Spring is an ideal time to spruce up your outdoor spaces. While properly storing patio tables and chairs over the winter can help extend its lifespan, there may come a day when they need a refresh. Here are some signs that it’s time to recycle or dispose of outdoor furniture:

• Out-dated. Some well-made furniture may last longer than its design aesthetic. If it’s become more of an eyesore than a welcoming retreat, it’s time to swap it out.
• Worn, rusty, and broken pieces. When cushions become faded and torn, metal rusts, or wooden furniture splinters and breaks, it becomes uncomfortable and a potential safety hazard.
• Moldy. Certain materials are more prone to growing mold and mildew, especially when left outside in the elements or not properly stored. This can impact its durability and your health.
• Infested. Depending on how and where you’ve stored your furniture, it could have become a nesting place for pests.

While you’re setting up your patio this spring, inspect your furniture for any of these signs of wear and tear. Based on its current condition, you have several options, including recycling or disposing your outdoor furniture.

Recycling Outdoor Furniture

If your patio set is in relatively good condition, it may just need some updating or repairs. Here are some cost-effective ways to give your furniture a new life.

• Upcycle. Repair minor tears or breaks, give it a new coat of paint, and use slipcovers to rejuvenate the cushions.
• Donate. Maybe you don’t need the furniture anymore, but someone else could use it. List the furniture on buy-nothing groups, give it away to family or friends, or donate it to a charity in need.
• Sell. If the set is still like-new or you don’t mind fixing it up, you could also try to sell it at a yard sale or online marketplace.

Before you consider these options, you need to make sure the furniture is clean, safe, and pest-free. If the pieces don’t end up selling or no one needs them, your best bet is to dispose of them properly.

Disposing Outdoor Furniture

When the piece is beyond repair and you just want to get rid of it, you still have multiple options to consider. Before you leave anything by the curb or dumpster, ensure you can leave large items there or you may be fined. Plus, there are other ways to help keep these large items out of landfills.

• Scrap. Materials like metal, untreated wood, and plastic can be dismantled and recycled or scrapped.
• Dump. If you have a number of large pieces to get rid of, consider renting your own dumpster.
• Outsource. Hire a junk removal service to pick up large pieces for proper disposal.

Getting rid of old outdoor furniture doesn’t always mean tossing it in the trash. There are ways to give it new life, give others an opportunity to enjoy it, or dispose of it in a way that’s safe for you and the environment.