How does being able to get free furniture for your house or apartment sound? Or would you like to be able to redecorate your home (or decorate your first place) for free? By doing so, you can avoid consumer debt and free up extra money every month.
Furniture can be expensive. And even if you’re shopping at less expensive stores, it’s not uncommon to spend hundreds of dollars on a new piece of furniture.
But the truth is, there are several places you can go to get free furniture. If you know where to look, you can find free furniture nearly any time of the year.
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How to Get Free Furniture
A couple of years ago we decided to replace our 15-year-old couches with something more kid-friendly. They were nice couches; a little worn, a bit dirty but in pretty decent shape. But they just didn’t fit our lifestyle.
After a week of trying to sell them, we decided to give them away for free. If I didn’t have to haul the couches to the dump and pay to get rid of them, I was happy.
Within hours, someone came and took them away. This story proves that there is free furniture everywhere if you’re willing to look.
And to help you find what you need, we’re giving you a list of eight legit ways to get free furniture.
1. Craigslist
We gave our couches away on Craigslist. I’d tried to sell them, but got frustrated while waiting around at home for a couple of no-shows and wading through calls and emails.
Luckily, people like a good deal – especially when it’s free. After I relisted the couches on the Craigslist free section, they were gone in just a few hours.
This sweet young kid came, picked them up, and gave them a new home in her first apartment. The Craigslist “free” section is a great place to find new furniture.
When I looked in my local Craigslist “free” section for this post, I found several free furniture items, including:
- Couches and chairs
- Curio cabinets
- Ottomans
- Patio furniture
- TVs
And more. There were even several free appliances on the site. If you aren’t picky, you could fill your house with free furniture and appliances.
Yes, you might have to wade through some pieces of furniture that are in rough shape. However, I’m convinced you can find some great free furniture items if you have time and patience.
Bonus: It’s free to buy (and sell) on Craigslist. Some furniture consignment shops will charge buyers a fee.
Note: When using Craigslist and sites like it, be sure to use safety practices. Meet in a public place if possible. If you have to meet at a private home, bring a friend.
Also, always let someone know where you’re going and what time you expect to be back. Common sense safety rules like these are important in any scenario.
2. OfferUp
OfferUp is one of many sites that are similar to Craigslist. It’s free to buy and sell on OfferUp, and there are a few features of the site that make it convenient to use.
One thing I really like about OfferUp is that the pictures of items they have available are right on the main page.
Another thing that’s nice about OfferUp is that sellers have ratings. This way you can have a better idea of who you’re dealing with when you buy or get free items from the site.
When you visit the OfferUp home page, you’ll see all recent listings. However, there’s a “More” button on the top that drops down and enables you to choose the “free” category.
Once you’re in a section, there’s a sidebar on the left that lists the available categories.
From there, you can scroll down to the “Free” category, click on it and get an instant list of all free items. Note that you can type in “free furniture” in the search bar on the top of the page.
But all of the free furniture listings won’t show up if you search that way. Only listings that include the words “free” and “furniture” will show up.
For this reason, I suggest searching via the left sidebar and going to the “free” section. You can browse the furniture you’re looking for from there. Another option would be to use the search bar and type in “free” along with the type of furniture you’re looking for.
3. Facebook Marketplace
Have you ever used Facebook Marketplace to find free furniture? As with Craigslist and OfferUp, it’s free to buy and sell there.
When you look for free furniture on Facebook Marketplace, the process is a bit different than the other sites we’ve mentioned so far.
After you click on the Marketplace tab on the right sidebar of your Facebook page, you’ll have to type “free” in the top search bar.
From there you can wade through the listings to see what catches your eye. Of course, you can type “free” along with whatever free furniture item you’re seeking too. This can help you narrow the listings down.
Note: I tried typing “free furniture” in the search bar. However, when I was specific about what I was looking for, the site populated a lot more results.
The nice thing about using Facebook Marketplace to get free furniture is that you know more about who you’re dealing with. This is because listings have to be tied to a Facebook user’s personal page.
Because of this, you might like the idea of first trying Facebook Marketplace when looking for free furniture.
4. Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a neighborhood community site that shares information regarding the people and events nearest you. To get free furniture from this site, you’ll need to sign up to be a member.
The site will automatically connect you with other members who live near you. In my experience, “near you” means within five miles or so.
Once you’ve signed up to be a member, you can get on the site. On the left sidebar, you’ll see a tab that says “For sale and free”.
When you click on that tab, all of the items people are selling or giving away will populate. You can type “free” in the search bar to populate all of the free items.
Or you could simply type the item that you want to get for free and see if any free ones are listed. Once you’ve found a thing you want, you can message the seller and make plans to pick it up.
Note that you do need to share your address and other details to join Nextdoor. However, there are privacy settings on the site that allow you to keep your information private.
For instance, you can change your address to list your street only, and not your specific numerical address. If you like the idea of finding free furniture right in your neighborhood, this could be the site for you.
5. Curbside
All cities are different, but in my area, people often leave furniture and other items for free on the curb. The nice thing about getting free furniture via curbside treasures is that there’s no meeting with owners, etc. You find it, you pick it up and you take it away.
Of course, there can be downsides too. The first one is that finding curbside free furniture is a random endeavor. Some people advertise “curb alerts” on sites like Craigslist. But most of the time you’ll just come across something someone set out.
Another downside is that by the time you get a vehicle that can transport an item, it may already be gone. And a third potential downfall is that you may not know how long the item has been sitting out.
It may have been subjected to rain, rodents or other not-so-nice invasions. If you’re lucky enough to find free furniture on a curb you pass by often, you may be able to get something clean and in good shape.
6. Ask Family and Friends
Another way you may be able to get free furniture is to ask around. Make a post on Facebook. Ask family and friends if they have a free couch (or whatever you’re looking for) to give away.
Many people (myself included) have stuff in their house, basement or storage area that they haven’t used in a while. But they just haven’t taken the time to dispose of it.
It’s important when you send your email or create your social media post that you ask tactfully. I’d recommend saying something like this:
Hey, we need a new dining table but are on a bit of a tight budget right now. Does anyone happen to have a table they’ll like us to take off their hands for free? We’ll coordinate pickup to get it out of your way. Thanks so much in advance!
It may be a bit of a long shot. However, it’s worth asking those you know to see if they have a free item you’re looking for.
7. Freecycle
Freecycle is a site that exists for the purpose of recycling items no longer needed or wanted. When you visit the site, the home page will ask you to type in your location.
This will help them direct you to free stuff near you. After you’ve typed in your area, a list of cities will populate. This list might include your actual city or other ones near you.
When you click on a location, you’ll get a list of all of the free stuff people in that area are giving away. Once you click on an item, you’ll get details about it.
However, you’ll have to become a member and log in if you want to contact the person who is giving away the free furniture or another item. Freecycle has a list of rules that help ensure members act with integrity.
This will help ensure you’re safe when getting furniture on Freecycle. But because you’re still dealing with strangers, safety precautions are a smart idea.
8. Visit City Wide Garage Sales
Another way you may be able to get free furniture is by visiting city-wide or neighborhood garage sales. I recommend these bigger sales since you have a better chance of getting free stuff.
However, even if they’re asking you to pay for furniture, you might be able to get it for free if you approach near the end of the day or weekend event.
At that point, people are panicking at the thought of having to bring stuff back into their house. Therefore, they might happily give it to you for free.
Another thought is to bargain a deal. For instance, you can say “I’ll buy the couch if you throw in the chair for free.”
Typically, sellers are open to bargaining at garage sales if it means they’ll get rid of more items. After all, one of the main goals of garage sales is to rid your house of clutter.
Try garage sales near you to see if you can score a deal on some free furniture.
Summary
As you can see, there are many legit ways to get free furniture. Whether you’re on a tight budget or just like being frugal, you can find free stuff.
Have you ever gotten free furniture? If so, how did you get it? Did you find a listing on Craigslist? Or ask a family member or friend?
Have you given away furniture for free? If so, how did you find a taker?
We’d love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share them in the comments section on our Facebook page.