For those of you who are relocating to Northern Virginia, you might want to consider selling certain pieces of furniture instead of paying to move them, especially if you’re moving a long distance. This is especially true if part of your furniture collection includes pieces you’ve bought cheaply at sales or from thrift stores. Many moving companies charge by the cubic foot, and this can add up quickly. Most companies will give you cost per piece estimates when you call them to get a quote, and they tend to be fairly accurate. For instance, a large bookcase can cost upward of $150-$200 to move. Depending on where you bought certain pieces of furniture, they might cost more to move than they’re worth. Obviously, if something holds a great deal of sentimental value, this isn’t worth considering, no matter how little you paid for it. But otherwise, you might just want to consider having a garage sale to get rid of certain pieces you care less about, and then simply putting aside the proceeds to buy used or new furniture when you get to your final destination in Northern Virginia.
My wife, Susan, and I are big fans of buying used furniture from places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Craigslist. If you haven’t explored these options yet, and you’re open to buying and restoring used furniture, you’d be surprised at the great deals that can be had. When Susan and I moved back to Northern Virginia after living in California for a long time, we had a garage sale and got rid of several pieces of furniture that we didn’t care as much about because we knew that it would cost much more than they were worth to move them across the country. Several days after we arrived back in Northern Virginia, we bought 6 amazing used pieces of beautifully made Thomasville furniture at Goodwill for $290, much less than the money we brought in at our garage sale in California.
The Thomasville dressers and china cabinet had a good deal of wear and tear and were very outdated, but if you’re repainting them, who cares? Susan loves restoring and refinishing old furniture, and frankly, even if you don’t love doing it but are simply a thrifty furniture buyer, this can be a great option for you if you have several hours of free time on a Saturday afternoon. Susan repainted these pieces and “distressed” them, and the end result looked like we purchased new furniture at a designer furniture store!
If you’re looking for tips on restoring and refinishing old furniture, check may blog again soon. I’ll be adding great pictures and posts that really delve into the specifics of this process. Whether you just moved to Northern Virginia and are finding yourself with much more empty space in your house than you thought, or you’re trying to find affordable staging options for selling your home, this is a great solution!
If you’re relocating to Northern Virginia and you’re looking for a great real estate agent, give me a call at 703-462-0700. I’d love to help you find the right Northern Virginia home. I’m an experienced buyer agent who grew up in this area and knows the Northern Virginia real estate market very well.