If you’re thinking about moving from a small apartment into a new house, you might be wondering how to afford furniture for a new home. The nice thing is it doesn’t have to be difficult. You can have the home of your dreams and fill it with the furniture you’ve always wanted with just a few of these tips.
How to Afford Furniture for a New Home
When it comes to how to afford furniture for a new house, people are always saying that they do not have enough money to buy furniture for their new home.
You might be wondering why you should go through all this trouble when you can rent furniture instead.
Well, at least for me it is a simple thing.
I feel proud of my things and therefore the furniture that I will be used to furnish my home has to be mine.
It is as simple as that, really.
Not to mention, if you get your furniture at those rent-to-own places, you will end up paying much more than the stuff is actually worth.
Also, it isn’t very good quality.
So, how can you make it affordable?
Here’s how…
1. Buy the Important Stuff First
The first thing that you need to do is list down everything that you need.
Don’t let emotions get the best of you.
Start with what you truly need.
That can include:
- A bed
- A dresser
- Something to sit on in the living room
- A couple of lamps so you can see at night
- Maybe a kitchen table
These are the essentials.
Of course, if you have kids, you’ll need things for them as well.
Get those items and then take your time buying all the extras. That way you can wait for sales or find things second-hand.
2. Know Your Budget Before You Start Shopping
Find out how much money you really have for furnishing your new home in order not to overspend from your budget because this is so easy and tempting to do when shopping for furniture for your new home.
Don’t fall for the take it home today and pay over five years spiel you’ll get at the furniture store.
Only buy what you can pay cash for today.
3. Use Your Head and Not Your Heart
The key to shopping smartly is comparison.
Comparison of prices in order to get the best deal.
If you go shopping unprepared, it will be hard for you to differentiate between cheap and expensive items.
It is better to take a friend or companion who is knowledgeable about furniture so that they can help you identify the best offers in town and avoid getting fooled into paying more than what the item is really worth.
A friend can also help you keep your feet on the ground and keep you from spending more than you need to.
It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and before you know it, you’re in debt for furniture and that’s just not the best option.
4. Buy Gently Used Furniture
You can find used furniture that looks new all over the place.
If you are tight on budget and still want to have the furniture you want, you can always buy second-hand pieces at a lower price than buying new ones.
You can easily find them in thrift stores or online sites.
When shopping for used furniture, the key is to check their condition first before purchasing to make absolutely sure that they are still in good enough condition considering the price.
Try consignment shops. I’ve used these myself.
Thrift stores are a great option as well. You will have to go often to find pieces that you like and meet your needs.
I’ve found chairs and even a desk there for a few dollars that were really nice.
I know someone that furnished their entire home in mid-century furniture that they found at thrift stores.
The trick here is to check the quality of the item.
You don’t want to buy junk.
Buy nicer pieces that will last at least a few years.
Antique stores can be a great source of furniture as well.
I’ve bought lots of things here as well.
Yard sales and estate sales are wonderful places to find nice furniture.
My aunt got a chair recently at my neighbor’s house when my neighbor went into a nursing home. It was almost new and she got it for $25 dollars.
I’m sure the original owner paid several hundred dollars for it.
I also got a really nice living room comfy chair for free at a church sale. It was the last day of the sale and at the last minute.
By that point, they were just looking to get things out the door.
5. Compare Prices
Nowadays, a lot of stores are selling their products on websites where they offer discounts and special deals that can help you save money buying furniture for a new home.
So be sure to take advantage of these deals first as this can really save you some cash.
You might be able to find the exact piece of furniture online for less money than it is in the store.
Most stores also offer free delivery if you buy online. While if you buy it at the store they might charge a delivery fee of $50 to $150 dollars.
6 . Take Your Time
Furniture can be expensive so in order to get it cheaper, search for sale items.
I understand that you may feel you need something immediately, but if you can take your time, you are more likely to find something on sale or clearance.
It could save you hundreds of dollars.
7. Don’t Wait for Perfection
If you find something that meets your needs and is a good price, then buy it. Don’t wait to find the perfect item that will most likely be more money.
Choose furniture items that you like and will last you for a long time rather than ones that are pretty but not as durable.
It is better to allocate your money on timeless pieces instead of trendy ones that you will get tired of after a while.
8. Be Resourceful
Make use of things that you have on hand already in your home.
You can use them as a display or group them as arrangements until you can buy something to replace it with later on.
This is a temporary arrangement but let’s accept the fact that we have limited budgets so we need to make do with what we have at hand for now.
9. Buy Quality Not Quantity
One of the things that you need to remember when buying furniture is to buy quality, not quantity.
Don’t buy something just because it is cheap.
Make sure it will not only last but also be a piece that you will enjoy having in your home for years to come.
It’s better to stick with pieces that will last for a long time than going for those that are in trend now but will be outdated soon.
For example, I found a floor lamp at an antique store near me. It was $125 dollars. I simply fell in love with it when I saw it.
I went ahead and bought it because I know I will use that lamp for the rest of my life. I love it that much.
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10. Buy When the Time is Right
Furniture can also be priced reasonably when they are on sale like during the summer or spring season.
This is a smart way for furnishing your home because most people already have a budget set aside for summer holidays so why not use it to your advantage and purchase furniture at the same time?
The end of the year is also a good time to buy furniture as there tend to be lots of sales.
11. Watch for Free Items
Always check for freebies or giveaways that sites or sellers are offering.
Many are actually giving away items for free, from furniture to appliances.
This is a good way to save money especially if you need big pieces of furniture and can’t afford to buy them at the moment.
Let your family and friends know you need items for your home. If they have something they aren’t using or want to replace chances are they will be happy to give it to you.
Also, check the free sections on Craig’s List and the Facebook Marketplace.
You’ll be surprised what you can find.
12. Be a Minimalist
Learn to be a minimalist and learn to live with less.
Most of us have more stuff than we need.
Since you’re moving into a new home, now is the time to get rid of a lot of what you own.
Then, don’t fill your new house back up.
Instead, buy a few necessary, and nice pieces and leave it at that.
13. Check Out Local Auctions
Auctions can be a really good source of getting great finds on furniture if you can find the time to go to one.
Plan on spending the day or evening. It may take the auctioneer a while to get to the piece you want to buy.
If it is a poorly attended auction, you can get things for practically nothing.
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To Sum it All Up:
There are many ways to find furniture to fill your new home. Just don’t be in a hurry. Get what you need and then take your time to find the rest. Speed your weekends at thrift stores, yard sales, and auctions and before you know it, your house will become a home.
