Used is good enough for me.

from JoeUser Forums

I managed to persuade my other half that out couch is way overdue for replacement.  It's 10 years old and has seen babies, dogs, cats....vomit, poop, pee and god knows what else.  It's been cleaned so many times that the fabric is starting to thin.  The time has come to replace it.

I don't, however, want to buy a brand new one.  We still have kids, see....kids who are accident prone.  We also have a dog and a cat.  I have a feeling that if we bought a brand new couch I'd end up disappointed because it got marked on or stanied or clawed up or somehow damaged in a short space of time.

So, we're going second hand, aka gently used - new to us, in other words.

We found a set in the local paper.  As luck would have it, the people seeling it live 2 streets over from us.  It;s a sage green (love that color) overstuffed couch and matching loveseat.  They're asking under $200 for it....and I'll bet it we offer $150, they'll take it.  So, D and I are off over there in quarter of an hour to scope it out. 

He put up a bit of a fight at first. "How are we going to get it back?  What are we going to do with the old couch?".  So I strolled down to the end of the street to see our friend Rob - who happens to havea  full sized pick up and has offered in the past to haul stuff for us if we ever need it.  Rob said he'd be more than happy to help us move the new stuff in (if we decide to buy it).  Part on solved; we have a way to get it home.  "But what about the old one? What are we going to do with that?".  Well, Rob recently got separated and is getting divorced.  Most of the furniture belonged to his ex-wife....and guess what he needs?  That's right, he needs a couch.  I said that ours, whilst it was structurally sound, was looking a bit shabby, but if he wanted it to fill in until he could get himself a new one, he was welcome to it.  He said yes, he'd take it.  Part 2 solved; we have somewhere to put our old couch.

I'm hoping that this set we're going to go look at tonight is in decent shape.  If it is, it'll make a lot of people happy....me ebcause I get new living room furniture; D because I'll stop harping on about wanting new living room furniture, Rob because he'll get a new couch for free, and the people who are seleing it because they'll get it off their hands and will gt a nice bit of cash into the bargain.

Sounds like a win win situation to me.  Off we go.....I'll let you know, JU!

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3,929 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Cool. Hope you like it!

With 4 small(ish) kids, all of our common areas furniture (including the dining room table) is second hand. I don't want to put myself into a position where I'll be upset at the kids for being kids. If they completely shred the couch (as the cat has obviously set her mind to), then we're out ... $50? And it'll have been well worth the money for the time that we've put it to use.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Btw - out of sheer curiosity (why, yes, I do get a long very well with my cat. Why do you ask? )

Why the Adult Content marker on this one? If you feel like I'm outta line, feel free to tell me to sitdownandshuddup. For some reason, I'm used to women telling me that.
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

Why the Adult Content marker on this one?

I forgot to take it off.  That's all....

With 4 small(ish) kids, all of our common areas furniture (including the dining room table) is second hand. I don't want to put myself into a position where I'll be upset at the kids for being kids. If they completely shred the couch (as the cat has obviously set her mind to), then we're out ... $50? And it'll have been well worth the money for the time that we've put it to use.

Exactly.  My kids are older, but they're still kids.  I refuse to stress myself out over new furniture.  I know a couple of people like that...they drive themselves nuts.  One couple was so paranoid about it that he used to get up in the middle of the night to make sure one of the kids hadn't got up and messed with his new sectional.  THAT'S insane, as far as I'm concerned.

We went, we saw, it was decent, so we're going back tomorrow with Rob and his truck and we're purchasing.  Rob gets a new couch and so do I.  What a deal!

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Cool! Everyone gets to be happy!

*does the Snoopy dance*

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

Needless to say, my first new furniture buying experience was less than satisfactory. I'll go for used again...any time.

The stuff we have now we bought new, and we financed it.  I swore I would never, ever do that again (buy new and finance it).  The stuff we're picking up tomorrow is 4 years old and has been in storage for half of those 4 years, and I'm paying $170 for it.  If it lasts us even 2 years, it will have been well worth it.

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Ahh a new (relatively speaking) comfy couch... can't beat it...

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Always remember, pet hair comes off, cat pee? Now that's forever.......
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

Ahh a new (relatively speaking) comfy couch... can't beat it...

Yeahhh, baby!  It's almost like a new lover......same function, but different size and shape and ......firmness. 

Always remember, pet hair comes off, cat pee? Now that's forever.......

Yeah, I know. Found that out the hard way with Radar O'Reilly (who got ran over by a car).  Polly (Or Persil, as I'm calling her these days) is potty trained.  Henry is....sort of potty trained, but dog pee comes out a whole lot easier than cat pee does.

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Like LW, I had never bothered buying new furniture. As an adult, I was mostly living in share houses, which have a big toll on shared furniture.

But when I got married nearly three years ago (wow, time flies when you're having fun), I decided it was time to step up and get my new bride and myself some new furniture.

I see nothing wrong with used items. In fact, for the most part, I am a big supporter of recycling, be it paper, clothes or furniture.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've only owned one new peice of furniture in my life. I bought and saved up for a desk/bookcase when I was 17 and I still have it. It's my pride and joy to this day because it's beautiful; pine and still has that pine fresh smell. I'm definitely going to past it on to my girl when she gets older. But as for the rest of the furniture... secondhand, thirdhand, whatever. As long as it don't smell and isn't too shabby looking, I'll take anything. Anything used to me is 'retro'.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
I love getting something at a good price....usually that is used. I've learned to refinish furniture because to get an old SOLID WOOD dresser for my son, I only had to shell out $40. A new one, made of particle board and veneer.....over $300.

I did happen to see a living room set in the store I walk by. I stared at it for months. Finally, I decided to buy it. I got the $400 "you stain it, we clean it or replace it" guarentee so I wouldn't have to be obsessive about keeping it perfect. Unfortuanately, the first time a little boy with chocolote fingers sat on the couch, my bubble burst. The cleaner took 3 weeks to come and try and get the stain out. (by then it set permanently) 8 weeks later, I get a call saying that fabric is out of stock...permanently. So they can't replace it with the same stuff. We can replace the couch and ottoman (but not the chair that wasn't stained) but only up to $700 worth. or we can get $200 and live with the stains.

Hmmmm. Mismatched funiture and pay for tax out of my own pocket or turn the cushin over....I took the $200 and now tell everyone what a scam it was!
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top

I see nothing wrong with used items. In fact, for the most part, I am a big supporter of recycling, be it paper, clothes or furniture.

That's how I look at it too.  I like second hand, be it clothing or furniture or cars or whatever.

As long as it don't smell and isn't too shabby looking, I'll take anything. Anything used to me is 'retro'.

Exactly!  This stuff doesn't smell and is relatively modern looking.  It's sitting in my living room as I write this, and I like it!  I'm redecorating in my head already....I have drapes that will work, and we're heading to Wal-mart in a bit where I'm going to pick up some new throw pillows.

 

Unfortuanately, the first time a little boy with chocolote fingers sat on the couch, my bubble burst. The cleaner took 3 weeks to come and try and get the stain out. (by then it set permanently) 8 weeks later, I get a call saying that fabric is out of stock...permanently. So they can't replace it with the same stuff. We can replace the couch and ottoman (but not the chair that wasn't stained) but only up to $700 worth. or we can get $200 and live with the stains.

I'd do what you did...take the money, flip the cusion, and live with it.  Yours is a really good example of why we're not buying new furniture, not until the kids are in their teens and ready to move out...and perhaps not even then.  if we look after the stuff we just got today, we might be able to get another 10 years use out of it like we did our old couch!

Pet hair only comes off if you remove it damn near daily. Otherwise it gets sat on and rubbed in and actually weaves itself into the fabric eventually, ugh.

Henry is banned from the couch,  He has been for a while.  The cat's a different matter....but I have this 'sticky mop' that I use for getting up pet hair.  It's basically a big roll of sticky paper on a long stick, and you simply roll it over the fllor or furniture and all the pet hair/debris sticks to it.  it's very handy and does a kick ass job on dog and cat hair.  it's way better that Swiffer...I find those things leave a lot of stuff on the floor.

oh,btw,you've got mail.

I got it, and I'm sending you one back...