Who buys furniture on Craigslist?

[Anonymous]

I just bought am and looking to furnish a new house. I can afford to buy new furniture, but I'm a sucker for a bargain and can't help myself from browsing on Craigslist. But is it silly for an adult with a healthy income to go this route? Will my house look like that of a graduate student with slightly used, mismatched pieces?

[Anonymous]

You're welcome to come to my house! I have furniture from anthro, restoration hardware, west elm and tons of CL finds mixed in. I don't like my house looking too "catalog." I love CL. You can find amazing pieces/deals if you're willing to take the time to look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just bought am and looking to furnish a new house. I can afford to buy new furniture, but I'm a sucker for a bargain and can't help myself from browsing on Craigslist. But is it silly for an adult with a healthy income to go this route? Will my house look like that of a graduate student with slightly used, mismatched pieces?

Not if you have a good eye and can mix high and low-end pieces in a stylish, eclectic way. But definitely resist your impulse to buy something just because it's cheap. A bargain is only a bargain if there's value beyond the pricetag. And I'd suggest starting with major pieces by looking in furniture stores or working with a designer. So, for example, buy a new sofa, but then look at used options for other items to complete the room. (In general, buying new upholstered pieces will be comparable in price -- and often less expensive -- than buying used ones and having them re-upholstered.

For bargain-hunting, you might want to check out estate sales and moving sales in affluent, established neighborhoods (e.g., Georgetown, Chevy Chase, Forest Hills) and consignment stores in similar commercial areas (e.g., Georgetown, close-in Bethesda, Old Town). It's more fun than Craigslist and more time-effective because someone else has already curated the selection. At consignment stores you can come away with some fabulous pieces, particularly lamps, occasional case pieces, pull-up chairs, and dining tables and chairs. Estate sales offer great values on many different items, particularly lamps, rugs, artwork, occasional pieces, pull-up chairs, and dishes and other entertainment housewares.

Have fun furnishing your new home!

[Anonymous]

We like the mismatched, vintage look. If you like mid-century, try Modern Mobler in Takoma. We got a coffee table and end table together for half the price of a single table at Room and Board.

[Anonymous]

I never knew it was expected for an entire house or even a room to all come from the same store.

I've looked for furniture on craigslist. I haven't found what I want/need yet, but if it comes on, I'll buy it!

I have bought antiques off of Ebay--my whole dining room is from ebay.

I bought a desk for my child's room from a "yardsale" group on facebook. Since it is all very local people, I did have friends in common with the person I bought it from, but I had never met her before buying the desk.

All of this has been wood furniture though. I think I would hesitate and buying anything upholstered like a couch. I knew someone who bought a used couch and go bedbugs!

[Anonymous]

Sure, for some things. Bought the most beautiful heavy sturdy hardwood kitchen chairs possible from Craigslist. Best deal ever. Perfect condition. Same with DC's all wood bedroom furniture. I don't shop randomly, but if I'm looking for something specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just bought am and looking to furnish a new house. I can afford to buy new furniture, but I'm a sucker for a bargain and can't help myself from browsing on Craigslist. But is it silly for an adult with a healthy income to go this route? Will my house look like that of a graduate student with slightly used, mismatched pieces?

PP, I would not suggest you decorate your entire home this way. But, I guess you could if you have this kind of time. I'd use it to fill in the pieces. Also, as others have said, I would not buy anything that had fabric or could not be cleaned well before use.

[Anonymous]

People with excellent taste that move frequently are often relocating for work from our area. They often sell their expensive furniture for 1/2 price before they leave. I have bought and sold lots of quality items from CL. You just need to have an eye for quality.

[Anonymous]

We are late 30s and just furnished almost an entire second home with Craigslist. Originally we were not going to buy upholstered stuff from there, but we found a sectional and a sofa/loveseat that we loved, incredibly cheaply, from very well-maintained homes. So we bought them and had them cleaned by Stanley Steemer. Mattresses were new, though.

[Anonymous]

We have sold a lot of modern, great quality furniture on craiglist, as we live in a condo and have changing needs. Everyone who has bought from us have been full-grown good-job-having adults. In fact, a couple of them have established that we have mutual friends from law school or firms. If I had the patience and was a tad more flexible (which I can't be because of space limitations), I would do it in an instant. You can get some great stuff for about a third of the normal price. For instance, we sold one barely used, very modern pull-out couch that we purchased for $5000 for $500 (the office/guest room wasn't furnished for long before I became pregnant and realized a crib may be a better call; the crib was $2k and we sold it for $300).

[Anonymous]

I love craigslist. I furnished my home using mostly craigslist finds. It was slow-going but inexpensive. I especially live it for anything related to kids stuff.

I will buy upholstered items but not a mattress.

[Anonymous]

The young people are buying the less expensive and more worn stuff on CL. The more mature people are buying the better stuff. So look for quality, not the cheapest you can find, and I'm sure you'll do well. I haven't had much need (or time) to buy in CL, but I've sold some decent stuff that's often gone to mid to late 20 somethings who just bought their first house.

Go for it!

[Anonymous]

Friends found terrific mid-century bar stools on Craigslist. They probably paid a quarter of what they would have paid at one of the shops that specialize in high quality mid-century pieces.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there's anything wrong with buying furniture on Craig's List and I used to do it a lot. However, now, with bed bugs being such an issue, there is no way I will buy secondhand anything. I don't think it's worth the risk. You can buy lots of inexpensive cheap furniture on web sites like Overstock.

[Anonymous]

We make $350K a year and buy furniture from craigslist. Mostly we get things like used kids golf clubs, a bike etc.

Never sofas, but got a kitchen set and lots of other odds and ends like a coffee table. I got one that was brand new when the people decided to stay in an apt for only a month.
Some things like a brand new dresser were brand new in box and made of solid wood.

DH and I grew up with modest means and single parents. We'd hate to spend the extra on great stuff when the kids accidently draw on or scratch it. We paid a lot for a nice new custom dining table and our kid banged a metal toy car on a chair and damaged it. Basically we make good $$, save a lot, but like nice things, craigslist if you don't mind it works out great.