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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be offended that no one wants my sofa

139 replies

Chocolatemoosecups · 01/10/2025 15:54

We have an old leather sofa that we are trying to get rid of as we need the space.
It’s been a great sofa-still comfy to sit or lie on, clean, no major scratches etc. It does look quite wrinkly now but I don’t think it’s that bad-I thought at least someone would want it for their dogs or something.

I advertised it on market place for a tenner for weeks then dropped the price to free a few weeks ago.

One charity shop came to collect it but wouldn’t take it (luckily they took some other furniture so it wasn’t a wasted trip)
I’ve just shown a photo to another charity shop who have also said no thank you because the leather is quite wrinkly.

I felt quite offended on behalf of my faithful sofa especially as there were definitely some worse specimens on display in the shop!

Now the only option is to chop it up and take it to the tip which seems a real shame.

it’s got the relevant fire labels so it’s not that.
Maybe I’m just blind to how it looks!

OP posts:
Moveoverdarlin · 01/10/2025 18:22

I had a lovely sofa that I couldn’t get rid of. Ended up paying £30 to the council to take it.

SeriaMau · 01/10/2025 18:24

I bought a leather sofa on Facebook a few years back. £25 plus £80 van hire to collect it. The home wax really dirty, as was the sofa (although it cleaned up OK). And it was plastic not leather. I learned my lesson there.

Peoplemakemesigh · 01/10/2025 18:27

It's the wrinkles. It means the leather is stretched out. Which means it's been sat on or laid on a lot. Which means the foam padding won't be as fresh as it could be and it won't be anywhere near as comfortable as anyone would want it to be. It might be comfortable to you, it's your own arse-groove you're sitting in, that doesn't mean someone else will find it comfortable. Any sign of excessive use, such as wrinkling, staining or sagging and it's basically knackered and nobody will want it. If someone wants one "for a dog" they'll use their own knackered sofa when its time to buy a new one.

To sell, it needs to be like new, local enough and cheap enough that the ball ache of collecting it is worth it, versus the convenience of having a new one of your chosen design delivered into your living room.

Sofas are possibly even more important for poor people than rich people, they'll be staying home a lot more sitting on it because they can't afford to go out and won't have the budget for other home décor, so a worn out looking sofa that looks like it will be probably dented with someone else's arse-groove and is realistically coming to the end of its life, isn't what they'll choose, especially if they've no means of collecting it - they'll put a nice shiny new one of their choosing on a credit card instead and have the joy of sitting on something brand new that brightens up their living room (and, briefly, their life).

When young and starting out I was gifted some items by various people. I already had my (good quality, solid wood) bedroom furniture and my (perfectly fine) double bed with mattress, plus a small colour TV with integrated DVD player. I could have totally managed with just that while I saved up for everything else.

Of the stuff that I was given "to help me out", with kindness I naively believed, the small stuff like lamps, food bowls etc was fine. Although that's the stuff you can buy very cheaply in the supermarket, so not really necessary for someone to donate to me. The large stuff was complete and utter shite.
A sofa that was fine except the back cushions were squashed flat on one side and the armrest was totally caved in where someone had sat on it and broken the frame.
A single bed (I was an adult, living a one bedroom flat and already had a bed!) with a mattress that had been "cleaned" with some kind of hand held water using device, then wrapped up in cling film "to keep it clean until brought over", which whilst looked fine absolutely stank of mould when unwrapped.
Bedside cabinets I didn't need that were cheaply shoddily made and stained with mould spores on the inside of the drawers.
A mid size TV with a screen that was permanently slightly green, so it wasn't any better than watching black and white.
A washing machine with an internal mould problem that couldn't be cleaned out meaning all my clothes came out smelling of mould and after one month the pump broke and it no longer drained.

All these things I had to pay £10/item for the council to come remove. I could have put that money towards a cheap new sofa and been over halfway there. These people hadn't helped me in any way, they'd just dumped their unwanted and difficult to dispose of items onto me to save themselves the cost of getting them removed. Nobody wants your shite, people. If you don't want it, neither will anyone else, unless perhaps you're just getting rid because you don't like the colour or are moving in with a partner and have duplicate but still good stuff.

Armychef30 · 01/10/2025 18:30

Are your initial AL lol x

GasPanic · 01/10/2025 18:31

Peoplemakemesigh · 01/10/2025 18:27

It's the wrinkles. It means the leather is stretched out. Which means it's been sat on or laid on a lot. Which means the foam padding won't be as fresh as it could be and it won't be anywhere near as comfortable as anyone would want it to be. It might be comfortable to you, it's your own arse-groove you're sitting in, that doesn't mean someone else will find it comfortable. Any sign of excessive use, such as wrinkling, staining or sagging and it's basically knackered and nobody will want it. If someone wants one "for a dog" they'll use their own knackered sofa when its time to buy a new one.

To sell, it needs to be like new, local enough and cheap enough that the ball ache of collecting it is worth it, versus the convenience of having a new one of your chosen design delivered into your living room.

Sofas are possibly even more important for poor people than rich people, they'll be staying home a lot more sitting on it because they can't afford to go out and won't have the budget for other home décor, so a worn out looking sofa that looks like it will be probably dented with someone else's arse-groove and is realistically coming to the end of its life, isn't what they'll choose, especially if they've no means of collecting it - they'll put a nice shiny new one of their choosing on a credit card instead and have the joy of sitting on something brand new that brightens up their living room (and, briefly, their life).

When young and starting out I was gifted some items by various people. I already had my (good quality, solid wood) bedroom furniture and my (perfectly fine) double bed with mattress, plus a small colour TV with integrated DVD player. I could have totally managed with just that while I saved up for everything else.

Of the stuff that I was given "to help me out", with kindness I naively believed, the small stuff like lamps, food bowls etc was fine. Although that's the stuff you can buy very cheaply in the supermarket, so not really necessary for someone to donate to me. The large stuff was complete and utter shite.
A sofa that was fine except the back cushions were squashed flat on one side and the armrest was totally caved in where someone had sat on it and broken the frame.
A single bed (I was an adult, living a one bedroom flat and already had a bed!) with a mattress that had been "cleaned" with some kind of hand held water using device, then wrapped up in cling film "to keep it clean until brought over", which whilst looked fine absolutely stank of mould when unwrapped.
Bedside cabinets I didn't need that were cheaply shoddily made and stained with mould spores on the inside of the drawers.
A mid size TV with a screen that was permanently slightly green, so it wasn't any better than watching black and white.
A washing machine with an internal mould problem that couldn't be cleaned out meaning all my clothes came out smelling of mould and after one month the pump broke and it no longer drained.

All these things I had to pay £10/item for the council to come remove. I could have put that money towards a cheap new sofa and been over halfway there. These people hadn't helped me in any way, they'd just dumped their unwanted and difficult to dispose of items onto me to save themselves the cost of getting them removed. Nobody wants your shite, people. If you don't want it, neither will anyone else, unless perhaps you're just getting rid because you don't like the colour or are moving in with a partner and have duplicate but still good stuff.

Edited

This.

It's basically, how can I get rid of this crap I don't want ?

Dump it on someone else and then it's their problem.

Hollietree · 01/10/2025 18:34

Most people don’t have a van, it will cost them a fair amount to transport it, so the free sofa isn’t really free. Just not worth it for an old wrinkly sofa. Sorry!

Does your local council offer a collection service for unwanted furniture and appliances? Ours does for a small fee.

SepticPegsSepticLeg · 01/10/2025 18:41

I'm surprised at some of the comments. I only ever buy second hand. Why spend all that money for the family to just wreck it?

Maybe some day when I don't have children around I will feel like I can safely spunk a grand on a sofa!

Some people do try to give away some really grotty ones though. Basically people just want a free crap disposal.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 01/10/2025 18:43

I’d try Gumtree - dd has off.oaded some big items there.

Mimilamore · 01/10/2025 18:45

I’d have it but yes as people say it’s the collecting that is the problem… I quite like a wrinkly leather, comfy, sofa!!!

butterpuffed · 01/10/2025 18:51

I will try emmaus and if they reject it I’ll phone the council (I didn’t know you could do that!)

@Chocolatemoosecups I needed to get rid of a 32" tv a couple of weeks ago, and the council wanted £55 to collect it . I'd imagine different councils charge different prices but not sure if they'd do it for free.

statetrooperstacey · 01/10/2025 18:52

Do you not just drag it out the front and put a sign on saying free , or do you not live in that kind of street?

SepticPegsSepticLeg · 01/10/2025 18:53

This chancer originally wanted £100 for these 😂

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BY9LX3BQf/

Chocolatemoosecups · 01/10/2025 18:56

SepticPegsSepticLeg · 01/10/2025 18:53

This chancer originally wanted £100 for these 😂

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BY9LX3BQf/

Edited

It’s not as bad as them 😂

OP posts:
Anononony · 01/10/2025 18:57

We were looking for a cheap sofa on FB for a while, but I must admit I wrote off leather/faux leather as an option, we had one before and it was horrible, freezing cold in winter and sticky in summer

We got a gorgeous, solid 3 seater that literally looks new for £50 last week, there's so many good options for under £200 on FB that anything clearly well used might as well be dumped

Lucyweeks · 01/10/2025 19:01

SepticPegsSepticLeg · 01/10/2025 18:53

This chancer originally wanted £100 for these 😂

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BY9LX3BQf/

Edited

Now they're grotty. They look like something from the young ones!

You can get leather renew for sofas if you think it's worth it.
I keep away from leather unless it's in a study.

VoltaireMittyDream · 01/10/2025 19:03

@Peoplemakemesigh ‘it’s your own arse groove you’re sitting in’ is going to be my new favourite saying. 🤣

’Suit yourself, Nigel. It’s your own arse groove you’re sitting in after all!’

WhamBamThankU · 01/10/2025 19:07

GasPanic · 01/10/2025 15:57

Maybe they don't want it for the same reason you don't want it.

This. I wouldn’t want a wrinkly sofa

GAJLY · 01/10/2025 19:18

Comedycook · 01/10/2025 15:57

I see people in my local Facebook page giving away sofas all the time...I could do with a new one and some look nice but it's getting it picked up and transported that's the issue. I think that puts most people off

It's this 👆 bloke with a van cost alot to hire and will need help picking it up and dropping it off. It's money and hassle.

catchafluflu · 01/10/2025 19:22

I offered our old but decent sofa to a charity. They said the collection driver would look at it and make the final decision, I suppose some things look OK in a photo but they need to check out the reality. He came and told me it would sell no problem...I was very proud of the old gal passing this test! I even went to visit the sofa in the showroom once - it sold after a week or two and made a fair sum for a good cause. Win Win!

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 01/10/2025 19:28

Quite a bit of our furniture’s secondhand, which I’m totally fine with (edit: the opposite, I happen to be very fond of many pieces)— but used upholstered stuff? That’s where I draw line.

I just wouldn’t want to risk bedbugs for the sake of a free sofa!!

Worried8263839 · 01/10/2025 19:42

Put it on marketplace for free and it will be gone

caringcarer · 01/10/2025 19:44

Some councils do a service to collect and store them give to care leavers to help them furnish a small flat.

gamerchick · 01/10/2025 19:46

You could try feeding it, might make it a bit more presentable.

That's why I got rid of mine. Did my head in having to use the stuff to keep it nice.

Theseventhmagpie · 01/10/2025 20:25

I recently had an immaculate 4 seater John Lewis leather sofa that I couldn’t give away either. Couldn’t give it to charity as it didn’t have the fire safety label. I offered it for free on my neighbourhood WhatsApp and still no takers. Ended up paying to have it removed. A complete waste.

unsync · 01/10/2025 20:30

I stick stuff on ebay for 1p, collection only. It's never failed me and my 1p sofa sold for £350 and they sent someone to collect it. I had no complaints!