seven to 10 years. But take note that its lifespan will depend on its material whether it’s made from solid wood, metal, plastic, leather, or fabric. Plus, if the upholster becomes threadbare and you can’t sit comfortably on it without having the right lumbar support, then it’s time to get a new one.  

Sofa

Get rid of that creaking, sagging cushions, and no lumbar support sofa of yours immediately! You don’t want your guests to sit on that stained, smelly, ripped upholstery, old sofa. You may want to replace it with a brand new one or at least get a new upholstery job.

Patio Furniture

Either it’s made from wicker, metal, or plastic, your patio furniture should be restored or replaced once it becomes wobbly and cannot support the weight of an adult. If you want a longer lifespan for your furniture, keep it out of direct sunlight, clean it on a daily basis, and put them away during the off-season.

Wooden Chair

Wooden chairs, whether they’re dining room chairs or side chairs, should be replaced once they become unbalanced, or if the wood is splitting on the seat. If the chair is still sturdy but the upholstery is in bad condition, then have a new upholstery instead.

Bed

If you keep hearing your bed frame creaking, it’s a sign that you need to replace it. Also, it’s a good idea to purchase a new bed frame that you can attach to your favorite headboard, which will last longer than the support system. You may want to replace your bed if you have children growing from a toddler bed to a twin to a bigger size.

Dining Room Table

This is not only applicable to dining room tables, but you can also consider any type of desk or table that has scratches, burns, and dents. They have to be replaced before they become structurally broken.

On the Note

You may donate your old furniture only if it’s still usable and in good condition if you don’t like the idea of selling it. Charities, homeless shelter, or even thrift stores would be happy to get good quality, usable furniture. Or you can pass it along to other family members.

Meanwhile, if you need that extra money, you may want to sell it online. There are plenty of online marketplaces where people are looking for cheaper furniture in good condition. Just be honest about the quality of the item and take clear photos. You may also have a yard sale if you can’t find a buyer online.

If you think that the furniture is not safe to use anymore, or if it’s broken beyond repair, and plagued with insects, then it’s best that you just dispose of it properly.

Author Bio: Ivandrea Ollero is a resident writer for PAAL Kit Homes, one of Australia’s kit home leaders that offers a range of flexible kit house designs options. She researches and writes custom content about home improvements, finance, law, travel, fashion, and beauty. She graduated from St. Scholastica’s College, Manila, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism in 2016.