Guide to shopping for used furniture

For some, shopping for used furniture is a great way to save money. For others, it is an opportunity to find pieces of furniture that are not commonly available in regular furniture shops. Sometimes, it is the sheer delight of finding a seemingly unusable item, and seeing the potential that a little TLC can offer. In order to help you enjoy the experience as much as possible, we’ve put together 7 tips to guide you in your shopping expedition.

1. Be prepared  Know what you are looking for, and keep notes of dimensions and measurement. One way to make sure you’ve always got it with you is to keep it on your phone. You never know when you are going to come across just the thing you’ve been looking for.

2. Quality matters  Unless it’s really cheap, and you are going to use it as is, you want to make sure that your find will last long enough to justify the time and money you are spending on it.

3. Beware!   At Bits &Pieces, we only accept furniture of a high quality, and in good and clean condition. But that is not always the case everywhere. Inspect your potential purchase carefully before making the deal. Look in the drawers; you never know what might be lurking there. Insect egg sacs are not the kind of freebee you want. Some odours linger on forever, so don’t be shy to do a sniff test on soft furnishings. Does everything (drawers, doors, hinges, locks) work as it should, and if it doesn’t, can it be fixed? Sit on chairs and sofas, and don’t be afraid to ask to turn it over to look at the frame structure.

4. Look with your inner eye   This is one time where you do not want to judge a book by its cover. There will be times when you will find what you are looking for, in perfect condition, and exactly the colour you want. However, more often than not, you will need to look past some flaws and see what can be. Scratches can be fixed, dents and missing parts of furniture can be restored. Furniture can be painted, re-upholstered or re-stained. The possibilities are endless. Some of it you might be willing and able to do yourself, but you can also have it done professionally. Our sister store, The Strippers, will be able to assist you with your restoration projects.

5. It takes time   Sometimes luck strikes, and you find your treasure on day one. But especially when you are looking for a specific item, you might make numerous shopping trips before you find the gem. At Bits & Pieces Furniture & Décor Consignment Store, or any of the used furniture stores, there is a constant turnover of items. However, at Bits & Pieces if we don’t have what you are looking for, talk to us, and we’ll help you keep an eye out, and let you know when we come across something that might interest you. We’ll also put you on our list for our ‘New This Week’ newsletter, so you can keep up to date with our new items. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, where we regularly post information about new inventory, as well as special offers.

6. Know your budget   Remember to add the additional costs to the price tag. If it is a big item, you might have to pay extra to rent a truck to get it home, or to have it delivered. If it needs re-upholstering, refinishing, or painting, know the costs associated with the services and materials that you’ll need to get it ready to use.

7. Ask   At Bits & Pieces, we are happy to help. Want to know more about the make and design of our items, or advice on restoration, or fabrics, or upholstery?  Please ask, we can usually tell you much more about an item than what is captured on the tags.