Thursday, August 7, 2014

7 tips for mastering Craigslist

My friends know my love for Craigslist because if I'm not scoring a deal for myself, I want them to have it.  I would say about 75% of our furniture (and rugs) have been found via Craigslist.  Not only has it allowed us to furnish our house with unique/cool finds, but it's easier on our budget so that we can put money towards things like travel.  While success on Craigslist can depend largely on location, there are a couple tricks I thought I would share with you.
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($30 antique kilim I recently scored)
1.  Not everyone knows that their awesome vintage piece is an antique, so you should look under both "furniture" and "antique" categories. I have found a number of awesome mid century finds by looking under the "furniture" category using generic search words like "dresser" or "bookcase".  Usually these are the best deals.  
2.  You should try specific word searches as well as general ones.  For example, if you're looking for a mid century desk try "mid century" and also try "desk". 
3.  Try search words by designer (i.e. Milo Baughman).
4.  Try search words by material (i.e. brass, rattan, etc.)
5. When going on a road trip check the local craigslist.  We love to travel….and probably do a lot more than the average person. If I've been on the lookout for a specific item, I check whenever we travel.  Lucky for me, Connor is (usually)more than willing to make a stop.  I also love that our furniture is from all over the map.
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(Remember my search for a big girl bed for Reese?  Well, we found a twin bed for $20!  Not to far off from the Oeuf bed I've been craving too…)  
6. Know what you're looking for…..very rarely do I look on craigslist unless there is something specific I'm on the hunt for.  It makes the process less time consuming.  I also don't want to buy something just because it's a deal.  After moving countless times, I've found that less is more when it comes to furniture/house things. So I force myself to have a specific place in mind before I buy an item, good deal or not.      
7.  Do your research.  Know what is a good price for that particular piece….and if you find a steal, jump on it before someone else does!  I prefer to deal with owners vs. antique dealers on craigslist because antique dealers need to make a profit and are usually not cheap.  Generally speaking, craigslist is for those of us looking for a deal, so don't be afraid to haggle (though I tend not to if it's a steal).



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