Quality furniture can cost a small fortune, with nice sofas starting at around $1,000 and some trendier ones reaching an excess of $10,000. In an already tough economy, splurging on furniture can feel like an out-of-reach goal.
I’ve been fortunate to pay nothing for most of my furniture. While I love decorating my home, I don’t want to fork out thousands of dollars on items my three kids will likely ruin. (We’ll save that for when they all head to college!) Even with a hodge-podge of hand-me-downs and free finds, I’ve been able to modify pieces to create a cohesive-looking home.
If you’re in a similar situation, here’s how to furnish your home with high-quality pieces without spending a dime.
Hand Me Downs from Friends and Family
The top place I’ve gotten most of my free furniture is from friends and family. It usually happens when they’ve bought something new and desperately need to clear out their old furniture. This situation is common, and people are relieved when they can find a family member or friend to take their old stuff off their hands.
If someone you know is getting rid of old furniture and asks if you want it, don’t be afraid to say yes if it’s what you’ve been looking for. In most cases, you are doing them a favor by giving their old pieces new life so they can bring their new stuff home.
Facebook Marketplace and Yard Sale Groups
Facebook marketplace is a treasure trove for cheap and free furniture. You can search by item and location to see what’s available in your area. It may take several weeks, but eventually, you can find what you’re looking for.
Freecycle
Freecycle is an online forum where members post things they no longer want or request items. The point of the forum is to exchange items for free, giving them a longer life and benefiting the planet and your neighbors. If you live in a smaller town, your Freecycle group might not be very active. Those living in a bigger city will have better luck. You can search Freecycle here for your local group.
Craigslist
Craigslist may not be as popular as it was ten years ago, but it’s still an excellent place to find free or cheap furniture. For those not familiar with Craigslist, it is a site where locals can post sale listings, curb alerts, and jobs, as well as participate in discussion forums. It’s broken down by major city, making it easy to find local listings.
The “free” section on Craigslist is full of obscure finds ranging from window screens to children’s playhouses. From time to time, you’ll also find extremely high-quality furniture for nothing. If you do find furniture, be sure to act fast.
Curbside of Nice Neighborhoods or College Move Out Days
If you live in a college town, move out day is a prime time to find an array of furniture and decor sitting at the curb. College students moving back home often don’t have the means to transport their furniture and sit out for free instead.
Scouting nicer neighborhoods, especially in prime yard sale months like March through May, is also wise. While spring cleaning, people will set out the stuff they no longer want on the curb.
Buy Nothing Groups
Buy nothing groups are centralized around the idea of producing less waste. They promote this by providing a place for local residents to list and request items for free. The most common place to find these groups is on Facebook. You can peruse current listings and ask if anyone has the specific furniture you want.
Yard Sales (Especially the Last Day)
Yard sales are always a good place to find cheap furniture. But if you’re on a tight budget, wait until the last day. By this time, most people are desperate to get rid of whatever hasn’t sold, and you can snag it up for next to nothing.
