We have gotten a TON of our furniture and awesome things for our house for free or super cheap on Craigslist. People are always asking me how we have gotten such great things so I decided to put together a few tips I have learned along the way!

Patience, patience, patience!! If you want a good deal you have to be willing to wait. Sometimes you will find exactly what you want right away – example my husband and I had been talking about getting my daughter a sandbox and he was ready to settle for getting a kiddie pool and filling it with sand. I was not a fan of that idea, I really wanted something that would still look nice in our back yard. I hopped on CL and found this bad boy during my first search for a sandbox!

It took a little work to get it to fit into our truck but turned out great in the end. Tay loves it and the top goes up and down to keep the cats out!

Check CL often. I check it at least once a day and more, like 2-3 times per day if I’m looking for something specific.

Search for free items in other categories. Often people post free items in other categories. Try searching “free” in the furniture section and you will likely find some items.

Don’t give up when people don’t email you back! A lot of people on CL are flaky and never respond or don’t delete a post after the items are gone. I try hard to never get attached to something until it’s in my hands. If you don’t hear back move and don’t give up because persistence pays off!

Don’t go by yourself to pick up item and meet in a public place when possible. Remember to be safe. I never do CL pickups without my husband – often he goes with a friend or by himself.

A few items I scored on CL (Click image to enlarge)

Another way to score great furniture/items for your house is let your family and friends know that you want to know if they are getting rid of anything! We have gotten a free couch, dining table (with a leaf and 6 chairs), an end table, my amazing buffet (see below), a twin bed, and pressure washer. If you can be patient you will find what you want hopefully at a great price!

Keep searching CL – it will pay off!! Happy Hunting!