To think husband can’t start hacking gifted furniture?

[MrsR2018]

We were asked/gifted some tall units from IKEA but have decided that they’re not what we would like now.

Husband wants to take it to bits and hack it into shelving that would match the rest of the furniture. (To be fair he IS good at this)

I think that’s terribly wrong to do. I think we should re-offer it back out to the family (big family) and if no takers ask if the original gifter is happy for us to pass it on for free.

He thinks once it’s passed on the previous owners have no say in what’s done with it.

YABU - let him hack away
YANBU - it’s not the right thing to do

It’s not an heirloom or anything of sentimental value or irreplaceable. Make of it what you need, who’s going to get their knickers in a twist over something you could replace for pennies in a 30-second eBay search?

If it's IKEA it will probably fall to bits anyway.

We were asked/gifted

Asked?

Who have it to you and why? I presume you’re close so might just ring and ask them if they minded

Not in our experience. We have had 3 bookcase/unit things in the study for years now - at least 15 years. Still going strong. I want new furniture to make the study nicer now dd has moved out pretty much, but can't really justify getting rid of stuff that is essentially fine when we have other things of higher priority to buy.
I'm now thinking we can pass them off to DD when she gets her first place to live after graduation so I have an excuse!

15 years ago they made some decent solid stuff. Now it’s not even chipboard but some odd honeycomb stuff.

Thanks all! Think we will go with what I thought, give them a quick message/ring to double check.

It was offered out to the wider family in the group chat, we asked first and could definitely repurpose it to fix some shelving that’s already built in in an alcove. We have planned on sitting it into the other 2 alcoves but it just won’t work!

When I’ve given something away the last thing I want is to the have to find it another home. I’d be so annoyed if someone tried to give it back and anyway it sounds like you can make use of it. He’s completely right!

I wouldn’t offer them to others, they were gifted to you.

Maybe just ask the gifter if they’re ok with you re-purposing the units as shelves.

i hope it is able to be hacked and doesnt just fall apart