In 2010, about $3 billion was used to purchase furniture in the US. If you are looking for new pieces of furniture to add to your home or your collection, but want to minimize your contribution to that figure, estate sales and antique auctions can be great ways to do it. Estate sales are the sale of most or all of someone’s property because of their death or other need to sell most or all of their belongings. Because they tend to be for older people and done quickly, you can find great deals on antique or collectible furniture and other items.

Vintage furniture shops are great places to find the piece that you are looking for, but you will usually be charged a premium for it. Estate sales will not always have what you are looking for, but they will usually offer items at substantially reduced prices. Even if you do not find the exact piece that you are looking for at a particular estate sale, you can frequently find other interesting or antique items for excellent prices while you are looking. Technically, an antique has to be at least one hundred years old at the time of purchase, but stores will often sell things that are only 50 to 60 years old as “antiques”. Popular pieces right now include semeniers and chevals. A semenier is a two part chest of drawers and is usually slim with narrow drawers. A cheval is an adjustable mirror anchored on a four footed base. They were popular in the eighteenth century after technological advances allowed for the creation large single plates of glass. Now, they are popular for their antique character. Estate sales can make it easier for you to find and to afford intriguing antiques with historical significance like this. See more.