Seriously, used is amazing especially for home goods. Most kitchen items can be found for a song at decent thrift shops (though that isn’t what it used to be.) If you’re patient, you can furnish a house to a pretty functional level just off the free section of Craigslist. And if you’re willing to buy used on Craigslist, you can fill your home with solid wood furniture for less than the cost of buying cardboard stuff from IKEA.
My one rule for buying used is “nothing permeable unless I can throw it in the washing machine.” Used clothes are fine, as I can throw them in the wash immediately after bringing them home from the thrift store. Furniture made of wood, metal, or plastic? Non-permeable, so I’m not worried about infestations. But couches, mattresses, etc? Never buying that used.
Seriously, used is amazing especially for home goods. Most kitchen items can be found for a song at decent thrift shops (though that isn’t what it used to be.) If you’re patient, you can furnish a house to a pretty functional level just off the free section of Craigslist. And if you’re willing to buy used on Craigslist, you can fill your home with solid wood furniture for less than the cost of buying cardboard stuff from IKEA.
My one rule for buying used is “nothing permeable unless I can throw it in the washing machine.” Used clothes are fine, as I can throw them in the wash immediately after bringing them home from the thrift store. Furniture made of wood, metal, or plastic? Non-permeable, so I’m not worried about infestations. But couches, mattresses, etc? Never buying that used.