I’ve had friends marvel at the items Sam and I have found on Craigslist – a new wool rug, all our garden furniture, our previous bed. How do we sort out the bad ads from the like-new, clean and good condition items?
Secondhand furniture can be a secret treasure trove of high quality goods, if you know how to look out for certain red flags.
- A clean home in photos
- “Moving sale” craigslist posts, and why they are so much better than others
Keep your eyes peeled for “moving sale” written in the description of a craigslist ad. Better yet, click on “More ads by this user” in Craigslist, and many quality items are going to be sold quickly and underpriced so that the owner can move!
- A responsible previous owner
How quickly did the owner respond to your inquiry? Did he/she answer your questions directly, or did they skirt around the bush, so to speak?
- Updated style
- A responsive owner to questions
In Key Largo, our thrifting options are much more limited.
For furniture stores, the amount of rattan options are endless – if you are into rattan.

Back in Chicago, I had go to methods to get serious deals on a dime.
Like our old sleigh bed:
So with our first week here, I did some serious research into where to score a cheap and cute loveseat for the new Key Largo den.