Every year, millions of people buy new houses and hundreds of thousands of more people build houses from the ground up.
Have you recently built or purchased a house? If so, you should celebrate!
The stress is over and now it’s time for the fun part — picking out the furniture.
Does the idea of furnishing a new home stress you out? Are you having a hard time finding the furniture you like that also fits your budget?
Here are eight great steps you can take to furnish your home without breaking the bank.
1. Visit Thrift Stores
Never underestimate the gems you can find that thrift stores and consignment stores.
You have to be prepared to dig, of course, but you can find some incredible treasures in these stores. You’ll find items are that are unique and attractive.
Why spend money on designer furniture when you can get stunning pieces for a fraction of the price?
In addition to visiting thrift stores in-person, be sure to check out online classified ads on websites like Craigslist.
It’s easy to find affordable pieces on these sites that are located close to your home. In some cases, people will even deliver the items to your house for you, saving you a trip!
2. Refurbish and Refinish
Don’t be afraid of buying less-than-perfect pieces of furniture, either.
Whether you get them from a thrift store, online, or in the scratch-and-dent section of a furniture store, many imperfections are easy to eliminate. Remember, if you can get scratches out of laminate floors, you can definitely get them out of a chair or table.
In addition to refinishing damaged items, don’t be afraid to revamp pieces that you like but don’t love.
For example, you could repaint a chair that you like the structure of but not the color. You’ll be amazed at how much better pieces of furniture can look when you make a few simple adjustments.
3. Look for Giveaways
Often, when you’re searching online, you can find that people are just giving furniture away for free.
Initially, you might assume that they’re giving it away because something is wrong with it. That’s not always the case, though.
Sometimes, they just don’t want to negotiate with a buyer, or they are moving and need to get rid of the furniture as quickly as possible.
Don’t shy away from free items, but be sure to vet them thoroughly, too. Take a good look to see if there is any damage that cannot be easily repaired.
4. Shop Online
If you’re not interested in buying used furniture, or if you just can’t find anything on the classified ads or in thrift stores that you like, head to the websites of popular furniture stores.
Often, you can find better deals online than you can find in-store.
If you don’t see any deals available on the store’s website, be sure to search third-party sites to see if anyone has shared a discount code that will work for your purchase.
The great thing about shopping online, too, is that you don’t have to worry about getting the furniture to your house. It’ll be delivered right to your door. Sometimes, this convenience, alone, is worth the extra money you might pay.
5. Use a Price-Watching Tool
The idea of purchasing all of your furniture on a site like Craigslist can be stressful. Who has time to check for updates multiple times per day? To simplify this process, try making use of a price-watching tool.
There are lots of free tools online you can use to be made aware of items when they go on sale. Simply fill them out with the kind of items you’re looking to buy. Then, you’ll receive an alert when that item goes on sale.
6. Budget for Deliveries
When you’re putting together your furniture budget, be sure to include a cushion in the budget to cover the cost of all of your furniture deliveries.
If you don’t want to spend a ton of money on deliveries, you might want to consider renting a large van or moving truck for the day. That way, you can just pay one flat rate and then pick up all your furniture in one day.
This can save you a lot of money on delivery fees, especially if you are purchasing furniture from several different stores.
7. Exchange Items You No Longer Want
When you moved into your new house, did you bring a lot of furniture with you that you no longer want?
Instead of hanging onto this furniture, consider looking into exchanging these items. Maybe you have friends or family members who would like to trade these items for items of theirs — or maybe they’d just like to take them off your hands altogether.
You can also post online and say that you’re looking to exchange pieces of furniture for items of a similar style or that fall into a similar price range.
8. Use Credit Wisely
Lots of furniture stores have a buy now pay later program that makes it easy for you to get the furniture you need for your home without spending a lot of money all at once.
These programs can be very helpful, but it’s important to exercise caution when using them.
Be careful not to pick out furniture that is way out of your price range. Remember, you’re going to need to pay off this furniture eventually. Don’t pick something that you’re never going to be able to pay off, no matter how much you like it.
Need More Help Furnishing a New Home?
Clearly, the process of furnishing a new home while sticking to a budget is not impossible.
If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be able to find affordable furniture that still looks great!
Do you need more help choosing furniture for your home or improving the way it looks?
Whatever home improvement or decorating advice you need, you’ll be able to find it on our site. Start by checking out this article on practical home improvement projects.