Don't Forget to Follow These 4 Steps When Selling Your Furniture

Post Clear, Detailed Photos

As tempting as it may be to grab a crisp product photo from a retailer’s website and call it a day, do not go this route. Buyers understandably want to see images of the actual item you have in your home, and they’ll want to take note of any flaws, too.

I suggest uploading five or so images of each item you plan to sell. One or two should show the entire piece, and the rest should be closeups. Use these images to detail any flaws, zoom in on a design or pattern, or demonstrate what amazing condition a piece is in—you choose what suits your listing best. If you can take a few moments to style an item before photographing it, even better.

By no means do you need to make your sofa magazine-worthy, but fluffing the pillows and removing anything sitting on top, like a throw blanket or handbag, will make the piece look more presentable. Stepping back a bit to let viewers see your sofa in the context of your entire living room will also help them develop a better sense of size and scale, which brings me to my next point.

Be Sure to Share Measurements

If you don’t, you’ll be bombarded with messages asking for dimensions anyway, so make things easier for yourself and potential buyers by taking a minute up front to share these details. Grab your tape measurer and make note of the height, width, depth, and anything else of note.

Posting measurements is also key in the case that a seller shows up and tries to negotiate on price because an item wasn’t the size they imagined. When this has happened to me, I’ve noted that I did in fact post the exact dimensions in my description, so I’m unwilling to budge in this respect.

Indicate an Item’s Weight

Of course, when it comes to pieces like a sofa or dining table, most people will know that they’ll want to secure a dolly or extra set of hands prior to pickup. That said, there are other pieces that are deceivingly heavy—like marble coffee tables, for example— and you’ll want to make this clear to a prospective buyer before they arrive at your doorstep.

Letting someone know ahead of time whether they’ll want to bring a friend or even hire a professional mover will save both of you trouble down the line. It’s always frustrating to reschedule a pickup for a later date because a buyer shows up unequipped to bring a piece to their car.

Disclose a Piece’s Background

Have you been housing an item in a pet-free, smoke-free home, or does the seller need to know otherwise? Is a piece a cherished antique or was it an IKEA hack? Providing details such as this upfront may greatly inform an individual’s purchasing decisions, and it’s respectful to convey this information in your description.

Buyers will often ask where a piece is from originally, and sharing any details that you know will prevent you from having to reply to endless messages. And if you’re selling a rare piece for a great price, buyers will be thrilled to learn that, too.