What I Look for on Facebook Marketplace (& Tips for Finding Great Pieces in Your Area)
Since moving into our new home, I’ve had a couple of really good Facebook Marketplace finds—and I’ve been reminded why I love shopping secondhand. Don’t get me wrong: I’m a believer that sometimes buying the right thing new is the best decision. But not everything has to be a splurge, and on a ministry budget, it’s not even possible. More often than not, the pieces I’ve found secondhand have blessed our family more than buying something new ever could.
There are a few reasons I try to shop used when I can. For one, it’s a way of caring for creation. My faith really informs this: God has given us a beautiful world to tend and steward, and the waste in the furniture and design industry is staggering. When we buy secondhand, we keep good pieces out of landfills, reduce demand for cheaply made new items, and stretch our budget in ways that free us up for other priorities. And as a bonus, older pieces are often better made—solid wood, heavier craftsmanship, built to last. Those are the kinds of pieces that not only save us money but also serve our family for years.
So what do I look for on Facebook Marketplace? Here are some of my go-to searches and strategies:
1. Wood & Natural Elements (Especially Pre-1990)
Something changed in the way furniture was made after the 1990s. Before then, solid wood and real craftsmanship were the norm, not the exception. Whenever I can, I look for pieces with natural materials—oak, pine, walnut—that will stand the test of time.
Search tip: always scan for the word SOLID (often in all caps) in the listing. Many people skim past it because they misread it as SOLD, but in reality, sellers are highlighting that their piece is solid wood. Those are the treasures!
2. Heirloom Treasures
Marketplace can surprise you. I’ve seen carved wood trunks, hand-painted stools, and even German-made dollhouses right here in eastern North Carolina. My latest find? A hand-painted wooden step stool made in Amish country. It’s practical for our kids, beautiful to look at, and I know it will last for decades. These heirloom-quality pieces add charm and story to a home that mass-produced furniture simply can’t.
3. Textiles with History
Vintage and antique textiles are another category I keep an eye on. Things like embroidered pillowcases, woven throws, or hand-stitched table linens are often hard to find new—or prohibitively expensive. But on Marketplace, you can often find them at a fraction of the cost. These add texture, depth, and character to a room in ways money just can’t buy.
4. The Free Section
Never underestimate the free section! Recently, we picked up an Ethan Allen armoire—usually priced at $2,500 new—for free. The sellers couldn’t fit it up the stairs in their new home and just needed it gone. It’s now one of the most substantial and useful pieces in our house, and it cost us nothing but the effort to pick it up.
5. Don’t Overlook Listings with Bad Pictures
Some of my best finds have come from the worst photos. Poor lighting, blurry angles, or a cluttered background can make a great piece look like junk at first glance. But if you take a closer look, you might find real treasures hiding in those listings.
Right now, I have my eye on a pair of chairs. If you just scrolled by the photos, you probably wouldn’t think twice about them—the pictures are dark and unflattering. But I can already imagine how sweet they would be in our playroom, styled as a little reading nook for my girls. A bad picture doesn’t always mean a bad piece—sometimes it just means you get a better deal because no one else saw the potential.
6. Keep an Eye Out for Original Art
Another category I never skip on Facebook Marketplace is art. It’s amazing how many people have vintage oil paintings or sketches tucked away in a garage or attic—often pieces that belonged to a parent or grandparent. These kinds of finds bring so much character and soul into a home.
We’ve been able to snag a few beautiful originals secondhand, and they instantly make our walls feel more curated and collected. There’s just something about brushstrokes and texture that a print can’t replicate. Recently, I just missed out on a vintage sailor painting that was listed for only $30. I could already picture him hanging on a wall in our home, and I know I would have loved looking at him every day. Even though I didn’t get that one, it reminded me to keep checking—because the next treasure could pop up anytime.
Facebook Marketplace isn’t perfect—you have to sift through a lot to find what you’re looking for. But for me, it’s worth it. Each secondhand piece feels like a small act of stewardship: caring for creation, saving money, and filling our home with items that have stories to tell. And in the little years with kids underfoot and ministry budgets to honor, it’s been such a gift to find beauty, quality, and faithfulness in the secondhand aisle of the internet.
