I just moved into a new place. I only have a bed and a recliner. I'm trying to save money and my friend offered a dresser and two side tables. I have no idea how big they are and what they look like. Would it be rude to ask for measurements and photos? What if the furniture is something I don't like? Should I just accept them anyway and be grateful? Thank you so much for your input.
A friend wants to give me a dresser and two side tables for my new apartment
byu/haircryboohoo inFrugal
Posted by haircryboohoo
13 Comments
100% ask for pictures and measurements. That isn’t rude.
It’s always ok to ask for photos and measurements!
You definitely should ask. Especially for the dimensions, they could give you something you can’t even fit in your apartment and then you have to get rid of it.
Asking for measurements and photos is just being smart. How else would you know if it will fit in your space? You can’t be positive that you’ll be able to get the furniture through tight doorways or around staircases otherwise. When you move, moving those items will be your responsibility be it moving them or disposing of them.
Ask for measurements. You should always ask to make sure furniture will actually fit in your place. If your friend sends pictures and you don’t like how it looks, I mean you’re getting them for free. You can do things like change up drawer pulls, add contact paper, add a lil tablecloth on top, even repaint it if you want.
It wouldn’t be rude. Just say you are super grateful and would she send you pictures so you can check they would fit in the new place. Just because she is gifting them to you doesn’t mean that you can’t have a say into what goes into your place.
I mean if they fit and the drawers work, I’d take them? I’ve had hand-me-down furniture from family and friends since I was in college, and while a lot of it wasn’t what I would have picked out on my own, they are sturdy and got the job done and… frankly you’d be surprised at how little you look at furniture. You can put your own touches with decor and it’s generally fine, and when you get to a point where you want to replace them, you can give them to someone else (I ended up giving very sturdy dining room chairs to a young mom whose boys kept breaking cheap kitchen chairs, and a dresser to a coworker who didn’t have a lot of money at the time).
I don’t see the harm in asking, and you are under no obligation to accept things. If you don’t want them just tell them you want to wait and get ones that match what you want, or ask them if they mind you using them for now and donating/selling them to someone else when you find ones that match what you want?
“Wow that’s so wonderful thank you! If it’s not a hassle do you mind sending measurements and pics? I want to make sure they fit in my space as my place is a bit small. Thank you so much I’m so excited and so grateful for the offer!”
One way to think about this: as long as they fit, just accept them, assuming you can get them into your home for more or less free. If you can do that, you can think of them as temporary. It’s nice to have side tables and a dresser. Over time, if you find something you love, you can replace them. But you might feel rushed to buy something you don’t even like that much just cause you “need” something.
Take them, use them for a bit, and if you find a side table you can afford that you love, replace the side tables! If you find you don’t need a dresser and prefer just your closet, get rid of the dresser! If you find a dresser you love 6 months from now, you can replace it!
The calculus changes a bit here if you have to spend a lot of money to get these items into your home. If you have to rent a truck or something, you have to weigh the cost of that versus just living without and getting something you really like.
It’s definitely not rude to ask for photos and measurements. But I wouldn’t judge too harshly – you can always replace later! And it might be nice to have a side table or a dresser while you look.
Not rude at all. Perfectly okay to check if it fits the measurements you need, your decor, etc. You don’t want to be stuck discarding furniture that doesn’t work for you.
Definitely ok to ask for measurements and photos. If you don’t like them, you could say they just won’t fit in your space or that they’re too big for you to move/ transport. If they’re ok, but you don’t love them, you may be able to paint them or decorate them easily. Or you can use them for now and when something better comes along, pass them along to someone else. Most of my furniture was passed to me as second or third person. Most of which I kept out of necessity and not because I love the pieces, but they worked for a time and were free. I figure I’ll get someone I like when the time is right.
Just say, “Thank you so much! Can I get a photo and/or measurements or come take a look at them? I want to make sure they fit before we go through the effort of moving them here.”
That’s all. They should understand.