Cheap or Free furniture ideas

**dwnloom** · 11-29-2011, 01:48 PM

Hello......We have some good news.....we are finally moving out of our 5th wheel trailer....the bad news....we dont have any furniture anymore...We do have a queen size mattress and some odds and ends.....desk, folding table, lawn chairs...We do have cookware, silverware, etc....I think we have a bed frame that my husband is getting from his work....we will need to get a box spring.....So, I am looking for any cheap or free furniture ideas......I have been looking at craigslist and I have tried to get on to freecycle.....I am doing something wrong there though.....We are very handie....if anyone has some ideas on how or what can be made cheaply that will last awhile....

Thanks!!

**Spirit Deer** · 11-29-2011, 02:33 PM

I would forget the box spring and, if possible, modify the bed frame so the mattress lays on plywood at the normal height. Foregoing the box spring will give you extra storage under the bed, and the bed will look the same as if it had a box spring, so no one will know.

You can check Craig's List, Freecycle, thrift stores, ads in papers, etc. if you're looking for used furniture. Otherwise, I would try to hold off till January when the furniture sales start up.

Congrats on the new digs! It'll all come together in time.

**peanut** · 11-29-2011, 02:39 PM

Our main source has been Full Circles (Canadian version of Freecycle), UsedRegina (they have sites for all over North America), and Kijiji.

As for making furniture...can you and your DH knock together some plywood boxes? If so then you have ample skills to create your own bookcases, shelving, trunks, etc.

We also hit up the library for books and videos on DIY furniture. If DH knocks together a base, can you sew a cushion to sit on? One thing we have is huge floor cushions, 24 x24". They are great for the younger crowd when they come. Teens and young adults especially like them.

We also have homemade rugs of various sorts throughout the house.

We re-purpose furniture too. Right now I have a baby cradle holding wool for rug hooking.

Check out the local thrift stores for used furniture. Sometimes they can be surprisingly good and cheap! A friend picked up a lovely Queen Anne sofa and chair for $200 in like new condition at one of the local thrift stores.

Think outside the box. If you want to put things in baskets on shelves, how about sewing cloth baskets? Or buying cloth baskets separate from organizer systems that they normally sell with at the stores? Check out RONA, Home Depot, ...hmm...Lowe's would be American, Target...the cheap stores.

Can you find anything made of wood that looks a little 'rough'? Refinish it and put a pretty cloth on it, or do what it takes to dress it up for your home.

If you can sew you've got soft furnishings nailed. Sheets, blankets, curtains from the thrift store, all are usable for decor. As are the huge duvet covers. Just think lots of fabric cheap! And re-purpose it.

Hopefully someone else has more ideas.

**Josephhgoins** · 11-29-2011, 02:57 PM

Check out instructables.com. All sorts of good ideas on there.

**shoiji** · 11-29-2011, 03:19 PM

I would also put out the word that you are moving and in need of furniture and household items. Many people may be buying and/or getting rid of different items that you can use.

Write down a list of the items you could use. Try to think of the basic items you will need. Things may not match or be exactly what you want but just remind yourself that it is only temporary until you can find/purchase what you truly want.

Hopefully you can find the basics, come the spring you may find more items at garage sales. Also when looking at items think about multi-purpose items. A trunk can also be a coffee table.

**Russ** · 11-29-2011, 04:04 PM

Check out Ana White's site. Ana White | Free and Easy DIY Furniture Plans to Save You Money
If your husband is handy she has plans on her site.

**frugalwarrior2** · 11-29-2011, 04:27 PM

estatesales.net Go to estate sales in the final hr. and incredible deals happen.

**acabin42** · 11-29-2011, 07:20 PM

Most towns/cities have a Tradio program (buy, sell, and swap) at their radio stations. Check to see if yours does. You can put an ad on for free saying what you are looking for. Hope this helps.

**Spirit Deer** · 11-29-2011, 08:31 PM

Our library has a book with instructions for making 2x4 furniture. If it's done right, it could be used indoors and look perfectly nice. Then later, if you found something you liked better, it would be all ready to move outside for use on a deck or patio.

**monkeywrangler71** · 11-29-2011, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

Our library has a book with instructions for making 2x4 furniture. If it's done right, it could be used indoors and look perfectly nice. Then later, if you found something you liked better, it would be all ready to move outside for use on a deck or patio.

I was just going to suggest checking the library for this book. My father has a couple of the 2x4 furniture books and it is amazing some of the stuff that can be made with very basic materials.

**Spirit Deer** · 11-29-2011, 09:28 PM

And basic techniques, too. It's been a few years since I looked at that book, but it seems like there were end tables, easy chairs (which can easily be expanded to make a love seat and/or couch), tables, and all sorts of things. There are probably patterns online, too.

**staceyy** · 11-30-2011, 01:52 AM

Round cardboard tables covered with fabric or inexpensive tablecloths are nice.

**peanut** · 11-30-2011, 09:06 AM

In my university days we used to be all over those wooden spools large cable came on. I don't know where people got them from, but they'd haul them home and use them as tables.

Wooden orange and apple crates were something else we used. I still have an orange crate 'end table' from Florida! I just upend it, fill it with some of my fav books and cover it with a cloth.

Then there's the concrete block and board bookcase. We used those until we had one fall over in our apartment once. Scared the old lady downstairs so much she complained to the landlord about the noise in our place!

It sure was noisy that day! Three shelves 8' long of books landed on the floor at once! Maybe best to use this solution someplace other than on carpet. The way it's installed the edge is raised a bit around the wall, making the base of the bookcase unstable.

**dwnloom** · 11-30-2011, 09:06 AM

Thank you for the wonderful ideas and places to look. I have seen several adds for free 2 x4's so that is definitely a possibility. My husband is very handy and I'm a little handy.

Dawn

**227melissa** · 12-01-2011, 08:15 AM

find out when your town picks up curbside, and take a ride in some of the upscale neighborhoods, I've found tons of furniture on the side of the road a lot of people are too lazy to donate. take it home clean it up, I use a brush, resolve, lysol spray, a shop vac to suck the water out, and it looks like new well almost.