Acquiring furniture for resale business?

[stretchmark]

I have a business idea that could be done from my garage. Without going in to great detail about specifics, I am mainly needing used furniture to repair and remake into other things. I don't live near large flea markets and the used furniture stores here are already expensive. Are there online flea markets, used markets, etc.? I just haven't a clue. I already know about yard sales and craigslist and scouting out the local sources. I am interested in finding a place to visit maybe once a month near my home state (NM) where I could take a uhaul and fill it.

Any info is helpful.
Thanks.

[provocativa]

not what you want, but where i live when there are organized neighborhood or subdivision yard sales, then there is always a specialized large haul garbage pick up that weekend in the neighborhood, and people who don't participate in the yard sale can curb their stuff along with the stuff that didn't sell for people.

[MariesMama]

If there's a college/university near you, you have a couple options!

They may have an auction once or twice a year to get rid of surplus items. You would be able to find dressers, desks, chairs, and the like there. You'd be surprised what you can get.

Also, dumpster diving (not really, since students can be too lazy to actually put stuff INTO the dumpster) in May when the students move out can net you an absolute ton of stuff.

[Bri'sgirl]

MariesMama, I was just going to suggest the college/university idea. The U near us has a resale warehouse (really, just a few rooms) full of used furniture that they sell. I know of all sorts of people that have bought from them.

Also, May isn't the only time of year for dumpster diving. Most of the housing leases here run August through July, so the end of July there tends to be a lot of furniture on the curb. Sometimes because people leave stuff in their rentals and the owners just throw it, or because roommates change and leave stuff. We have a U less than 3 miles from my house and in the areas with lots of students, there is all sorts of stuff on the curbs.

[stevenden]

i think it's really a good idea especially that you are living on a neighborhood with lots of students, they want some cheap yet nice stuffs