I Decorated My Whole Apartment Using Facebook Marketplace—Here’s What I Learned

Every time someone tells me they’re moving apartments or redecorating, I get giddy. My immediate next question is always, “Can I help you shop?” And by “shop,” I always mean, “browse Facebook Marketplace.” I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment that is almost entirely furnished and decorated with Facebook Marketplace finds. My couch, my coffee tables, my TV console, my dining room table—all Marketplace, and all (aside from my couch, which I scored for $300) bought for $150 or under. Scrolling on this secondhand shopping platform is one of my favorite pastimes and, not to brag, but I’ve gotten really good at it. However, my apartment is basically full, and I can’t afford to keep buying things, so I have to stick to just helping others shop instead. So, for anyone looking for affordable decor and furniture for their home, I’m sharing all my best tips for finding incredible deals on Facebook Marketplace—and why I love the platform so much.

Why Buy on Facebook Marketplace?

Shopping on Facebook Marketplace might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there are three main reasons why I really think it should be.

Sustainability

If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, shopping secondhand is one of the best ways, because you basically get a reward for doing it. Not only are you keeping pre-loved items out of the landfill, but you’re also reducing the demand for new production and the subsequent emissions used to make and transport those items.

Prices

Affordability is a major reason to shop for furniture and home items on Facebook Marketplace. I scored a postmodern, Italian leather couch from the ’80s for just $300. The same style of couch from retailers or even higher-end secondhand stores would easily be over $2,000, and that just isn’t in my budget. You can also often find much higher quality antique pieces at much lower prices, while the same budget at a new retailer would get you poorly made, mass-produced items you’ll likely have to replace sooner than later.

One-of-a-Kind Finds

Another great thing about furnishing and decorating your space using Facebook Marketplace finds is that your home won’t look exactly like everyone else’s. You definitely can find some of those trendier, newer pieces on the platform, but you’ll also discover a treasure trove of items that have been hiding away in someone’s attic and aren’t being sold in big-box stores.

My Best Tips for Shopping on Facebook Marketplace

Start With a Preliminary Browse

Shopping on Facebook Marketplace is the slower-paced alternative to shopping fast furniture brands, so my first piece of advice is to get comfortable with that pace. Don’t expect to open up the site, find the perfect item immediately, and get it shipped to your home in two days—that’s not how this works.

Instead, start by essentially window-shopping on the platform. Start searching keywords of things you’re looking for—whether that’s a round dining table, an accent chair, or some decorative vases—and get a feel for what’s out there and what’s in your budget. The more you search, click on, and save items you like, the more the algorithm will be trained to your interests and style—and the less digging you’ll have to do in the future.

Don’t Judge an Item by Its Photo

It’s important to remember that most of the people selling items on Facebook Marketplace are amateurs. They probably don’t have a background in product photography and styling, so certain photos may be lower quality and not super well-lit, but that shouldn’t turn you off. Sometimes people are just trying to get rid of a hand-me-down item that they don’t care about and didn’t think it was worth the time to photograph it like a museum piece. But if you can see the potential in something even through a bad photo, then you should follow that instinct. Plus, you can also always ask to see more photos and get more information about something if needed.

In fact, the listings that you should be wary of are the listings that only show product photos from a retailer’s website. The real, in-home photos of items will help confirm what an item actually looks like, whether or not it has any damage, and that the listing isn’t a scam.

Always Check the Dimensions

It still shocks me how many people will post a couch on Facebook Marketplace and not list the dimensions—or even a pair of shoes with no size listed, I don’t get it. But alas, this is often the case, so if you’re interested in something, you’ll need to message and ask for the dimensions. Don’t just assume it’ll fit based on pictures. Getting the dimensions and measuring your space accordingly are crucial steps to ensure you don’t end up wasting your time and money. For certain items, aside from getting the length, width, and height, you may need to get even more specific. For example, if you’re shopping for chairs to go under a table or desk, make sure to ask for the seat height to ensure they’ll fit comfortably. Trust me, you will only regret it if you skip this step.

Factor in Transportation

As you’re searching the platform for items you need, you’ll get a better idea of the common prices for these items, and how you might need to adjust your budget. One crucial factor to include in that budgeting is transportation. If you have a car that can haul large pieces of furniture, this might not concern you, but if that’s not the case, then you’ll need to either call an UberXL, rent a U-Haul, book a Taskrabbit, or phone a friend with a truck—and that can all cost extra. A $50 coffee table, for example, can quickly end up costing closer to $100 when you have to order a car to transport you across town. In my experience, this is often still worth it, but it’s easier to justify the added costs when you factor them in ahead of time.

Use Good Etiquette and Communication Skills

While shopping on Facebook Marketplace, remember that you’re communicating with real people, not customer service robots. So, treat them accordingly. (I’ve actually had someone tell me before that they chose to sell something to me over another person who was interested because I was a friendlier communicator.) The interaction is still transactional, so you don’t need to add excess, but starting your message with a friendly “Hi” or “Hello” and ending with “Thank you!” doesn’t hurt. Then, get to the point. Let them know you’re interested in buying the item and offer some dates or times you’re available to pick it up. (Don’t simply message, “Is this available?” This is an annoying habit to many sellers on Marketplace.)

You Should (Almost) Always Haggle

Another great benefit of shopping on Marketplace versus other online retailers is that you have the opportunity to negotiate prices—and I firmly believe you almost always should. Listing prices are similar to initial salary offers; they’re often made with the expectation that you’ll negotiate, so you shouldn’t be afraid to do it. (Also, sellers who aren’t open to offers will usually state that in the listing description.) A good rule of thumb is to ask for about 20% off the asking price, but just use your best judgement here.

Consider the Season and Timing

Timing is a big thing when it comes to shopping on Facebook Marketplace. Just as you might wait for a sale or certain times of year to buy something at a retailer, there are also seasons where it makes more sense to shop on Marketplace. The biggest season to pay attention to is moving season. May through September is considered the peak season for moving throughout the country, which means there’s likely to be an influx of inventory on the site during this time as people try to lighten their load. This also means the people selling on Marketplace at this time are probably a bit more desperate and in a time crunch, which means they may be even more open to lower offers just to get rid of their stuff (and avoid sending it to a landfill). You may even see more items listed as free at this time.

If you live in an area with many renters, try waiting under the end of the month to shop, as that is when most leases end. For example, if you’re looking for a couch in the middle of the month and the inventory isn’t looking so great, try waiting until the end of the month or the beginning of the next month, and you may have more luck,

Be on Call When You’re Ready to Buy

The process of shopping on Facebook Marketplace can be slow—until it isn’t. Once you’ve done your preliminary browsing, budgeting, and planning, you need to be ready to buy and pick up an item at essentially a moment’s notice. On Marketplace, when a seller gets lots of interest on a listing, the preference will often go to the person who’s able to pick it up the soonest. So, if you see something you really like that’s in your budget, you need to act fast. This might mean sending a message and saying that you can pick something up in an hour or two. In more rural areas with less buyers competing for the same things, you may not need to act as quickly, but in bigger cities like NYC, you have to put your game face on.