How I furnished my apartment for less than $1,100 thanks to Facebook

• I moved from Arizona to Minnesota after college and spent most of my money on moving.
• To furnish my first apartment, I set myself a budget of $1,500.
• I knew I had to get creative, so I turned to Facebook Marketplace to find items.

When I moved from Arizona to Minnesota to start my post-college life, I had nothing left in my bank account except the money I had saved to furnish my place. The move was expensive, and I knew I would have to find replacements for 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, an office chair, three dining chairs, a coffee table, two nightstands, a lamp, a TV, a side table, and a piece of art. I found everything I needed, and my purchase came in $425 under budget. I even found some pieces that I will cherish.

How I found great items on Facebook Marketplace

A month before I arrived at my new home, I started researching. I set my location within 5 miles of where I was moving and typed keywords including “sofa” and “antique desk” into the search bar. When I find something I like, I’ll save it. By the end of that month, I had saved dozens of pieces.

During my search, I skipped anything that looked cheap. I was almost fooled by some of the items, but I uploaded a photo of the listing to Google Images to look up items I wasn’t sure about. This helped me figure out if the menu was overpriced or not like she said it was.

I also asked the vendors about the materials for each item. Most sellers don’t have this information in the listing description, but it’s important to know. I’ve observed pieces made of solid wood, metal, or glass and discarded wood veneers. I also avoided pieces that looked upside down. While flipping furniture has become a popular side activity, in my experience, most flippers don’t know what they’re doing and can ruin beautiful furniture. I’ve come across anything that’s been painted bright colors, updated with cheap materials like popsicle sticks, or trendy knock-off pieces.

Before I paid for my furniture, I inspected each piece for damage and bed bugs and cleaned everything before moving it into my apartment. Finally, I used one of the best carpet cleaners I have to clean my new sofa. I also purchased a furniture cleaner to help me prepare items for my home.

My favorite finds

Couch

The jewel of the market research is my sofa. I purchased the Article Sven birch sofa, which retails for over $1,200, for just $275. Article is one of the best places to buy a sofa, so I knew I was getting a quality piece of furniture. The sofa is in great condition, and I love how it looks in the living room. Plus, my dog ​​loves napping on it.

office

Another favorite pick is my desk from the 1930s. I paid $150 for this piece, made of solid cherry wood and beautiful brass drawer handles. It’s the perfect place to work.

sheep

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 1970s for only $25. It has an antique pattern on the glass shades and brings a soft golden light into my living room.

Coffee table

The coffee table I purchased is another favorite. It was expensive at $200, but I love its curvy design and size: It stands 5 feet tall and is a statement piece in my living room.

artistic work

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 bucolic countryside bordered by sweeping mountains. I purchased this piece for only $80 because there was significant smoke damage. But I was restoring the piece myself, and it was a fun and rewarding experience to see the art come back to life.

Which I will not buy again

Dining chairs

Although I love the look of my dining chairs, I will not purchase them again. It was a pain to receive, and the price was similar to what I would have paid at IKEA, which was closer to me.

table

Basic items like chairs and side tables cost a dime a dozen in stores, and are often very cheap. I have found that on Marketplace, the price can be higher for these items. While I purchased side tables for only $40, other products I saw were double or triple that. If I did it again, I would buy a pair of side tables from a big box retailer to avoid the hassle.

After furnishing my apartment with finds from Facebook Marketplace, I won’t stop. For 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 on my budget, but I’ve been able to organize my home to fit my needs by shopping thrift — and I can’t wait to see what else I find.