Craigslist Queen

In case you don't know, there are few things that get me more excited than making a great purchase (that is, getting an absolute steal). Many a time has Ryan seen the jump/dance (?) that occurs once the transaction is complete. Sometimes you've just gotta buy new, but in so many instances, why bother when there's so many awesome things you can buy for a fraction of the price? Point being, I have mastered finding these amazing deals with craigslist. It takes a lot of patience, speediness, flexibility, and the desire for that high you get after getting a $900 table for $300. Yes, that was my most recent feat. Here's a few of my craigslist success stories in this year alone.

Six William Sonoma cottage-style white dining chairs. Normally, each chair is $200/piece. How much did I pay for all 6? $130. These paired with the Crate & Barrel table we recently purchased. Actually, finding these chairs was my justification to Ryan for buying a full-priced table at C+B with delivery charges. Like I said, sometimes you just have to buy new; I looked for dining tables for two years and never found "the one."

Here's the originally $900 coffee table that I got for $300. It's a reclaimed wood coffee table from Virginia Turning House and it's in perfect condition. I've been wanting to secure pieces like this that not only have the character we're looking for, but are ones that we want to keep in our family for a long time. It's a charming rustic table that goes perfectly with the warmer-color wood we've been transitioning to.

What makes a purchase even sweeter is when you find a long-lost companion piece to a line of furniture you already own. With luck, this has happened to me twice. First I found a second nightstand to a bedroom set we bought from World Market. Again, in perfect condition and for only $50. And here's a World Market console table that I purchased recently for $70 (originally around $299). I'm using it as a sort of hutch/buffet in our dining room, right next to the matching wine cabinet I've had for years.

I've also found lamps, art, and other decor items that could have cost me a pretty penny in store for no more than a few bucks here and there, but I mainly just use craigslist for those larger pieces that can be unaffordable at times. We love to fill our home with items and mementos from our travels that serve as little reminders of a special time in our lives, so craigslist can't really help out with that.

But based on the items above (and the many items I've acquired in craigslist-past), I solemnly declare myself CRAIGSLIST QUEEN!