How to Get Free Furniture in 2024: The Ultimate Guide

Moving into a new place is always an exciting experience, but it can be tough to furnish your home on a tight budget. After paying for deposits, closing fees, and realtor expenses, you’re already financially drained. And you still need to furnish the place. So, what do you do?

Actually, there are ways to get furniture for free. You just need to know where to look.

In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to get free furniture and apply for some charity programs. Read on and start furnishing your home for free!

How Can I Get Free Furniture?

1. Where to Get Free Furniture

There are some great and easy ways to find free furniture near you. Check out some of our favorite options.

Facebook Marketplace

One of the first places to look for free furniture is on Facebook Marketplace. This amazing platform is easy to use and usually has a ton of listings in your area.

To find things for your home on Facebook Marketplace, start by typing “free furniture” in the search bar. Then, filter the results by your location.

You’ll likely see a mix of results, including people who give away free furniture and those who sell it for a great price. Even if there is a price tag, reach out to the seller and ask if they’re willing to give the piece away. You may be surprised by how many people will do this!

Freecycle

Freecycle is a website about giving and receiving free stuff in your local community. You can find everything there, such as free furniture, clothes, cleaning supplies, and decor.

Once you find a group near you, start searching for ads there. If there’s no such group, you can publish a post and explain what you need. Then, freecyclers can respond to it, and you can arrange the details and pickup.

Check out our guide if you need more ideas about getting free clothes.

Reddit is an online forum website that has discussions and threads on a range of topics. You can either search for a topic through the search box or use the sections to find what you’re looking for. The “Barter” and “Recycle” sections are best for finding pieces of furniture. There is no limit to what you can find here—from free desks and sofas to free bedroom furniture and everything in between.

You can also create your own thread to explain your situation and list what you need. Some background information can help people understand you better and respond with empathy.

OfferUp

OfferUp is an app similar to Facebook Marketplace but made specifically for local transactions. You can find everything from furniture to cars on this app. However, the focus is not on giving stuff away.

The basis of this app is to find the item you like and “make an offer” based on the asking price. After that, you negotiate with others. That said, you can sometimes make a deal and get something for free or at a low price. So, it’s worth looking into.

Craigslist

Of course, we can’t forget about Craigslist. This website has been around for a while and it’s still a great place to find free things.

To find free furniture on Craigslist, go to the “Free” section under the “For Sale” heading on your city’s main page and start browsing.

“Buy Nothing” Groups

Another great way to find free furniture is by looking for “Buy Nothing” groups in your area. These are online groups of people who believe in sharing resources and giving away items for free.

To find a “Buy Nothing” group near you, search on Facebook or Google. Once you join, you’ll be able to search for “free furniture near me” to get results for free couches, chairs, dressers, and everything else on offer.

Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a website and app that connects you with your neighbors. It’s a neat way to find out about events in your area, but it can also be used to find free furniture. Just go to the “Free Finds” section and filter by your location. You’ll see a list of all the free furniture that’s available near you.

Furniture Banks

Furniture banks are organizations that set up free furniture programs. They collect gently used furniture and give it away to people in need. This is a great option if you’re looking for higher-quality furniture. The best way to find a furniture bank near you is to search on Google or visit the Furniture Bank Network’s website.

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are great for finding cheap furniture, and you might be able to find some free items as well. Many charity organizations give vouchers to low-income families so they can get free furniture from these stores.

Learn more: What is Thrifting

Yard Sales

Yard sales are one of the most common places that give away free furniture. These sales are amazing because you can find cheap stuff or even get something for free. With a bit of luck and negotiation, you can furnish and decorate your place at a yard sale without spending a dime. To find yard sales in your area, search Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, or google “yard sales near me.”

Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities is an organization that helps low-income families with a variety of needs, including getting furniture. It has programs across the US that will give you vouchers to use at thrift stores or furniture banks.

Dumpster Diving

Dumpster diving may sound scary at first, but don’t dismiss the idea immediately. This is a great way to find furniture for free because people often throw away perfectly good pieces. Maybe they just don’t want to move the piece or are getting a new one while the old one is still usable. If you’re willing to put in the work and go searching through dumpsters, you can find some great no-cost furniture.

Campuses on Move-Out Day

This might come as a surprise, but you can find free furniture on college campuses on the move-out day. On that day, students often leave behind some pieces they don’t need anymore. This is your chance to snatch some great items and add them to your home.

2. How to Get a Furniture Voucher

If you’re struggling to afford furniture, there’s a way to ask for assistance with furniture purchasing. Several NGOs and other organizations offer help to low-income families through coupons for buying any type of furniture in the stores they’ve partnered with.

You have to be eligible to get this voucher. Here are some of the groups that qualify:

A low-income person or family
Natural disaster survivors
Single parents
Households with a person with a disability
Domestic violence victims who are moving into a new home
A homeless person who found a place to stay

Lastly, applicants mustn’t currently have furniture in their homes.

If you believe you’re eligible, you should go to one of the organizations and apply. You will be notified once approved. Be aware that you will have to pick up the furniture on your own.

Here is the list of organizations where you can apply:

3. How to Get Free Furniture from Wayfair

Wayfair is one of the biggest online furniture stores with a wide variety of items. There is a range of prices, but also a way to get stuff for free.

Wayfair organizes a kind of free furniture giveaway, a Mystery Shopper program, where you can become its product tester in the US. In return, you get to keep the pieces you review for free. All you have to do is sign up and fill in some information. If you’re chosen as a reviewer, you’ll be contacted by email. Then, you have to complete a questionnaire to finish the application.

Once you’re done, Wayfair will send you a confirmation email and let you know if you’ve been selected to test a product. Then, you will receive the product and have to write an honest review about it and send it together with a picture.

It’s not that easy to be chosen. Wayfair receives thousands of applications and picks randomly, so you have to be lucky. Also, you have to respect the word count and deadline and write great content to be selected again. Another thing that users often mention is that people who shop more on the Wayfair site have a bigger chance of becoming product testers. However, you shouldn’t let this discourage you.

In case you decide to buy furniture, check out Wayfair coupons and get the best possible deals.

4. Extra Tip: How to Get Rid of Old Furniture for Free

Throwing out old furniture can be a real hassle. You probably don’t want to spend the money to have it hauled away, but you also don’t want it taking up space in your home.

If you’re looking for a way to get rid of old furniture for free, there are a few options available.

One option is to list the items on a classified site like Craigslist or Freecycle. This is a good option if you’re not in a rush to get rid of the furniture and you’re willing to wait for someone to come pick it up.

Another option is to take the furniture to a local thrift store or donation center. This is a quick and easy way to get rid of old furniture, and you may even be able to get a tax deduction for your contribution.

Finally, if you’re desperate to throw the furniture out, you can always put it on the curb with a “free” sign attached to it. Someone will likely take it home or sell it for profit, but at least it will be out of your house.

Whichever option you choose, getting rid of old furniture doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult.

Final Thoughts

All in all, there are plenty of ways to get free furniture. You just have to be creative and know where to look. Be persistent, don’t give up, and you will eventually find what you’re looking for.

So, don’t let the high cost of furniture keep you from furnishing your house. Start exploring these options today, and you could be enjoying your newly decorated home in no time.