Most people try to make the furniture that they already own last as long as possible.  This is because most furniture is quite expensive—and in today’s economy, the thought of heading out to the furniture store to plunk down hundreds of dollars (or more) on a couch or dining table set can be quite horrifying to many people.  There is another option, however.  Choosing used furniture can provide a person with a much-needed piece of furniture, without breaking the bank.

Advantages of Used Furniture

Besides saving you money, opting for used furniture instead of new does have other advantages.  Here are a few of the biggest draws of choosing used:

• That quality of older furniture is often better than that of recently manufactured furniture.  This is because a great deal of newer furniture is made with materials other than solid wood—and because modern manufacturers make items with the aim that it will only last for a certain number of years in order to keep consumers buying the products.
• Used furniture is environmentally-friendly.  When you purchase it, you are reusing existing products which both reduces pollution associate with making new products and keeps a product from entering a landfill.
• There is an incredibly wide variety of used furniture available, much more so than new furniture.  You can find pieces of any size and ones to fit any style.

Finding Used Furniture

Secondhand furniture can be found in many different places, both offline and online.  If you are hunting for a specific style or a certain piece of furniture, it may be best to search in as many locations as possible.  If you are doing any online shopping, though, be sure to note any shipping charges on the website as these can be considerable depending upon the weight of the piece.  Here are some of the best places to look for used furniture:

• Estate sales and garage sales
• Thrift stores
• Consignment shops
• Furniture rental stores (they sell previously rented furniture)
• Flea markets
• The Classifieds section in the newspaper
• Discount Appliances
• Home Lighting
• Freecycle.com
• Craigslist.com
• Ebay.com (be sure to search locally)

Choosing the Right Used Furniture Pieces

Before shopping for used furniture, take some time to think about exactly what you need and want.  It is also helpful to take some measurements so that you will know the size of the item you need.  This way, any used piece you look at can be measured to see if it will work.

Not every piece of pre-owned furniture is sure to be a bargain.  Even if the price seems fair at first glance, you should still make sure to examine the piece carefully.  Look at all furniture joints and make sure nothing is wobbly.  A piece should be stable when you purchase it.  You can refinish wood, or you can reupholster some furniture, but if a piece is not well-made it will fall apart sooner than later.  Don’t purchase any used furniture that isn’t secure and balanced.

Photo Credits: ultramega

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