How to Furnish Your First Apartment With Yard Sales

The Math Makes the Case

A new couch runs $400 to $800 from IKEA or Target. A solid wood dresser from a furniture store is $300 to $600. A new dining table and chairs easily hits $500. For someone furnishing a first apartment, buying everything new is simply out of reach for most people — and it doesn't need to be.

What to Get at Yard Sales

• Bookshelves and shelving — solid wood pieces are everywhere and usually $10 to $30. Easy to clean and repaint.
• Side tables and coffee tables — $5 to $25, and easy to refinish if the finish is worn.
• Lamps — great finds at most sales, usually $2 to $10, and easy to rewire if needed.
• Kitchen items — dishes, glasses, pots, pans, and small appliances are ubiquitous at yard sales and priced very low.
• Area rugs — quality rugs in good condition often go for $10 to $30.
• Dressers and nightstands — solid wood pieces are straightforward to paint or refinish.
• Mirrors — one of the best yard sale buys. Heavy frames with quality glass go for almost nothing.

What to Buy New

Mattresses should generally be purchased new for hygiene and health reasons. Upholstered furniture — sofas, armchairs, upholstered dining chairs — requires careful inspection before buying used. Check thoroughly for stains, damage, structural issues, and any signs of pest activity. When in doubt, pass.

The Strategy

Plan for three or four consecutive Saturdays of focused shopping rather than trying to furnish everything at once. Use Loopd to target sales in established neighborhoods — the quality of discarded furniture tends to reflect the neighborhood it came from.