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Original poster

Sofas - how often do you buy new ones?

106 replies

Letsskidaddle · 16/02/2021 11:33

Scrolling through FaceBook marketplace and I'm amazed by all the nearly new sofas that are for sale or free....

Some (most I've realised Blush) are in better condition than mine (cats have ruined mine from scratching), but mine were second-hand to start with.

Just got me thinking how often other people buy new ones. I'm admittedly a bit of a skinflint but they're not a cheap purchase and seem a huge, expensive luxury to me. Not sure I'd ever have the spare £££s to indulge, much as I'd love to.

Now feeling a bit fed up that so many people seem to have such beautiful homes...mine is very nice and kept well, but nothing is new or fancy and there's a lot we don't have - never had a dressing table or a chest of drawers for instance. For context I live alone now DC have moved out and before that struggled as a single parent, 'new' new was always just out of reach.

This is about more than sofas I guess, I've realised lately that the sum total of my life and possessions is very little and that makes me a bit sad.

But! On a lighter note, how often do you splash out? On sofas or other 'big' purchases.

OP posts:
Woodlandbelle · 16/02/2021 14:28

I love new stuff for the house but our sofas are secondhand. Really good quality and i love them. I splash out on nice cushions etc but couldn't jusitify new new when we had very young dc. To be honest they are such good quality that I couldnt justify replacing them although they were meant to be temporary. I have ordered sofa throws for one of them that's arriving from la redoute this week so that will freshen them up.

AlwaysLatte · 16/02/2021 14:30

My current 2 and 3 seater leather sofas have lasted about 10 years so far. We recently got them professionally cleaned. I wish they would fall apart though as they are really big and chunky and I'd like to have two slightly less large 2 seaters instead.

islockdownoveryet · 16/02/2021 14:32

I’m a bit like you op where I think it’s a expensive purchase and reluctant. I’ve also seen people selling sofas that are less than 12 months old but maybe they have gone off them but I’d only spend £££ on something I was certain I wouldn’t go off .
I think in 23 years I bought 2 sofas bought 1 2nd hand , 1 given to us and 1 bought off a relative that we still have . I’m planning on getting new one when we have redecorated later this year .

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bestbitsbetter · 16/02/2021 14:35

We've got a secondhand brown DFS sofa, which is the main one that gets used daily. It's alright, but the bottom cushions slide out of place regularly so it needs to be rearranged a few times a day. It used to belong to my sister, but didn't fit in her new house.

The other is a smaller 'light grey' ruffled thing that my partner bought on a whim without even sitting on it. It's uncomfortable and the colour is more like cream. It's currently used as the cat's bed and the place DP dumps crap.

I would love something on legs, like the raspberry pink one on the Loaf TV advert.

Funnyfive · 16/02/2021 14:40

We bought our leather sofas in late 2003, not cheap at the time and are still in use - so just over 17 years old.

The 3 seater has the most use and is looking worn, the 2 seater is like new but the leather has faded in colour so I’ll have to replace both probably later this year 😞

SaltyTootsieToes · 16/02/2021 14:43

The first sofas we had, my DH chose before I moved in with him. They were cheap. I had to use slip covers in them as the fabric frayed. I think we had them about 6 years until springs started popping through. Next lot I bought from on mine sofa.com (or something similar based in wales). I bought extra set of covers and even then would dye them over and over. Lasted 12 years or so. Not terribly expensive, a few hundred each (going back to the 90s though)

Next lot we spent about £2k each and bought a pair. It was huge compromise but I was desperate for new sofas. I detested them though. The style and colour. But they were good quality. We had those at least 10 to 12 years and still have one. Both were still in great condition both fabric and filling. Gave away one to British heart foundation because we rejigged rooms, making a firmer dining room into a tv room so only needed one sofa. We bought a new fabulous, gorgeous sofa we both love for our new living room and spent £7k on it. That’s a lot for us (DH negotiated down to this price) It’s so comfy, stylish and is a real statement piece for the room. I think I’ll be planning my next house move around keeping this sofa.

So yes, we will spend a good amount but will have them for a long time.

Natsku · 16/02/2021 14:44

I don't but a new one until the old one breaks or is extensively vomited on beyond all cleaning possibility.

jamiedoger · 16/02/2021 14:44

We bought leather sofas from IKEA about 14 years ago and they were 'expensive' for us at the time, but they have lasted for so long and are still comfy and survived 1 dog, 3 kids, toilet training, weaning etc.

We are now looking for a replacement but will still keep the old ones in the other room

kowari · 16/02/2021 14:46

Never had a new one. There's so much available second hand and good quality, I've never seen the point in paying for new even if I could afford it. I know someone has to of course.

Iveputmyselfonthenaughtystep · 16/02/2021 14:49

I have JUST replaced my ikea ektorp. Had it for ten years, it did two pregnancies, two lots of night feeds and naps, two adhd kids using it as a den and a trampoline, it had completely given up. It went to the top to be replaced with a year old ektorp I bought off ebay for 70 quid. The new (to me) sofa has really highlighted how battered and uncomfortable the old one was. I actually enjoy sitting on this one!

dividedwefall · 16/02/2021 14:55

I keep mine until they break or become smelly from pets so I buy classic styles. I have cream Laura Ashley ones with small children, covered up with throws and they look brand new after three years so I am sure I'll get 10 years out of them.

RuggeryBuggery · 16/02/2021 15:01

I wonder if the whole dfs-type interest free credit has something to do with it

We bought from dfs 6 years ago - they’re doing ok but thanks to a very destructive 3rd child have suffered quite badly.
I find myself musing about replacing them since we paid £25 per month for them for 4 years so if felt affordable,
Not sure it’s a good thing environmentally though.

user85963842 · 16/02/2021 15:03

We sold a nearly new looking sofa set last year for an eye wateringly cheap price for what we paid, but we'd moved house and it just didn't suit or fit well in the new house. We don't plan on moving for a very long time so hopefully these ones will last the distance as we've paid a lot for them. The sofas we had when we first moved in together were over 10 years old when we replaced them (again for a house move). They're still going strong, we gave them to a friend.

Covidcorvid · 16/02/2021 15:05

I got new sofas a few years ago, leather ones and I love them. They’re maybe 6 years old but the leather is flaking. I’m hoping I might be able to get them recovered, maybe in fabric.

OhToBeASeahorse · 16/02/2021 15:07

We paid £1800 for a 2 seater and a 3 seater 9 years ago and they are still going strong, no plans to change them tho I am hoping they do another 5 years while the children are small and then incan replace for something a bit more attractive

ErrolTheDragon · 16/02/2021 15:08

Our suite was a wedding present from FIL, in 1986. We've had it steam cleaned a few times, and the cushion and back covers have been laundered quite often, and have replaced the foam in the seat cushions once. It's still fine. Really good solid frame, feather back cushions. We'll think about changing it after our 15 year old dog dies, not before in case he gets leaky.

kowari · 16/02/2021 15:11

Ours are 10 years old and we've had them for three. Except for cat scratches that happened in the first few months of adopting a 9 month old kitten there is absolutely nothing wrong with them, I think they should last another 10 years. They are good quality though, I think decent second hand anything is better than cheap new.

StormTreader · 16/02/2021 15:14

I've only ever had second-hand but mine is trashed now after a year of full-time sitting! Need to get a new one but the previous one was so shoddy and uncomfortable its made me nervous about shelling out for a new one :s

ChangedName4TheSakeOfIt · 16/02/2021 15:17

When it's collapsed enough and giving me a bad back to sit on. We've had ours for over 7 years now and it's getting close to needing replaced. We squeezed an extra couple of years use out of it by swapping the seats. I sit on the right of the two seater and DH sits on the left of the three seater. As the two sofas split up, we swapped my barely used seat with DH's regularly used one, and DH's barely used one with my my regularly used one. Hey presto, comfy bums again.

Maybe we're just cheap bastards though.

Muskox · 16/02/2021 15:19

We bought a new one about five years ago, the previous one was bought in 2000 so had lasted around 15 years.

dividedwefall · 16/02/2021 15:22

@StormTreader

I've only ever had second-hand but mine is trashed now after a year of full-time sitting! Need to get a new one but the previous one was so shoddy and uncomfortable its made me nervous about shelling out for a new one :s
Haha yes I think our homes have taken a fair bit of extra wear and tear this year!
mootymoo · 16/02/2021 15:25

10 years is the minimum age before I would consider replacement

SunshineNeededNow · 16/02/2021 15:39

Mines 5 years old. And still in excellent condition. However our family has expanded and its not big enough so we need to get a bigger one.

someonelockthefridgealready · 16/02/2021 15:39

Ours is about 12 years old and is looking worse for wear. Our current dog chewed it a bit when we first got her and now sleeps on the scatter cushions, which has rather squashed them. It needs a steaming at the moment too, which doesn't help.

DH doesn't like it and we are getting a wood-burning stove in the living room (we live in the sticks and only have electric heating, so it was that or a generator), so it's going to be a bit tight for the space. But the company does replacement covers still and it wouldn't be much to restuff the cushions, so I am hoping he'll agree to take part of the sofa away into my office (it's a modular one) and then spend on a really comfortable armchair for him. I really like this sofa still (as does the dog) and it's a useful double bed too. And there are a lot of other things I'd like to spend the money on.

Juo · 16/02/2021 15:50

My best sofa I posted above was expensive and I hate it.
The most comfortable is the one I got for £100 from the factory shop where they sell off cancelled orders and returns.

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