The Potential of Pre-loved Furniture
- Muriel Plaster
- Mar 11, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 17, 2021
In early 2020, my boyfriend Axel and I were planning to do our internships on Curaçao. I moved out of my student apartment and he already sold all his furniture, ready to leave for the tropics. Then COVID-19 hit, and everything went into lockdown. We were bound to his student room with only a mattress left, not knowing when travelling would be possible again. Out of curiosity I had a look at second-hand online platforms to see if there was some free furniture so that we could still live in his room. Surprisingly, there were plenty of options out there and we started to redecorate the room entirely. In the end, it felt and looked better than it did for the last three years.
Because we could not go to Curaçao yet, I signed up for the module Empowerment for Sustainability at Wageningen University. This included a self-chosen project about communicating environmental awareness to empower people around you. Inspired by the redecoration of Axel’s bedroom, I decided to refurbish the living room of the student apartment and share the process on social media. The living room was more used as a dumping station than to socialize or connect with each other.
We started by giving away the old furniture and made a lot of people really happy.
All housemates helped to move an old piano into a new family’s home. I exchanged chocolate cake for wall paint and made friends with neighbours who we borrowed tools from. One time we picked up furniture from an old lady that recently moved into a retirement home. We sat down with her kids to have some coffee and talk for a while. Every piece had a story to tell and created amazing experiences. I just loved this way of “furniture shopping”. Especially Corona times proof that you can order everything online and get it sent to your doorstep without interacting with a single human being.
This process really sparked my creativity and showed that a good interior makeover does not have to start with a trip to the closest IKEA. Especially from a sustainability point of view, this circular approach has so much potential. Looking for pre-loved furniture slows you down, lets us reflect what we really like and need, helps reduce waste and connects you to people.
I shared the whole renovation process on my Instagram in an interactive way. The result was then published in the style of an animated knowledge clip and a stop-motion video of the room (first video). My friends were absolutely shocked how far one can get with trading furniture and I received hundreds of positive messages.
This project was so much fun! It is amazing to see how the renovated space changed the dynamics of the student apartment. Only a week later, all housemates were in the living room joking and laughing together. This had never happened in the past three years and it rejoiced my heart.
Haven't had enough? Watch the video below for some pre-loved furniture close-ups.
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