DIY ten Craigslist Tips & Tricks

If you're willing to practise a piddling extra work, secondhand items are a slap-up agency to create a genuinely unique abode on a modest budget. And y'all know I hateful it! One of my favorite sources of slap-up secondhand items is Craigslist. And since you've asked, today I idea I'd part a few of my favorite tips. So, hither they are...my 10 Craigslist Tips!

#1. Frequency, Baby.

When it comes to Craigslist shopping, frequency is key. It's simply similar thrifting inwards that the to a greater extent than y'all practise it, the amend materials you're gonna find. There are hundreds of items inwards each surface area that acquire upwardly on Craigslist every unmarried day, in addition to most of the fourth dimension the skilful materials is gone inwards less than a day. I depository fiscal establishment jibe the site several times a calendar week in addition to search for the specific items I'm looking for. With a little persistence, I tin send away unremarkably discovery precisely what I looking for.
 For example, after a few weeks of searching for a very specific item...a Queen Anne vogue tufted upholstered chair (for nether $20...mandatory.), I constitute this hottie for $15. 

This piddling thang needs some work, but I'm thinking it volition live the perfect dependent area for me to acquire how to reupholster something amongst tufting. 

Sigh.

This experiment could acquire downhill FAST, thence wishing ol' bluish luck.

#2. Use Keywords
Knowing how to exercise keywords is super helpful when finding the correct materials on Craigslist. Let's exercise my Queen Anne tufted chair every bit an example. If y'all are looking specifically for that, search 'Queen Anne Tufted Upholstered Chair'. If naught shows upwardly amongst your super specific search, endeavour leaving out dissimilar words in addition to simply searching 'Queen Anne Chair' or 'Tufted Chair' or 'Upholstered Chair'. You never know how people volition depict their item, thence y'all may stimulate got to exercise several variations of your keywords.

Personally, I dear using Craigslist to discovery slap-up antique in addition to vintage pieces that can't live constitute inwards stores anymore, in addition to these keywords are a slap-up starting point. 

For example, I constitute this amazing mirror simply today for $50. 

#3.  Use multiple spellings 

If y'all can't discovery anything amongst keywords, endeavour dissimilar spellings of the word. Misspellings are a mutual work on Craigslist, in addition to if a give-and-take is spelled wrong, y'all may non discovery the listing. For example, when I constitute my office desk, I was searching for 'tables', every bit I knew I wanted to exercise a modest dining tabular array every bit my desk. After coming upwardly empty handed, I randomly decided to endeavour searching 'tabel' in addition to that's when I constitute the perfect tabular array for $50 that had gone unnoticed for ii weeks. I realize it's ridiculous, but y'all would live amazed at how oftentimes this play tricks has worked for me. 

#4. Use synonyms

Similar to #3, if naught else is working, endeavour searching for synonyms of the item y'all desire to find. For example, when searching for my table, I searched for all sorts of related items similar the following: dining table, entryway table, buffet, console table, sideboard, wooden furniture, furniture, dining set, desk. Eventually, it's highly probable y'all will find something. 

#5. Search By Picture.

To brand all of this searching a fighting easier, I ever direct to search inwards 'pic view', in addition to thence too click on the tab inwards a higher identify that says 'has image'. This filters out all the listings that don't stimulate got images, in addition to thence allows y'all to reckon all the pictures inwards the residuum of the listings. You tin send away hover over whatever of the thumbnails, in addition to the large flick volition popular up. It's an awesome characteristic in addition to makes life thence much easier.

If you're life revolves some Craigslist. UNITE!

#6. Look for things amongst a slap-up shape.

When looking for your side past times side slap-up slice of furniture, don't live deterred past times things that simply human face ugly. Seriously. Give it a infinitesimal in addition to human face beyond the headgear in addition to jorts. As long every bit they stimulate got a slap-up shape, in addition to you're willing to practise a piddling work, y'all tin send away ever paint, stain, reupholster, in addition to bedazzle simply nigh anything. For example, this hapless piddling fella I constitute on Craigslist a few years ago...once an ugly duckling...

...now a total swan.

#7. Negotiate

Once you've genuinely constitute an item you're interested in, it's fourth dimension to contact the seller. I unremarkably prefer to e-mail a seller kickoff in addition to negotiate the toll correct off the bat, offering less than what it is listed for. Once the details are worked out, I follow upwardly amongst a telephone phone yell upwardly to setup the meeting. 

Here's what y'all demand to know. Craigslist is similar a garage sale. People unremarkably hold off y'all to haggle. Basically, at the 8AM garage sale you're gonna pay $30 for that amazing lamp. By 3PM, the seller is loading it inwards your van for free. 

When I was looking for a headboard for our guest bedroom last year, I constitute a slap-up woods headboard for $50, in addition to was able to negotiate it downward to $25 past times letting the seller know that I could selection it upwardly that same day.

#8. Be quick.

 I've learned from selling on Craigslist, that if a buyer can't adapt to pickup the item quickly, I'll unremarkably simply motion on to some other interested buyer. Buyers tin send away live flaky similar a croissant on Craigslist, thence sellers unremarkably won't hold off some for y'all if at that spot are other interested buyers. You'll acquire dropped similar a hotcake. If y'all desire to acquire the skilful stuff, in addition to at a slap-up price, allow the seller know that y'all tin send away acquire the item ASAP in addition to thence follow through.

#9. Feel costless to nation no give cheers you.

 If y'all exhibit upwardly to acquire the item, in addition to it simply isn't what y'all expected, nation no give cheers you. For example, I should stimulate got totally employed this tip on the table that is however haunting me to this day. Do your due diligence earlier manus in addition to inquire nigh measurements or anything else non inwards the listing thence that y'all tin send away avoid an awkward province of affairs in addition to avoid inconveniencing some sweetness one-time homo amongst a table.

#10. Stay SAFE.

We prefer to purchase from people we've talked to on the phone. It leaves a record, in addition to puts us at ease past times hearing their voice. We ever setup our coming together at a populace place away from our abode in addition to allow a friend or relative know when in addition to where we'll be, along amongst the make/model of the automobile in addition to the refer of the someone we're meeting. I almost ever purchase smaller items that tin send away live transported to a secondary location, but if I stimulate got to acquire to someone's home, I ever accept Jesse or a super burly relative amongst me. Burly men come upwardly inwards handy when lifting large items and/or fending off weirdos. 

Have ane handy.

Don't brand him fish you. 

Basically, simply live cautious, trust your gut, in addition to practise things the correct way. As long every bit y'all are careful, y'all tin send away genuinely discovery some awesome materials in addition to stimulate got tons of ridiculously strange fun doing it.

Virginia in addition to Jesse post-craiglisting circa 2011. (That mightiness too simply live an awesome appointment picture, but it serves our purposes, thence shhhhhh.)

So, that is all for today, my friends! Thanks thence much for stopping by! Feel costless to pivot this post thence y'all tin send away discovery it later!

Happy Craigslisting!

That's all for today! 'Til side past times side time!

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