Cash crunch: Schools sell their furniture

BENGALURU: With schools closing down, no sight of reopening and Covid-19 cases rising, many educational institutions in Bengaluru have started selling off their furniture. And the takers, to their surprise, have turned out to be houses where children are pursuing online classes and people working from home. The buyers also include startups, where a portion of the house has been converted into office space. With this, the demand for reused furniture has also shot up in the market.

“I had put out a few photographs on social media seeking to sell chairs and tables. To my surprise, a few of my own students to whom I give tuitions contacted me. They also got their friends and said that the furniture was ideal for online classes,” said Priya R, a teacher who closed her tuition classes and playhome, during the lockdown period.

Vinod B K sold his office and school furniture to a startup firm which had shifted from rented office space to their home during the unlock period to save on rent. Vinod had closed down his just started school offering classes up to Grade 5. He was looking for buyers to dispose of the furniture when he was contacted by young entrepreneurs on social media.

“It was economical to buy used furniture. In case of new or old, both have to be sanitised. Old furniture is readymade and available. Thus it turns out to be a good deal,” said Aniket B, a buyer who shifted his office space to his home.Converting a portion of one’s home into an officeis the new trend. Many MNCs are encouraging small Bengaluru-based firms to shift spaces to smaller locations so that employees are able to dedicate longer working hours.