Ok SO, longtime insideways readers are very familiar with my adoration of craigslist. A majority of my furniture is from craigslist and I used to write a blog series all about furniture I saw while browsing called Homeless Housewares.
Even though I love CL, I'll admit that it's a pain in the butt to browse. It doesn't have to be! Here are some of the ways I score great finds on craigslist.
1. Download an image preview plugin: I've said this in a previous CL tips post, but this is just so SUPER important that I'm going to post it again. There is no way you're going to be able to be persistent and really dig into craigslist by clicking on every link to every title that sounds interesting. Instead, cruise through craigslist listings with an image plugin - I use this one. This plugin will show all of the pictures for each ad right below the ad title on the search results page. So. very. handy.
2. Find your key words: I have a couple of go-to search words that always seem to yield pretty wares. When I'm in the mood for CL browsing I always search rug, wicker, rattan, and crochet. (That's how I found Mr. Giraffe.) Avoid expensive words like "antique" or specific design industry type words in favor of material types like "wicker" or basic furniture like "side table."
(Madeline sleeps like such a proper cat. Maggie... doesn't.)
3. Use search filters: If you're browsing to buy and would never spend more than $200, don't torture yourself! Use CL's min and max price ranges to your advantage. Another way to weed out pesky posts is to look for sales by-owner only (another CL filter). Often, dealers will post the same ad over and over, which clogs up your feed and is generally annoying.
4. Pick a category: If you're browsing for inspiration or fun, don't be afraid to just look through a broad category like "furniture" or even "for sale." Sure you'll see a lot of stuff that's boring, but that's also the easiest way to run across that crazy one-of-a-kind thing you never would have thought to search for. Fun!
And because I can, here's an animated gif of my cats sleeping. Yes, I'm that big of a loser.
Anyone else have some tips I missed? I'd love to know how you find your craigslist treasures :)
