I’m assuming most of you have heard of Craigslist and for those who haven’t, you’re about to thank me.
Craigslist is a free online classified site where you can find all kinds of goodies. Don’t be scared away by things like “The Craigslist Killer” and some of the weird spam that’s in the listings. The majority of transactions are between two very normal people who just want to buy something, get rid of something, find someone, hire someone, etc. It is an awesome resource, especially for those of us who are thrifty girls.
Here are my secrets to finding the best stuff without breaking the bank.
Check often:
It’s like hitting a flea market when it first opens or digging through “the cart” at Goodwill that holds the contents that were just priced and haven’t hit the sales floor, yet. You have to catch the best things right when they’re posted, because they might not last long.
Click everything (almost):
Remember that not everyone knows what they’re talking about. If someone lists a “Victorian arm chair”, it may really be French provincial and they just don’t know it. I’ve also seen some listings that get me really excited only to end up greatly disappointed. You just don’t know if you don’t look at it.
Ask for pictures:
I really hate it when people don’t post pictures on their listings, but it can sometimes be a good thing. I requested a picture of a “$30 buffet” listed a couple of months ago. I received the picture and it was a solid wood, vintage French provincial buffet. It would’ve been gone if there was a picture, but most people don’t bother to ask.
Do your homework:
Know what you’re looking for. If you need a piece for a specific spot, make sure you take measurements and ask for them if they aren’t provided in the post. Ask questions like, “Are the legs sturdy?”, “Are the drawers dovetailed?”, “Is it solid wood?”, “Is it from a non-smoking home?”, “Do the drawers work properly?” Don’t be afraid to lose the piece. If you can’t get these answers, just keep looking.
Know your key search terms:
There are a lot of listings, so I narrow it down by using my favorite key word searches. “French” “Dresser” “Chair” “Antique” and “Vintage”
Don’t waste time:
It might be tempting to look at the $1200 bedroom suite or to check out the $20 dining set that’s a four hour drive away, but it can really be a waste of time. Only look at posts that you might realistically buy. I generally don’t look at any listings that are over $150 or over an hour drive.
Be a good buyer:
There isn’t a place to leave feedback on Craigslist, but it’s still a good idea to be a good buyer. If you ask questions of a seller, make sure you follow up whether you’re interested or not. If you say you’re going to buy something…buy it. When I e-mail with people about a piece, I always let them know I buy from CL all the time and I always show up with cash in hand. People are more willing to negotiate, hold a piece for you or sell to you again if you’re nice to work with. I’ve even had people e-mail me when they are going to sell other pieces they think I might want to buy.
Don’t buy what you don’t want:
When I went to buy my first French provincial dining set, I was very excited at the picture, but when I saw it in person, it was a different story. The piece was described as “a set in mint condition”. It wasn’t a set and it wasn’t in mint condition. I felt stuck. I sighed and looked at my feet and knew I needed to say something. I hated the chairs. I didn’t want the chairs. “Can I just buy the table?” “Sure.” So, I just bought the table. Don’t feel obligated to buy anything. Just say thanks and be on your way if you don’t want it.
Be safe:
I don’t want to bring anyone down, but you do have to keep your personal safety in mind. I don’t ever go to pick up furniture by myself. It’s just not smart. Remember that you are going into a stranger’s home with cash. Make sure someone is watching your back. If a situation feels sketchy, just back out. It’s not worth it.
76 Responses
Thanks for the reminder about Craigslist. I know it can be a really great secret. My daughter has lots of luck finding things in Chicago. I really need to remember and check it often, thinking of it as a thrift store of sorts. Thanks for the great tips..they really are good ones. I certainly LOVE your finds…especially all gussied up!
Donna
OH I LOVE IT!!!!
My favorite "hint" is to look at not everyone knows what their talking about.
I LAUGHED AND LAUGHED because I might be considered one of those people in that category. But seriously…you are so right. My favorite thing I found on Craigslist was my Macey 6 part 1900's Barrister Bookshelf. The lady had it listed under Furniture as a China Cupboard.
LOVE IT!!!! and THANK YOU for all those helpful hints…THEY ARE GREAT!!!
Amy (Mom to the Four Sisters, who chose to live in Blizzardville, Iowa)
I sell more on CL, then buy, really. I've sold two vehicles, couch, dining set, etc. Giving away stuff is so fun and easy. I tell them where it's at, they come pick it up. One less trip to the thrift store for me hauling four kids. 🙂
But, my favorite find is my computer armoire. Perfect condition, practically new, just like picture for $40.
I deal only in cash. Super fast.
Super tips…but sharing them increases the competition! Just kidding. Love Craig's List. I'm just sick because I saw your EXACT dining set advertised in my town and thought, "Oh, those chairs have such a neat shape, bet that would look really cool painted." I didn't pursue it and saw yours not even a week later on your blog and LOVED IT SO MUCH! Of course it was gone by then. So, lesson learned here, don't hesitate when you have a gut feeling about a piece! Your blog is fabulous and I enjoy reading it each day. Thanks for all of the inspiration.
Jennifer
Oh my goodness, what awesome deals. I love those chairs!
I have so many favorite CL items I've bought I did an entire week of CL posts. Seriously, I tell everybody, when it comes to furniture or knick knacks, I will never buy retail again.
BTW, if you have an iPhone, there a CL App (Craigslist Pro) and you can see pics without clicking the post.
And lastly, I can't let this go without showing off MY CL finds so if you have a minute click here and here.
If you see something on craigslist that you absolutely want and you know it is an incredible deal then remember that other people will know the same thing.
If you find one of those bargains of the century don't ask the seller a ton of questions because someone else will do what you should have been doing and that is send an email saying you want to buy the piece and what time is it convenient for them to have it picked up. The person who makes it easiest on the seller is the one they will choose!
Wonderful!
Great tips! I look a a lot, but have not purchased anything. I have sold quite a few things on CL. What a great site.
Great tips! I love craigslist and will never buy retail again. I have bought and sold with great success. And yes, I always bring my husband when I buy and make sure he is home when I sell. I have found that it is best to look for antiques under "furniture by owner" instead of "antiques." They are not priced as high. People often don't know what they have.
My favorite find is a lovely 8 place setting set, plus serving pieces, of white ironstone. (Johnson Brothers, made in England.) I paid $60. The craigslist in my huge metro area is fantastic!
Great tips! My most favorite purchase was a $40 Victorian couch. The man was so sweet, he was a widower. He and his wife had a fascination with Shakepeare's original home and they transformed their entire house to look exactly like the Shakepeare home. Cobblestone floors and everything. When we go the couch home, my son found some toys stuffed into the cushions. Extra bonus!
These are some good tips for Craigslist! I did see the Craigslist Killer on tv the other night! :0
I've gotten some great deal on CL and have been looking for about a month for something and I've not found it! Patience! 🙂
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
A couple things to add: My husband is a police officer and I always mention that to the seller (you could use it too! No one needs to know!) and to people who come to buy things from me. "Just park behind the patrol car", I say! Always leave the address of the place you are going with your family…just in case.
People on Craigslist and ebay are not always the best spellers. For proof, just put the word "dinning" in the search engine. See what I mean? Try the common misspellings- for armoire (armoir, armore, armoure). I usually just scan through the photos, (you can click on the "show images" link in the upper right hand corner so you don't have to click on every separate posting.
I have found an $8,000 dollhouse for $100, a Biedermeier secretary for $200. Venetian mirrors (set) for $100, a set of Louis XVI chairs for $400, a French Victorian pier mirror for $300, a French pier mirror for not much more than that, an iron pavillion free (it retails for $3,000!) A French cane daybed that was covered in plaid pillows (?!), so it was barely recognizable, it was listed as a "bed". You get the picture! You do have to be vigilant, ready to leave to buy it before anyone else does and always bring exact cash!
I always search for "French, Gothic, Victorian, Shabby, Mirror, Mirrors, Day bed, Daybed, cane, Louis, chaise, settee, setee, ornate, carved, bombe, bombay". I also search for names I am familiar with "Horchow, Neiman, Wisteria, Ballard…"That about covers it! The more detailed a description is, the more they use terms such as "gilded" rather than gold, you can be fairly certain you are going to pay more! I always search out the more "naive" postings, such as "fancy" rather than "ornate.
Geez! I could go on forever!
Craigslist has been very good to me but I am almost done decorating and it's time to pass the baton! LOL!
~Andie
I haven't checked CL in a long time because I haven't had ANY money to buy anything. Last year, I was looking for a few furniture pieces so I looked everyday but even then I didn't find anything. I still have faith though. 🙂 Someday I will find something.
For a minute I thought you knew a super secret link into the Craigslist world!
Seriously though, thanks for the great tips. So far I haven't been able to buy anything–I never get there in time, but I've sold some things.
Not too long ago I found out about craigseasy http://craigseasy.com/ You can look up things in craigslist and then push the craigseasy button and all the items appear in one list with pictures. I love it because I can scan for things quickly without having to open every item. If there is something I am in the market for I do a quick scan everyday. I love
Craigslist.
Just picked up a couple things from Craiglist tonite! Love that site! You've got great tips! Not sure you mentioned this but did you know that on certain pages there is a button in the top right corner that says 'show images' which will give you a preview pic on the main search page that you can hover your mouse over for a bigger pic. That way you don't have to click on each listing to see pics. Maybe I'm the only one who didn't know this but just found it out last month!!! Couldn't believe I'd been in the dark for so long ;0) Anyway, sorry for rambling, hope that helped someone. Blessings, Katy
I haven't bought anything … but I sold two pink wing chairs. It was a great experience … and gave me cash to get what I really wanted.
Great tips! My best tip is CraigsEasy – you go to the website, get the button, search CL, click the button, and all you see are the pics. You can click back and forth from the pics to the listing – it makes searching CL 100 times faster, really. I LOVE it. http://craigseasy.com/
Reba
Hi Marian, Half my house is furnished with CL finds and I have sold quite a bit over time on CL. The quickest way to search is to download craigseasy.com. This will show every picture in your search without clicking on each listing. A big time saver!
Hugs,
Sherry
You're very lucky! My local Craigs list is nothing but junk or over priced junk. 🙁
I just made my first Craigslist purchase a week ago. I had been looking for a table to turn into an ottoman for months and a perfect one finally popped up! The same seller also happened to have a set of 4 chairs that I loved…but I only needed 2 for my craft room so they gave me a great deal on the table and 2 chairs!!! I was so excited and I'm almost done re-finishing them! I have also learned so much from you! Thanks for all the great inspiration!!!
Oh, and I forgot to mention, I check the listings on my iphone daily….you never know when something great is going to pop up. I keep a certain amount of money stashed away for surprises like that!!!
Wow, Marian. . . so far the best thing I've bought have been tickets to a Peter Frampton concert. 🙂
But thanks to you, I'll start looking at CL first! Your tips are really good!
I love Craigslist, too and just posted some great listings today.
come see!
I wish I had some tips! Craigslist is a struggle for me! 🙂 I think it might be where I live, but I have never found any great finds.
Brittany
http://www.dearesthome.blogspot.com
I'm super jealous of hearing of all these great finds and sells! I just don't have ANY luck on craigslist. I just recently sold a TV console… about a week into I realized that apparently console isn't a word a lot of people know (really?) I changed the listing to TV Stand and I sold it next day! But it really WAS a console!!
I've been trying really hard to score a coffee table and also an entry bench… I've seen some great things and respond to the ads very professionally. I haven't heard back from anyone 🙁
It's really frustrating… but I'll keep on trying!!
Great Tips for Craig's Listings. Actually for all other types of ads, also.
I've used Craig's for purchasing and selling. Because of the society we live in today I think it's best for women to have someone else with them when dealing with the general public from your home or going to theirs. I always take my husband with for looking at an item, etc.. For selling same thing…he's home for callers to come and look. Case in point was last summer when he was selling items – tools, etc.. For the most part each one that called and came were okay, just fine. But we did have one shady guy who came and bought and then came again the next day. He gave me the creeps and even got my hubs nervous. Everything turned out okay but we got a picture of the guy in his truck and his license plate if we would need it later.
So BE SAFE. So gals take your husband or another good friend with you.
February isn't the best time of year to suggest this, but once garage sale season is under way, I cruise Craigslist late Saturday and Sunday afternoons when people post that they just set their garage sale leftovers at the curb for free. It's a great way to find interesting decorating tidbits.
Recently, I started searching for the other party's email in facebook. It helps me assess that it's a real person and I'm often more comfortable going into the situation knowing they are a grandma or a Christian 🙂
I've also googled people and by doing so discovered a seller's home was recently raided by the FBI for stolen goods. Yikes! I immediately canceled my appointment.
thanks for all your tips! and i agree in checking it a lot. i check it probably way to much haha
Isn't Craigslist just the best! I have found some fabulous pieces off that site… just found my dream armoire a couple weeks ago and have bought many others pieces, too! It may take an extra dose of patience to find that perfect piece, but it's always worth it!
You nailed the picture thing! ALWAYS ask for a picture! I was in the free section and all it said "Moving. Free Buffet" So I e-mailed asking for a picture and turns out it was a duncan phyfe buffet in amazing condition! I didn't do anything to it and sold it for 300.00!! =) YESSSS
Shhhhhhh you're gining all the secrets away *winks*… Just kidding! Those are great tips!
I might add I like to keep a window open on the free items. I click on it every so often to refresh and see what's newly posted because you have act FAST! But I've found some AMAZING things for FREE!! Such as a 9' gothic window from a church with stained glass (that one was fun getting home let me tell ya!) An iron patio set..A frame for a 19th century french settee. etc. Vanna
Love Craigslist! Thank you for the tip on lists without pictures. Honestly if there is no picture I just pass them by. Had a great time at Blissdom. Glad I had the chance to meet you!
P.S. Just in case nobodys mentioned it…and they probably have but sheesh this is a lot of comments to read thru…The price ISN'T set in stone, so ALWAYS ask if that's their "friendliest" price. 9 outta 10 it'll get a little better *winks* Vanna
I have an old house full of Craigslist bargains — but my favorite is no longer in my house. Last spring I paid $30 for an Ethan Allen settee in whitewashed wood and wicker, a Gustavian style that they put on the front of their big hardcover "style" book a few years back — it was in perfect shape, and sold by a widower getting remarried.
It's gorgeous, but . . . it now lives in my daughter's apartment. I still want to recover it in linen (it's in chintz now) but that will have to wait till she gives it back to me!
Craigslist is fabulous.
Cass
I have never shopped Craigs' List! Guess I should give it a go! Thanks for the encouragement!
Hugs
SueAnn
I LOVE this post!!! Bookmarking it for me and I am going to share on my FB page for everyone else! 🙂
I am a craigslist addict. Although, it was much better in Hawaii, here there isn't much listed, ever, and if it is up it is WAY over priced. Thanks for the article, I'm not giving up on southern MS yet :)!
I buy and sell on Craigslist. It's how I make over rooms and make money instead of spending it. Check out my blog earlier this week about all my Craigslist finds!
I have always called myself the self-proclaimed queen of Craigslist. We have redone our ENTIRE kitchen using Craigslist, but now that I know you are searching my neighborhood (I'm in York) I might have to give up my title. You, my dear, are the queen. I can still be the princess, though, right?
You can see our Craigslist kitchen here if you're interested:
http://binkiesandbriefcases.blogspot.com/2011/02/kitchen-reveal-remodeling-on-budget.html
so far i've gotten a lot of weird spam emails when i've tried to sell. i'm going to try again! thanks for the info! susan
I like Craigslist, sometimes you have to be willing to drive. I like the stuff that I have purchased.
Here's a tip: If you're remotely interested, send an email immediately. Many folks will honor the order they receive interest email. Just be kind and follow up very quickly to set up a time to come or to let them know you don't want it.
And I'll the second the statement that even when you get there, you don't have to buy. I showed up at an apartment to buy a "solid wood hutch". It was pretty in the pictures, but difficult to see details. When I arrived, I found a pressed board, laminate veneered, cheapo piece. When I commented on the fact that it wasn't actually wood, I discovered that the lady selling it really thought that particle board counted as wood. She did say she would change the listing. Anyway, I felt bad, but I walked away.
I love Craigslist! Thank you for such a great post! Some of my favors include my 8 ft pre-lit Christmas tree for $20, my workbench turned kitchen island for $25 and my antique chaise lounge for $40. Sometimes I search by town to see what locals are selling! 🙂
If you have a Droid phone you can download the craigslist search app. I create several specific "searches" and I get updates on my phone whenever someone posts a listing that fits my criteria. I get several updates everyday and I can respond right from my phone if it's something I want.
Fabulous…love all your finds and thanks for the tips. I gotta' leave to check out Craigs…..:)
Great tips! I've been selling a lot of stuff on CL lately and I would say be safe when doing that as well. If my hubby can't be here when someone comes to pick something up I make sure my neighbor is home and they know I'm expecting someone etc. I also work very hard to always have the item outside if I can so I don't have to have people inside my house. Lastly, when you sell something on CL you are bound to get a bunch of spam. I never respond the first time I get an email from someone with my phone number or address right away. I always reply once without personal info and answer any questions they have and work to setup a date/time and then after making sure they are real people I send my cell phone (never home ph) and address. Hope this helps someone!
Great Advice! I love Craig's List. Since I live in a smallish town without a great selection on CL, I also shop Atlanta's CL (1.5 hours away). When I find something that I'm really interested in, my husband and I make a date night in Atlanta– go get some awesome cheap furniture and go out to eat! YAY!
Thanks for the tips, MMS. You are my furniture finding hero!
Great tips! Speaking of Craigslist, I am heading there now!
You are so inspiring and I love reading your blog…
look at this craig list french settee…my NH pal sent it to me this morning. It doesn't get more french than this! http://nh.craigslist.org/atq/2188062009.html
I love me some Craigslist! If I had a bigger truck and some help I would buy so much more!
Sarah
Cool post – I will be linking to this one on my blog – such useful info. I love Craigslist as well – found a $25 wrought iron headboard and footboard there as well as amazing ladderbacks for $25. I also found a $450 camera for $80 as well as my farmhouse dining table for $40! Such deals … advice would be to look often and call immediately. I lost two amazing chairs this way – looked just 10 minutes later and they were gone. I also look at different Craigslist locations and am willing to drive a bit if the deal is remarkable. Don't pass it by if it is ugly – just try to image what it could be. Be respectful of listers…don't say you want it and then never follow up. This is frustrating and rude. Also, never click on any links sent to you by anyone as this is likely a virus or a scam. I had to laugh as the post showed YORK, PA's Craigslist as Lancaster is my hometown and York is the last placed we lived and Chris and I met and married there. Our in-laws live in West York! We are now above Scranton. Would love to visit you shop – where is in in relation to York? We visit there many times throughout the year!
Stacey of Embracing Change
BTW – I definitely agree with the buddy system – take someone and NEVER go alone – you just never know!
*** Your blog is ALWAYS soooo INTERESTING and INFORMATIVE and FUN(!!!)… I just "found" you recently, and have had fun back-reading~~~ you are ONE SMART and TALENTED COOKIE!!!
BTW, re today's blog, I finally DID start checking Craigslist in our area (Tucson, AZ)… NUTTIN' but "honest-to-goodness NUTTIN'!"… soooo disappointing!!!!!!! Thought it would just be SO FUN to find a "hidden treasure/SOMETHING" I could "play with" (i.e.: learn to paint, etc), but to no avail… guess SOME "areas" are "better" than others, which is disappointing cuz I'm in "one of THOSE", I guess!!!
I sure do think you have tons of talent, & am enjoying your blog so much! Am signing up for e-mail del'y of it, if you have that!
Again, many, many thanks!
Linda in AZ
bellesmom1234@comcast.net
*** P.S. A*D*O*R*E what you did here with your DR table & chairs, etc!!! Sooooo DELIGHTFULLLY FRESH!!! ***
Best again, Linda
Make mine French too! 🙂
Marian,
This was a great post! Thank you.
Karen at Garden, Home and Party
Great post!
I've found my fair share of bargains on CL; old curvy dresser for $10, antique twin bed for $10, set of four NICE (ballard style) barstools for $100, and probably the best and most bragged deal; sofa, two leather chairs with matching ottomans for $300!!!
My precious city had much better finds, but it definitely pays to be patient. I need to take a buddy- I've been taking my kids:(
love craigslist! my favorite purchases were a church pew that's about 14 ft long…it was at a grange hall for $70…and a tall narrow antique super rustic armoir that was originally from mexico for $100…both are a dark wood and the armoir has a few painted stained areas…both i would never touch with paint becasue they are too perfect the way they are. both are in our entry. the pew gets used daily for putting things that need to go out that day like backpacks in the morning and when everyone comes in to take off shoes…love them both so much.
I check CL often too. I also check the free section. I have gotten some great stuff for free! Dressers, a desk, a filing cabinet (four drawer), a corner dining set with bench, etc. That stuff goes REALLY quick! I also have an app on my phone that gives me updates when someone posts something new in a category I am looking in and also has little pics so I can decide if I want to read it or not without having to click on it! So neat!
Oh! And I check the garage sale ads especially on Saturday because after garage sales, sometimes people will post that whatever they have leftover from their sale is free and anyone can just come and get it! I have only seen that twice, but one time I scored a black computer armoire! And a really well built (probably handmade) box on wheels that had a lid which I turned into a padded storage ottoman! 🙂
You really are an inspiration!
Great post. Another suggestion, search just by limiting the price to say $100 rather than using search words. That way you won't miss out on something great when the seller doesn't give an accurate description or has a typo or misspelling.
i can only wish our craigslist was that good.
here in canada, the craigslist version is kijiji but my favorite find was a dining table and hutch set for $120…I needed to repaint them obviously…got around to the hutch…still about to do the dining table..
you can see the before and after here:
http://shimmerandtulle.blogspot.com/2010/01/motivated-mondays-linky-party-getting.html
I love CL too. Love your post and all these helpful comments. My secret tip for the day is "Craigeasy" Think the staples commercial LOL. You can go to their site and they will give you a button to add to your tab bar. Craig easy searches only by picture! Makes searching fast and fun. I'm sure their site can explain better but it has changed my life. PS love your blog!
One thing I find that is a must when selling on CL is to include dimensions. Pictures can be deceiving, especially if the piece is photographed out of place like in a yard or garage next to other items.
Another selling tip: when in doubt, post it anyway. It's free to list items so even if you think you have total junk, someone may want to buy it. When we bought our house it had a 10+ yr old washer/dryer set with it. We had just purchased our own new and didn't need it. We thought we wouldn't get $20 for the set because it was kind if gross looking but not only did we get calls immediately on it but we ended up getting like $100 for it! Thankfully my husband was so "into Craigslist" because I would have just thrown it away.
Also, my husband uses something called CraigsPal to search for stuff. If on a PC, it's a program you can download and you can enter multiple locations at the same time! It's a great thing when you live near a bigger city because often there are several locations within driving distance and his way you can scour them all at once!
Great post. Unfortunately for me, however, you posted MY Craigslist page which means I'm competing against you. Oh well!
I like CL. I've made a ocuple of good purchases – not fantastic finds. But, the prices were "good enough" and the items were what I was looking for.
Off the top of my head, I remember buying a gas loan mower for $35 and a 5'x5' Rustic Shelving Unit (from World Market) for $55.
Thanks for the tips!
Such great tips. When my readers ask me for pointers on Craigslist, I send them right here. Hugs to you!
xo
Melissa
Hi. I just found your blog and I really like it. I especially like the tips about Craigslist and what you did with your finds! Looking forward to reading more. I am a new blogger and I would be honored if you would check out my blog too.
Great tips! One more tip is dont be afraid to make an offer, you dont want to give an insultingly low offer, but many times the seller is willing to take a little less. When I go look at something I am always willing to pay what they are asking (provided they disclosed the condition correctly) so I wont waste my time looking at something too pricey.
Hello again, Marian,
I'm going to do a MMS and join a collective I love in our area. Now, I'm looking for goodies to sell and just yesterday showed up to buy something alone. Not again, thanks to your advice. I need to buy cheap and CL is one place to do that! I did find those neat pheasant plates yesterday at a garage sale…$5.00 for 10! That's my best deal of the weekend!
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is required to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% positive. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks