Craigslist is a beautiful thing, friends. And let me tell you why. Craigslist allows people in different areas, all across the country, to buy and sell things from one another. Anything can be found on this site – from things as small as a paperback book to items as substantial as a car. And not only does this site help us all to save a little money when looking for something we need (or want) or make a little money off of something we no longer need (or want), but, in the age of “going green”, I think we can all agree that we should definitely embrace anything that helps us reduce our impact on the earth – and through reusing and recycling items, we’re doing just that!
I have had tremendous success with finding some beautiful furniture on Craigslist. And I am the first to encourage friends to look there if they are looking for something specific but are on a tight budget. However, Craigslist is not for the birds. While sometimes you may happen on something totally amazing right away, often, it may take you some time to really find what your heart truly desires. Nevertheless, in my experience, it is worth every bit of the wait and the anticipation to find something really great – and at an unbeatable price!
I bought a house in the summer of 2007. And, like most young homeowners, have experienced the continuing feeling that I have too many projects I want to tackle and not nearly enough resources to do so. But, luckily, with the help of some great finds on Craigslist, over a period of several months, I have been able to make a substantial dent in making my house much more of what I envision – and not just a commingling of random (yet functional) junk. I must stop here and give a great deal of credit to my mother, whom, without her dedicated daily searching, I would never have found any of these things. And also, of course, a special “thanks” to several guy friends who, have willingly gone along with me on these “adventures” to be my muscles!
Last fall, I realized that I was quite limited in the way of storage space in my kitchen. I have an ever-growing collection of Fiestaware and a large assortment of other kitchen stuff that, quite frankly, was just not finding a suitable home in my kitchen. And the clutter of it all was really starting to get on my nerves. So, I began to look for a china cabinet, and perhaps some other kind of tall, small cabinet to fill the small (but potentially useful!) space at the bottom of my stairs. It did not take long at all before we stumbled on this gem. Some very dear people in
I also, eventually, set out to find a new bedroom set. The pieces I had were cobbled together from several different places and while that may be okay for a graduate student (which I was when I acquired all of them), it no longer seemed acceptable or the least bit desirable for me as a young professional. I was looking for something with a lot of pieces as, well, I have a lot of clothes! In June, we were lucky enough to stumble upon a lady selling a Wesley Allen wrought iron bed. These beds are supposed to be the best and they are known for their structural quality and design. Once I saw the bed, I knew I wanted it. Plain, but beautiful. It had barely been used, according to the owner (had been sitting in a guest room). She had paid well over $1000 for it. And I got it for $250. Couldn’t be happier! (See picture below of bed with other furniture)
Also from the same lady, I acquired two new Pottery Barn night stands that I have been able to utilize in my guest room. $100 for both. Not too shabby.
After finding the bed, I was on a full out mission to complete my new bedroom. Daily my mom and I scoured Craigslist looking for people listing bedroom suites. I did a lot of emailing, asking for more information, and looking at furniture. Finally, my mom sent me an ad for a suite that I immediately liked from the photos. And, very quickly, I was at the couple’s home looking at it. I loved it. I had been looking at bedroom furniture for at least 6 months – in stores, online, everywhere! And I can honestly say that I liked this suite (5 pieces, total) as much as any I’d seen. I acquired it for a steal - $550. I appreciated very much knowing that these pieces were part of a collection still being sold currently. And, if I’d gone and bought it all new, it would have set me back well over $3,000. So, a pretty good deal overall!
And I also finally found a cabinet for my kitchen (and a twin that I'm using upstairs). They are from Ikea! Another great find from Craigslist!
Some thoughts when considering a purchase via an online avenue:
Some thoughts when considering a purchase via an online avenue:
* Ask the seller as much information as you can prior to going to view the item(s). If it is furniture, ask about how long ago it was purchased, if they are the original owner, how much they paid for it, the composition and manufacturer of the item(s), etc. Also do not be afraid to ask for additional photos that give you greater detail. Doing these things has saved me many trips to see things that would have inevitably been worthless (to me).
* If the seller is able to provide you information on the manufacturer of the item(s), visit their website. See if the item(s) or a similar one is still being sold by the manufacturer. This can help you ascertain a current approximate cost for a new item of this type, which should help you determine how much it may be worth. Also, if you do not know anything about the manufacturer, consider reading information about the company and the products they sell.
* Negotiate! Negotiate! Negotiate! Remember, the worst thing someone can tell you is "no" and, rarely does someone actually expect to get what they list an item for. And also keep in mind any extra costs that you may incur - repairs or alterations to items, excessive mileage to view/pickup, or rental of a truck for moving items. This can always be used in your negotiations. Very often people are wanting to get rid of something and just get something for it, so, they are happy to bend in their asking price! Use that to your benefit!
Happy Craigslisting everyone! :)
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