Home and Family

Doing your home up properly is almost always a big drain on resources and is even more difficult for those who are not so well off. Throw a recession into the mix and you now have a lots of families who are struggling with old and decrepit furniture that not only looks bad but also makes every day living difficult. A proposed government campaign to get those with more money to give away any furniture they do not need or want to those less fortunate may be one effective solution to the problem.

The government campaign which is predicted to kick off this November with news paper, Internet and and radio advertising. Americans have always been able to rally together in times of hardship and it is thought that around 150,000 homes would benefit a great deal from the appeal. The furniture that is most in demand is white bedroom furniture like children’s beds, wardrobes and bedside tables. Living room furniture is next on the wish list, with items such as couches, coffee tables and lighting being highest in demand.

There are a number of individuals and groups who have been quick to criticise the idea, saying that as industry is struggling most in the recession, people should be being urged to make new purchases to kick start it. The government has largely dismissed these comments and suggested that it will not halt spending as it will be helping those who would have gone without otherwise. George Yapton, the governments head of consumer spending stated “people will always continue to buy new furniture, we just want to stop it going to waste and instead go towards helping those whole really need it”..

The government has said that all furniture, regardless of condition will be accepted for consideration, including dining furniture, kitchen furniture, bedroom items, really anything that people don’t want.

Doing your home up properly is almost always a big drain on resources and is even more difficult for those who are not so well off. If you add to this the fact that everyone is struggling with finances in the current climate and the result is a large amount of households who are living without even the most basic furniture items. Low income families may have a savior however in the form of the US government who are soon to urge those wealthier families to donate their second hand and unwanted furniture rather than destroy it or sell it to antique shops.

A huge campaign which is set to start at the end of this year will use TV adverting, magazines, radio and even antique shows to get the message across. They hope to appeal to the Samaritan in all Americans and are aiming to help out around 200,000 households initially. The furniture that is most in demand is white bedroom furniture like children’s beds, wardrobes and bedside table. Demand for dining and living room furniture is almost as high, with items such as shelving and seating being among the most sought after.

There are a number of individuals and groups who have been quick to criticise the idea, saying that as industry is struggling most in the recession, people should be being urged to make new purchases to kick start it. The government responded reasonably quickly to these accusations, with the argument that people will not be spending less money on new items, as people from low income families would be unlikely to buy new in the first place. Consumer spending expert, Kevin Hall, has suggested that “there will always be a demand for new furniture, but currently there are lots of items being wasted, which we cannot afford to be doing right now”.

The government has said that all furniture, regardless of condition will be accepted for consideration, including dining furniture, kitchen furniture, bedroom items, really anything that people don’t want.