These days, after walking around a furniture store, I can't help but sigh. I thought about changing my sofa and checked the price tag, but the model I had my eye on last year had noticeably increased in price.

I wondered if it was just my imagination, but it turns out it wasn't. Starting October 2025, a 25% tariff will be applied to imported upholstered wooden furniture, which includes products like cushioned sofas and chairs.

Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities will also face the same 25% tariff. Originally, it was planned that starting January 1, 2026, sofas would see a 30% increase, and cabinets would go up by 50%.

Fortunately, a presidential proclamation on December 31, 2025, postponed the increase by a year. So for now, the 25% tariff remains, and the increase has been pushed to January 1, 2027.

The catch is that just because the increase was postponed doesn't mean prices have gone down. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index shows that in August 2025, the prices of living room, kitchen, and dining room furniture rose by 9.5% compared to a year earlier.

Since then, the rate of increase has slowed a bit, but it's rare for prices that have gone up to come back down. So these days, my main concern is just one thing: where to shop smartly instead of buying new.

The first thing that caught my eye was the display items, commonly referred to as floor models. These are products that have been on display in the store and are sold at a discount, and surprisingly, many of them are in good condition.

Good options for display items are sturdy furniture like solid wood dining tables, dressers, and bookshelves. Even though people have touched them, they are not used daily, so the structure is usually intact.

However, there are a few things to check. If there are any corner dents or scratches, take a photo and ask for a discount based on that. Make sure to open and close all the drawers to check if the rails are squeaky.

Most display items come with a no-return policy. So before you check out, it's a good idea to ask if the warranty applies the same as it would for a new product and if there are any additional shipping costs.

Display items like fabric sofas require a bit more thought. Since many people have sat on the cushions, there may be sagging or stains. It's comforting to check if the cushion covers can be removed and washed.

Next up is used furniture. While browsing Facebook Marketplace or local thrift stores, especially during moving sales, you can sometimes find real treasures in solid wood furniture.

It's generally okay to buy used items that are made of solid wood, metal, or glass, as these surfaces can be cleaned. Items like dining tables, chair frames, side tables, desks, and shelves fall into this category.

With a bit of sanding and a coat of oil or paint, these can look completely new. Spending a weekend working on them can even turn into a fun project.

On the flip side, there are definitely some used items to avoid. The first is mattresses. Experts advise against picking up mattresses found on the street and recommend avoiding used mattresses altogether.

The reason is bedbugs. Bedbugs are notorious for moving from home to home via used furniture, regardless of whether it's from a store or a yard sale.

Fabric-covered sofas or chairs should also be approached with caution for the same reason. If you see small black dots or bloodstains in the seams or under the cushions, it's best to leave them behind.

If it were me, I would choose display items over used fabric sofas. At least you know how they were used.

Baby furniture needs to be examined even more strictly. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has mandated safety standards for new baby cribs since June 28, 2011.

According to these standards, drop-side cribs are banned from being sold as new or used. So, even if an older crib is beautiful, it's safer to pass on it.

Besides cribs, check for recall histories on other furniture that could tip over, like dressers. You can verify recall status on the CPSC website by searching for the product name or brand.

Also, whether new or used, tall dressers should always be anchored to the wall. It's a few-dollar part that can prevent accidents.

Items like cabinets or vanities, which have high tariffs, are also available in the used market. Sometimes you can find perfectly good cabinets that were removed during remodeling, and if the dimensions fit, they can be a great choice.

However, be sure to check for signs of water damage around the sink area of the cabinets by pressing down on the bottom panel. If the plywood is swollen or there's a moldy smell, no matter how cheap, it's best to pass.

I also have a few small principles I follow when trading used items. Don't make a deposit based only on photos, go see the item in person during the day, and shine a flashlight on the seams and back before loading it into the car.

Before bringing it into the house, it's reassuring to wipe it down and inspect it again outside in the garage or at the front door. Hard surfaces can be cleaned with detergent, so it requires less effort.

To summarize, solid wood, metal, and glass furniture are good to buy used. Fabric sofas are better as display items, and it's best to buy mattresses and baby cribs new for peace of mind.

Even though the tariff increase has been postponed to 2027, no one knows how prices will change in the future. If you're not in a hurry for furniture, I recommend leisurely browsing display sales and the used market.

This weekend, I'm planning to check out a few local moving sales. If I can snag a solid wood dining table, I'll come back to show it off after giving it a nice coat of paint.