When Is the Best Time to Buy Furniture?

Indoor and outdoor furniture styles go on sale at different times of the year.

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Edited by other Updated Feb 26, 2026 Shopping for furniture that suits both your style and budget is a tough, but not impossible, task. One strategy that can save money: Never pay full price for a piece. There are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to buy sofas, chairs or a new patio set on sale.

Best time to buy furniture

The best time to buy depends on the type of furniture you’re after. Indoor furniture is a bargain in the winter or summer months, while the best outdoor furniture sales happen between the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

Indoor furniture: Winter, summer

When: The end of winter (January and February) or the end of summer (August and September). Presidents Day and Labor Day weekends are especially good times for furniture sales too. When: Why: The furniture industry tends to operate on a biannual schedule. New styles of indoor furniture hit retail floors every spring and fall. Why: What to expect: Retailers will be discounting their old stock during these months to make room for the new styles. What to expect: Looking for custom furniture? The sale cycle doesn’t really apply so there’s no need to wait, says Jerry Epperson, a prominent consultant in home furnishings research. “It’s not that much more expensive to get something made just for you,” he says. But since custom furniture is made on-demand, you won’t find the kind of discounts retailers apply when they need to move their older pre-made stock.

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Outdoor furniture: Summer, fall

When: Between the Fourth of July and Labor Day. When: Why: New outdoor furniture usually hits retail floors between the middle of March and the middle of April, and stores are looking to clear out their stock by August. Why: What to expect: Use late summer and early fall to take advantage of clearance sales when demand for outdoor stuff drops. What to expect:

3 tips for furniture sales

Take your time. Furniture can be expensive, so be patient if you can't find that perfect sofa at the right price right now. Take your time. Expect sales often. If the frequent advertising you see and hear is any indication, there’s almost always a furniture sale forthcoming. If what you’re looking for isn’t discounted yet, it might be soon. Take a look online every couple of weeks, and tell your salesperson you’re only buying the bedroom set when it goes on sale. Expect sales often. Consider used furniture. While a 15-year-old couch may not appeal to you, older items made of solid wood might. Online marketplaces, flea markets and yard sales are good places for vintage furniture finds. It won’t hurt to look. Consider used furniture. Explore more on About the authors Tindall Tommy Tindall is a lead writer and content strategist covering how to make money — and how to keep it. He’s recorded and written about his experience testing popular gig jobs like driving for Uber, delivering with DoorDash and full-service shopping for Instacart. He loves making an extra buck, but laments the hours of awkward silence he endured as an Uber driver (never again). Cool kids might call him a content creator because he makes YouTube videos for the NerdWallet channel and app, but he himself is no longer very cool. Ask him about budgeting apps — he's tried most of them, but still prefers a good ole Google sheet to track spending. Then be sure to smash that “like” and “subscribe” button. Before NerdWallet, Tommy held decidedly more boring jobs at Fannie Mae and Booz Allen Hamilton. Today, he feels super privileged to write for you, the consumer. Published in Mulka Lisa Mulka is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance content. With more than 15 years of writing experience, Lisa most recently authored a book on personal financial literacy and served as lead writer on the FDIC’s Money Smart for Young People program. She holds a bachelor’s in creative writing, and master’s degrees in written communication and in educational technology. Lisa lives with her husband and two children in Michigan, where she spends her free time teaching the next generation of writers at Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. When Is the Best Time to Buy a TV? When Is the Best Time to Buy a Mattress? The Best Days to Book a Flight and When to Fly How to Coupon: Simple Steps, Tools and Tips for 2026 What to Buy (and Skip) in June 2026 By Tommy Tindall, Lisa Mulka 13 Ways to Find the Best Deals Online By Lauren Schwahn, Elizabeth Ayoola Return Policy Guide: What to Know and Which Stores Stand Out By Lauren Schwahn, Lisa Mulka 6 of the Best Cash-Back Apps By Tommy Tindall, Lisa Mulka, Hal M. Bundrick, CFP® How to Build a Holiday Budget That Works Every Year By Amanda Barroso When is Black Friday? Here’s What You Need to Know Before You Shop By Amanda Barroso