One of the biggest misconceptions about secondhand shopping is that it’s either all luck or all trend-chasing. In reality, the people who consistently find good things aren’t scrolling endlessly — they’re searching intentionally.
Drilling down your keyword searches is how you bypass the algorithm, the resellers, and the noise.
All these years after Facebook Marketplace and eBay were first introduced, they’ve changed! It’s no longer quite as easy to find incredible (read: affordable) items. Many search terms are now oversaturated — like “mid-century modern,” which turns up tons of expensive results as well as many that are decidedly not mid-century. But there are still some search terms that quietly deliver.
These are seven secondhand searches I’m using right now — the ones that continue to surface interesting, usable, and underpriced pieces on eBay, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, 1stDibs, and auction sites.
PS. This email gets a little long so you might need to click through to read the whole thing!
Mirrored Coffee Table
Mirrored furniture is basically a cheat code for making a room feel bigger, brighter, and more intentional—especially if the rest of your furniture skews heavy. A mirrored coffee table reflects light, legs, rugs, ceilings, and movement, which means it visually “disappears” in a way a chunky wood or stone table never will. The best vintage versions tend to be ‘70s–‘80s (often brass-framed, smoked mirror, or fully mirrored panels) and feel glamorous without being precious. Scratches and patina are not a deal-breaker here; in fact, they make the piece feel less Vegas showroom and more lived-in chic.
As a bonus, this keyword tends to turn up chrome and lucite tables, too — which are equally as sexy.
See also: mirrored cocktail table, brass and glass coffee table, smoked glass table, chrome coffee table, lucite coffee table
a smoked lucite table that showed up on Etsy when I searched “mirrored coffee table”
a mirrored coffee table on Facebook Marketplace
a mirrored coffee table on 1stDibs
Studio Pottery
Studio pottery surfaces one-of-a-kind pieces made by regional or independent makers that were never meant to be precious. Focus on vessels over bowls, and on form over glaze. If it feels resolved but not polished, you’re in the right place. Keep this search intentionally broad, then refine by eye.
See also: signed pottery, ceramic vessel, abstract ceramic, studio ceramics
a search for “vintage studio pottery” on 1stDibs
a 1980s studio pottery bowl on Etsy
