You’ve decided it’s time to move on from your current home or apartment. You’re thinking about packing up and leaving, but now you realize that means you’ve got to buy a some new furniture. Maybe you’re moving into a larger home or perhaps you shared furniture with roommates previously.
Most of us have landed in a situation like this, in which you find yourself lacking in furniture overall. The cost of living is already high enough these days as it is. So, now you’re wondering just how you can possibly buy everything you want without completely emptying your wallet. Here’s what you need to know in order to furnish your home without breaking the bank.
Set Yourself a Strict Budget
Start putting some money aside ahead of time so that you don’t feel pressure to spend too much all at once. If you know that you’re moving in a few months, set aside as much as you can out of each paycheck starting right now.
Next, start making a plan of action for when you go shopping. It’s tempting to go check out some stores right away and figure out what kinds of pieces you might like in your house, but that can lead to buying something more expensive than you want on a whim and feeling guilty about it later. You want to make sure you stay within the budget you’ve created. Before you go anywhere, sit down and decide what you can and can’t afford when it comes to furniture. This way, when you do decide to do some searching you’ll feel less susceptible to an impulse buy.
You can absolutely go shopping in order to decide which pieces will go perfectly in your new home, but if you’re anything like me, going shopping without a very strict plan is dangerous. Having specific guidelines to follow before you ever step foot inside a store can help you make the best possible furniture choices for your budget. Do some shopping online first just to get an idea of styles that you prefer.
In addition, think about what you want out of your furniture. Determine certain styles that you actually need for their practicality in your home and how you use them. For example, if you’re a host/hostess, you might prefer a larger dining room table or sectional to accommodate regular guests in your home. Adding this to your list in as well as a budget will help you to make a smarter purchase instead of one simply based on style.
Wait for Sales & Shop Used
It’s always enticing to stop into a store and see what beautiful pieces of furniture they have for sale, but you don’t want to go over your budget. I suggest taking a look online first and signing up for a few mailing lists. You’ll get coupons and notifications when huge sales are coming up. This way, if you’ve been eyeing a particular furniture piece, you’ll know that you won’t go outside of your budget when you’re able to buy it on sale. You can compare the sale price to what you’ve planned for in your budget and see if it’s worth buying after all.
It’s not just about the look of the piece that you’ll want to keep in mind either. Take a look at as many reviews as you can handle. Just because something looks nice doesn’t mean that it’s going to perform well in your home. For example, taking the time to find a bed that is affordable, stylish, and comfortable takes some digging. You’ll have to decide if you want to spend money on an ornate headboard and a stylish frame for it to sit on, but don’t forget that the actual mattress is what you’ll be sleeping on each night. When it comes down to it, it’s all about the comfort level of the mattress, not just how it looks.
In addition, there are countless resale sites available online that can accommodate your needs at an affordable price. You’d be amazed at the amount of practically new furniture that is resold at a fraction of the price. So, if you’re open to buying a gently used furniture item, you’ll likely save heaps of cash in the end.
Look for Furnished Apartments
For those of us who are on a micro-budget, I suggest checking out pre-furnished apartments. If the idea of looking for an entire apartment’s worth of furniture is stressing you out and you’re just not sure how all of it can possibly fit into your budget, try looking for furnished apartments instead.
Having a furnished apartment doesn’t mean you can’t decorate how you would like and still make the apartment your own. It just means that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars buying new (or gently used) pieces of furniture when you’re already thinking about putting down a deposit, paying all of your bills, and coming up with first and last month’s rent.
When all’s said and done, there are many options out there for people who want to have a stylish home, but don’t want to rack up credit card debt or live life paycheck to paycheck while they pay off their new furniture. If you’re willing to do some research, set a strict budget for yourself, and even consider furnished apartments you can undoubtedly find an option that works for you.
