What should I check when buying a secondhand chest of drawers?

Check that every drawer runs smoothly and stays in when pulled out, that the joints and drawer bases are solid, and that the unit doesn't rock on a level floor. Smell inside for damp, and look for borer holes, water stains and lifting veneer. Measure the piece and your route home before you go.

How do I tell if a secondhand tallboy is stable?

Pull out the top drawers, apply a little pressure and see whether it rocks or leans, as the ACCC's Product Safety Australia guidance suggests. Check that the back panel is fixed, the feet are even and the floor is level. Tall units tip more easily, so plan to anchor it to the wall either way.

Does a secondhand chest of drawers need to be anchored to the wall?

The ACCC describes securing furniture to the wall or floor as the best way to prevent tipping, and says you can do this with furniture you've bought second-hand. Anchoring hardware is sold at hardware stores. It matters most for tall units and wherever young children live or visit.

Can I anchor furniture to the wall if I rent in Victoria?

Consumer Affairs Victoria says renters can install wall anchors to secure furniture without permission, except on exposed brick or concrete walls and unless the property is on the Victorian Heritage Register. On exposed brick or concrete you need to ask first, and the rental provider can't refuse without a good reason. You may need to reverse the change when you leave.

What is the difference between a tallboy and a chest of drawers?

A chest of drawers is wider and lower, while a tallboy is taller and narrower with the drawers stacked higher. A tallboy uses less floor space but needs more care with stability and moving.

How do I check a secondhand chest of drawers for borer or damp?

Take the drawers out and smell inside the frame, then look at the base, back panel and underside for stains or soft timber. Small round holes in the timber can point to borer, and fresh powder beneath them may indicate it's active, so it's safest to skip that piece.

Where can I find a cheap secondhand chest of drawers or tallboy near me in Melbourne?

Browse the Storage and Cabinets category on Zirkly, then filter by your suburb to see pieces nearby. Message the seller to ask for photos of the inside of the drawers and the exact dimensions before you travel. Prices vary with timber, age and condition, so compare a few listings.

Does a secondhand chest of drawers come with a toppling furniture warning label?

Not necessarily. The ACCC's mandatory toppling furniture information standard, in effect since 4 May 2025, excludes second-hand furniture, so a pre-owned piece may have no warning label or anchor kit. Buy anchoring hardware separately and fit it.

Secondhand Chests of Drawers & Tallboys Melbourne: Buying Guide

Buying a secondhand chest of drawers or tallboy in Melbourne? Check drawers, joints, stability, damp and borer before you buy.

Quick summary Secondhand chest of drawers and tallboys in Melbourne are good buys when the drawers run smoothly, the joints are solid and the frame stays steady with a drawer pulled out. Plan to anchor any tall unit to the wall, because the mandatory toppling furniture information standard excludes second-hand furniture, so a pre-owned piece may not come with a warning label or anchor kit.

Most problems with a secondhand chest of drawers or tallboy hide in three places: the drawers themselves, the stability of the frame, and the inside of the carcase, where damp, odour and borer settle. Each takes a few minutes to check at pickup if you know what to look for. This guide covers that inspection, how to anchor the piece once it's home, how to measure for your hallway and stairs, and where to find one in Melbourne.

Chest of Drawers or Tallboy: Which Suits Your Room?

A chest of drawers is wider and lower, so it suits a spot under a window, along a wall or at the foot of a bed. A tallboy is narrower and taller, with the drawers stacked up, so it gives you storage in a smaller footprint. That makes it a common pick for apartments and small bedrooms. The trade-off is a higher centre of gravity and a bulkier carry through doorways and stairs.

If you're restocking a whole bedroom, the bedroom furniture and wardrobe clean-out guide covers the other pieces. Dining-room storage is a different job, so see the guide to secondhand buffets, sideboards and hutches. Buying for a child's room? Read the secondhand kids furniture guide alongside this one.

How to Check Drawers, Runners and Joints

Open and close every drawer all the way, slowly. Each should slide without scraping, tilting or catching. Sticking is often swelling or worn runners, which can be fixable, but a drawer that has dropped out of square points to a joint problem.

Then pull each drawer fully out and look at it:

Joints: interlocking dovetails at the front corners suggest solid timber construction. Staples or glue alone suggest a lighter build that may loosen after a move.
Drawer base: thin hardboard that sags under hand pressure will struggle with heavy clothes.
Handles: loose or missing handles are easy to replace, but split or stripped drawer fronts are harder to fix.
Fit: the drawers should sit evenly in the opening, with consistent gaps all round.

How to Test a Secondhand Tallboy or Chest of Drawers for Stability

According to Product Safety Australia, when you're buying you should pull out the top drawers and apply a little pressure to see how stable the unit is. It also advises checking that drawers don't fall out easily, and looking for sturdy backing material and a low-set piece or a broad, stable base. The same guide notes that opening a drawer shifts the weight forward, which is why a unit can feel steady closed and tip when open.

At pickup, stand the piece on a level floor, open the top drawers and see whether it rocks, lifts at the back or leans. Check that the back panel is fixed along its edges and not torn or missing, and that the feet or legs are even. Built-in drawer stops and interlocks, which stop more than one drawer opening at once, are a bonus. If there aren't any, anchoring matters even more. A tallboy tips more easily than a low chest, so test it more carefully, and skip any piece that rocks on a level floor.

Solid Timber, Veneer or Particleboard?

Each construction can be a good secondhand buy if you check the right things.

Solid timber: heavy, and usually possible to sand and refinish. Look for cracks at panel joins and split drawer fronts. Older solid timber pieces are worth a look in the Vintage category.
Veneer: a thin timber layer over a board. Check for lifting edges, chips and bubbling, which often point to past water exposure.
Particleboard or MDF flat-pack: lighter, and fine for everyday use if the screws and cam fittings are tight and the back panel is fully fixed. The edges swell if they've been wet, and a unit that's been taken apart and rebuilt can come loose.

Smell, Damp and Borer: What Hides Inside the Drawers

Take the drawers out and smell inside the frame and the bottom drawer cavity. A musty smell suggests the piece was stored in a damp room or garage. Check the underside, the back panel and the base for water stains, dark patches or soft timber. Ask about smoke and pets too, since odour can soak into raw timber inside drawers.

Look for small round holes in the timber with fine powder beneath them. Fresh powder beneath the holes may indicate active borer, and it's a good reason to skip that piece. Bedroom furniture can also hide pests, so run through the bed bug checklist before it comes inside, and use the guide to cleaning secondhand furniture before bringing it home for wiping down and airing it out.

How to Anchor a Chest of Drawers or Tallboy

The mandatory toppling furniture information standard, in effect since 4 May 2025, excludes second-hand furniture and furniture a consumer has bought and is reselling. A pre-owned chest of drawers may therefore come without a warning label or anchor kit, so the safety check is yours to do.

The Product Safety Australia guide says toppling furniture has killed at least 28 people in Australia since 2000, and that children under 5 are most at risk. It describes securing furniture to the wall or floor as the best way to prevent tipping, and says you can do this with furniture you've bought second-hand. If it didn't come with hardware, you can buy anchoring kits from a hardware store, and the guide suggests asking a hardware shop or tradesperson if you're unsure what suits your wall.

A few habits help once it's anchored:

Keep the heaviest items in the bottom drawers, because top-heavy furniture tips more easily.
Don't put a TV or other heavy items on top of a chest of drawers.
Fit locking devices so children can't open drawers and use them as steps.
Place the unit on a flat, even surface, and check that carpet isn't bulging at the wall edge.

Anchoring as a Renter in Victoria

According to Consumer Affairs Victoria, renters can install wall anchors to secure furniture without permission on all surfaces except exposed brick or concrete walls, as long as the property isn't on the Victorian Heritage Register. Adhesive child safety locks on drawers are also allowed without permission. On exposed brick or concrete you need to ask first, and the rental provider can't refuse without a good reason. Be aware of asbestos-containing materials and don't screw or drill into them. You may also need to reverse the change when you move out.

Will It Fit? Measuring and Moving a Tallboy

Measure the piece's height, width and depth, then measure the route: front door, hallway turns, stairs or lift, and the bedroom door. Allow clearance in front of the unit so the drawers can open fully, and check the height against ceilings and light fittings. Skirting boards can stop a unit sitting flush to the wall, which matters when you're anchoring it. The guide to measuring doorways for secondhand furniture walks through the route check.

For the move, take the drawers out and carry them separately, wrap or tape the corners of the frame, and carry it upright. If you don't have a ute, the guide to transporting furniture in a regular car covers what fits and how to pack it.

Where to Find Secondhand Chests of Drawers and Tallboys in Melbourne

Start with Zirkly's second hand storage cabinets, where chests of drawers and dressers are listed, then narrow by suburb. Suburb pages such as second hand furniture in Cairnlea show what's listed in a local area. Use in-app chat to ask for photos of the inside of the drawers, the runners, the underside and the back panel before you travel. Prices vary with timber, age and condition, and the pricing guide explains how to compare listings.

Questions to ask the seller before you go:

Are all the drawers original, and do they all run smoothly?
Is there any water damage, odour, borer or past repair?
Has it been fixed to a wall? Old anchor holes at the top or back are a good sign.
What are the exact dimensions, and do the drawers come out for transport?
Has it been kept in a home with smoke or pets?

Ready to find the right piece? Browse chests of drawers and tallboys in the Zirkly marketplace, and if you're replacing one, list the old one for free so it goes to someone who needs it.