Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.

A dumpster sits in the parking lot of Riverbend Club Apartments. (Courtesy/ Phoenix Dunn)

A dumpster sits in the parking lot of Riverbend Club Apartments. (Courtesy/ Phoenix Dunn)

It’s move out season in Athens. For many college students who live off-campus, the end of July and beginning of August marks the end of old leases and the beginning of new ones. Whether you’re lucky enough to move out of your old place and move in to your new one on the same day, or if you have a week of couch surfing in between your leases, you may have some furniture items you need to get rid of.

The Red & Black has compiled a few ways to get rid of used furniture that will help clear your space of unwanted items, while minimizing the chances your old sofa or coffee table ends up in the landfill.

This might seem like the obvious choice, but one of the best ways to get rid of old furniture is to see if any friends, family or neighbors are interested. If you have any friends who are also moving, trading some items might be a way to spruce up your space while reducing waste.

Want to make some money off of your used furniture? Facebook Marketplace makes it relatively easy to create a listing and sell a variety of items. Other places to sell used items include eBay and Craigslist, but for a more laid-back selling experience making a quick Instagram post can also do the trick. To increase your chances of making a profit, list your item early, post multiple well-lit photographs and include measurements and other details in the description. If you’re moving out this weekend and need your furniture gone fast, it doesn’t hurt to list a couch for a lower amount — $10 is still more than you’d get for hurling it into the dumpster.

Habitat ReStore, a part of Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, sells used furniture and home goods to benefit the organization. Habitat ReStore is a great option for getting rid of large furniture items because it offers free pickup services. The store runs its pickup services 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For a list of accepted items and details on scheduling a pickup, visit the store’s website .

The Project Safe Thrift Store, which benefits the nonprofit Project Safe, also accepts large donations, and pickups can be scheduled in advance, according to its website . America’s Thrift Stores also offers at-home pickup services on its website .

While donation pickup services are ideal for college students who might not have car space to move larger items, most local thrift stores accept donation drop offs. For example, Goodwill and St. Mary’s Auxiliary Thrift Store accept a variety of items. For details on what items stores are accepting, visit their websites or call the store location before loading up your car.

Some items, like used mattresses or broken mirrors, are unlikely to be accepted by thrift stores or sell online. If you can’t bear the thought of these items ending up in the landfill, you can take them to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) in Athens. For details on what the center accepts, you can visit its website . Some items, like mattresses and computer screens, have a small fee for recycling.

If you’ve tried other methods or are in a pinch for time, sometimes all there’s left to do is leave furniture on the curb. If you have a yard, leaving items with a sign that says “FREE” is a surefire way to encourage passersby to take a look. If you live in an apartment complex, setting items next to the dumpster rather than inside might give your neighbors a chance to check them out before they’re carried away (if you’re considering this option, it’s best to check with your apartment complex’s waste disposal rules so you don’t get in trouble for illegal dumping).

Summer is slowing down, and students, staff and new residents of the Athens area are moving in. The Red & Black compiled a list of local second-hand stores around Athens to help Athenians fill apartments sustainably and on a budget.

Most people throw away their trash after the end of a meal, opening a new package or when a …

Erin is the editor in chief at The Red & Black, where she has covered music and arts, Greek life and local business. She is a senior journalism and English major, and also has bylines in Matador Network, Apartment Therapy and Down South House & Home.

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