Armoire Removal Services
How to Get Rid of an Old Armoire
It’s hard to get rid of old armoires, entertainment centers, wardrobes and hutches. They used to be really popular and functional pieces of furniture. Armoires have fallen out of favor these days. They don’t fit modern design sensibilities. Just too big and bulky. They’re also less functional. Entertainment units from a decade ago were designed to house square TVs. TVs today are rectangular, bigger than ever and often serve as technological art to be shown off rather than tucked behind a cabinet.
The problem with armoires...
The reason most people are getting rid of their old armoires is the reason they’re such a junk removal problem.
Size: Armoires, hutches, wardrobes and entertainment units are usually big and heavy. They are physically difficult to move around the house. This makes sense. They had to be big enough and sturdy enough to hold and hide old tube TVs. This means that once they’re in place, it’ll likely take a professional mover to move it from that spot.
Style: Times change. And so do tastes. When it comes to furniture, big and brown is out. Modern design generally does not favor oversized, dark furniture. These days, things are bright and sleek. For this reason, even really nice older furniture appeals to a limited audience with a particular taste.
Function: Armoires and entertainment centers were designed to hold square TVs and wired components. Today, TVs are no longer square or wired. Today’s TVs are huge. So, we have a geometry problem. Giant square armoires can only house small rectangular TVs.
Furthermore, flat screen TVs function as an art piece. A status symbol. The TV on the wall is a feature people want to show off, not hide.
Wardrobes are designed for hanging clothes. People of course, still wear clothes… but even that’s changing. In the new work- from- home environment, people have fewer outfits requiring hanging. More casual dress allows for more flexible storage.
Difficult to Donate/ Resale: Old hutches are hard to donate or resell. There’s a limited audience for them so they’ll sit in thrift shops or consignment stores for a long time. Long shelf life plus the fact that they take up a ton of floor space and are difficult to move equals a massive headache for resellers.
Your Options for Getting Rid of an old Wardrobe.
If you no longer need your armoire, you have some options. We strongly believe in the circular economy. So here’s some environmentally responsible ideas for getting rid of an old armoire.
Reimagine- Stop thinking of this piece of furniture as an armoire. It’s got good bones so how else can you use it? I’ve seen some armoires turned into really awesome bars (coffee or adult beverage varieties). Besides the sustainability benefits of repurposing an old hutch, there are other soft benefits. Develop a new skill and the confidence and pride that goes along with it. Spend time on a project with a loved one. Get away from the screen. You’ll start to find value in the things we typically think of as disposable. Heck… you can reimagine that piece of furniture and then resell it to earn some money or start a side hustle. We’ve sold a number of armoires through our 2nd Life Program to people using them for coffee bar projects.
Purposeful Donations- It may be difficult to donate old armoires via traditional donation centers. Many donation delivery services will not remove heavy furniture from upstairs. And even if they could, they’re unlikely to accept these large hutch pieces because of the space they take up and the difficulty selling them. We have had luck donating them to specific organizations and businesses for a specific purpose. For example, we donated a few armoires to a daycare center. They were really functional storage pieces. Great for storing linens, diapers, games, art supplies, etc. Places like churches, shelters and animal rescues may also have a need for items like this.
Recycle & Reuse- If a hutch has reached the end of it’s functional life, consider breaking it down into it’s component parts. The benefit of breaking it down is that armoires are a lot easier to move in pieces than whole. At that point, parts of it can be recycled or reused. Screws, hardware, hinges all still have value. Even the wood can be reused for other projects.
How can Trash and Stash Help with your old armoire?
The biggest thing we can do is get it out of your way. Whether the armoire is upstairs or downstairs, our professional team can get it out of there. We’ll then properly dispose of it. This may mean we resell it through our 2nd Life Program, donate it to one of our donation partners or break it down to effectively recycle its parts. When you call us to remove your old hutch or entertainment center, you can feel confident it’ll be disposed of safely and responsibly.
Other stuff to remove? Ask us about furniture removal, appliance removal and more! Schedule your free, in- person estimate here.
Armoire Removal Service Areas:
(SC): Clover | Fort Mill | Indian Land | Lake Wylie/ Tega Cay | Lancaster | Rock Hill | York
(NC): Ballantyne | Charlotte | Matthews | Pineville | Steele Creek | Waxhaw | Weddington