How to Find Free Furniture and Appliances

In this sluggish economy many people are tightening their budgets and looking for ways to save money. In many households, buying new furniture is no longer an option. There are many second hand stores and want ads where used furniture can be purchased at a discount, but there are also several ways to find the same furniture at no cost other than in travel and time. Many cities and towns have seasonal or even monthly bulk trash pick up days or city cleanup weeks. During this time many people clean out their garages and basements and place the items at the curbside for pickup. Anyone with a vehicle capable of hauling these items is free to drive through the neighborhoods veritably window shopping for anything that may be of use. To find out about the dates and areas where this takes place you need only contact the city offices of refuse for your locale.

Things You'll Need

• Truck or SUV
• A friend or helper

Instructions

1. There are also ads and even specialized web sites set up to help people get rid of unwanted items. Free ads in the classifieds in your local paper, the free ads on Craigslist, and even sites such as freecycle are great places to look for items that people do not want to throw away, but do not want to charge for either.

2. If you have a very specific item that you need for your home, you can advertise your need for the item with the hopes that someone responds. Most local newspapers have a small section for free classifieds and Craigslist has a large 'wanted' section. If you advertise your need for an item as well as your hope to find it for free, there is a good chance that someone will respond favorably if you are able to pick it up.

3. Please take note that you will rarely find antiques or pieces to brag about, but if you are in desperate need of a shelf or a dresser, you will probably find one that is free and functional.

4. For a step by step guide for turning free 'opportunity' furniture into a dazzling and beautiful discussion piece feel free to check out my article about refinishing damaged furniture:

   http://www.ehow.com/how_5060581_cheaply-refinish-refurbish-modernize-furniture.html

Tips & Warnings

• In most cases, you must act immediately in order to capitalize on a free item. There may be several other people driving around on clean-up day and several other interested parties on a free ad. You will get the best response if you act as soon as you have found an item of interest.

• Beware of eviction collections. In some cities it is still common practice for an evicted tenants items to be placed at curbside on the day of their eviction. Collecting these items may be a crime. If you see a large number of items on the curb, check the door to the building for a notice of eviction letter.