- I moved from Arizona to Minnesota after college and spent most my money on the move.
- To furnish my first apartment, I set myself a budget of $1,500.
When I moved from Arizona to Minnesota to start my life after college, I had nothing left in my bank account but the money I had saved aside to furnish my place. The move was expensive, and I knew I'd have to find alternatives to new furniture. So I turned to Facebook Marketplace.
I set myself a budget of $1,500 to find 13 items for my apartment. Those items were a sofa, a desk, one desk chair, three dining chairs, a coffee table, two nightstands, a lamp, a TV, a side table, and a piece of artwork. I found everything I needed, and my purchases clocked in at $425 under budget. I even found a few pieces that I'll treasure.
How I found great items on Facebook Marketplace
A month before I arrived at my new home, I began searching. I set my location within 5 miles of where I was moving and typed in keywords including "couch" and " vintage desk" into the search bar. When I found an item I liked, I'd save it. By the end of that month, I'd saved dozens of pieces.
During my search, I skipped over anything that looked cheap. I was almost fooled by a few items, but I uploaded the listing picture to Google Images to search for items I was unsure about. This helped me discern when a listing was overpriced or not what it said it was.
I also asked sellers about the materials of each item. Most sellers don't have that information in the listing description, but it's important to know. I kept an eye out for pieces made of solid wood, metal, or glass and ignored wood veneer. I also avoided pieces that looked flipped. While furniture flipping has become a popular side hustle, in my experience, most flippers don't know what they're doing and can ruin beautiful furniture. I passed on anything that was painted brash colors, was updated using cheap materials such as Popsicle sticks, or imitated trendy pieces.
Before paying for my furniture, I inspected each piece for damage and bedbugs and cleaned everything before moving it into my apartment. Lastly, I used one of the best carpet cleaners I had on hand to clean my (not-so) new couch. I also bought furniture cleaner to help me get the items ready for my home.
My favorite finds
Sofa
The jewel of my Marketplace hunt is my couch. I purchased the Article Sven birch-ivory sofa, which retails at over $1,200, for just $275. Article is one of the best places to buy a couch, so I knew I was getting a piece of quality furniture. The sofa is in great shape, and I love how it looks in my living room. Plus, my dog adores napping on it.
Desk
Another favorite pick is my desk from the 1930s. I paid $150 for this piece, which is made with solid cherry wood and sports beautiful brass drawer pulls. It's the perfect place to work at.
Lamp
When designing a space, I've learned that too much bright lighting can be harsh. That's why I purchased a vintage hurricane lamp from the '70s for only $25. It has a retro pattern on the glass shades and brings soft, golden light to my living room.
Coffee table
The coffee table I bought is another favorite. It was on the pricey side at $200, but I love the herringbone design and the size: It's 5 feet long and a statement piece in my living room.
Artwork
One of my unique finds was an oil painting by the Italian painter Carlo Mancini. He painted it sometime in the late 1880s, and the scene depicts a rural countryside bordered by sweeping mountains. I bought this piece for only $80 because there's significant smoke damage. But I've been restoring the piece myself, and it's been a fun and rewarding experience to see the art come back to life.
What I wouldn't purchase again
Dining chairs
While I like the look of my dining chairs, I wouldn't buy them again. It was a pain to pick them up, and they were priced similarly to what I would've paid at Ikea, which was closer to me.
Nightstands
Staples like chairs and nightstands are a dime a dozen in stores, and they are often quite cheap. I've found that on Marketplace, the price can be higher for these items. While I purchased nightstands for only $40, others I saw were double or triple that. If I did it again, I would buy a pair of nightstands from a big-box retailer to avoid the hassle.
After furnishing my apartment with finds from Facebook Marketplace, I'm not going to stop. To me, it's impossible to beat the cheap prices and hidden gems that can be found on the platform. I would never have been able to afford new furniture with my budget, but I was able to curate my home to my needs by shopping secondhand — and I can't wait to see what else I find.