According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 10 million tons of furniture end up in U.S. landfills each year. One way to shrink that stat this Earth Day? Shop secondhand seating, case goods, and decor. We asked longtime thrifter Katie Reinhart—who owns Refound Goods, a local online marketplace that specializes in used furnishings—to share her tips for scoring preowned home goods with heirloom appeal.

Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Thrifting in Denver

5280 April 2025
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1. Brand names matter when buying secondhand goods. If you love mid-mod style, for example, Reinhart suggests hunting for items by icons like Drexel Declaration, Broyhill, Lane Furniture, and American of Martinsville.

Photo courtesy of Studio44 Design

2. Refound Goods thoroughly vets its sellers, but on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, scammers abound. “Trust your gut,” Reinhart says, “and be really vigilant about not sharing any personal information or exchanging money before you’ve seen an item in person.”

Photo courtesy of Serpentine Lines

3. Struggling to score the canary yellow leather chair at the top of your wish list? “There’s a lot of patience required in secondhand shopping,” Reinhart says. “These pieces are mostly one-of-a-kind, so finding the right fit takes time. Try to enjoy the process.”

4. Two essential markers of quality: craftsmanship and materials. Skip the particle board and look for dovetail joints and solid wood to ensure a piece’s integrity.

Photo courtesy of Black Sheep Vintage Designs

5. Local refinishers and resellers are great sources for vintage items that don’t require any DIY dexterity. In Denver, Black Sheep Vintage Designs retrofits vintage stereo consoles, Studio44 Design curates funky furnishings, and Serpentine Lines restores midcentury pieces.

This article was originally published in 5280 April 2025.
Michelle Shortall
Michelle Shortall
Michelle Shortall is a senior editor at 5280, where she manages Compass and writes and edits home stories for 5280.com.