Are you looking for the cheapest way to furnish an apartment, whether this is your first place, or your fiftieth, furnishing an apartment (or any abode) can cost a lot of money, fast!
In this post, we’ll be discussing ways to cut costs when furnishing an apartment without compromising on quality or style.
Contents
Know What To Buy New
Despite a low furnishings budget, there are some things you should always buy new, one example of this is a mattress.
Bedbugs along with other pesticides can easily hide in a used mattress, and while you might end up with the item for free, you’ll end up spending a whole lot of money replacing the mattress and getting your entire apartment fumigated.
For cheap mattresses that you can take home the same day, I suggest Ikea. Although Aldi and Costco sometimes have good deals on matress brands too so keep an eye out.
Ask Your Friends & Family
In a world of consumerism, people are always refurbishing and redecorating. So you can be sure you’ll be able to get some second-hand furniture by asking friends and family.
Of course, for larger items, you might have to arrange for a van to get the item delivered that could cost you some money, but otherwise, I’d expect most items to be super cheap, or better yet, free!
Head To The Carboot / Garage Sales
For smaller items and decorative pieces, I recommend checking out carboot / garage sales. Especially during the summer, when you’ll find a lot of people selling used goods for £1 / $1.
For a detailed guide on how to find a local carboot, read this guide.
Just be sure to bring along a tape measure when purchasing the likes of curtains so you can be sure they fit before purchasing.
Check Online Sale Websites
eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Shpock, Craigslist all have a large volume of people selling their unwanted home goods for discounted prices.
Again you’ll likely have to arrange for delivery depending on the item size, but you’ll also be likely to save around 75% to 90% compared to the RRP.
Head To Outlets
No trip to Ikea is complete for us without a trip to the Bargain Basement where you’ll find ex-display items, old stock, slightly damaged stock and more for over 50% off.
Of course, that’s not the only store that has outlets. In fact, there are loads. Simply head to Google and type in “Outlets Near Me” to find somewhere local to you selling discounted quality branded items.
While furnishing your apartment this way will cost slightly more compared to some of the hints above, you’ll be getting brand new stuff at an incredible discount.
Upcycle Furniture
Interior design isn’t just about walls. It’s about furniture too.
Just because something doesn’t look the way you’d like, doesn’t mean you can’t transform it into a personalised, bespoke piece specifically designed to fit inside your own home.
In fact, with just £20 / $20 you can buy a tin of paint, sandpaper, new handles, screws and so much more to transform for example some tired old draws into a modern masterpiece.
For inspiration, I always suggest checking out the likes of Pinterest.
Check Supermarkets
Walmart, Asda, Tesco, Target, both in the USA and the UK you’ll find supermarkets selling quality discounted home goods.
Be sure to check the seasonal reductions, and save by buying items that you might need in Winter for example as you approach Spring (throws, blankets, candles etc.)
Check Freecycle – It’s FREE!
Freecycle is a community of people who are quite literally giving stuff away.
The majority of this community wants to live in zero waste environment and hope to find free items, and give away items they no longer need to help better sustain the environment – or simply avoid a trip to the tip.
I had a look at the items currently available on Freecycle as I wrote this post;
Don’t Rule Out Poundland / Dollar Tree
Whether you’re in the USA or the UK, you’ll know about Poundland / The Dollar Tree.
These places have a whole host of different items that they sell for just £1 / $1 and are ideal for the home décor finishing touches that make a house a home such as candles, signs, fairy lights and plant pots.
Visit Your Local Charity Shop / Goodwill
Charity Shops are a great source of furnishings for homes, as often those who are going into retirement homes etc. simply donate the items as they are no longer required and removed hassle-free.
Even Charity Shops in the likes of London have incredible bargains.
We managed to get our dining table and chairs from our local store for just £15 during a half-price sale, and they even offered to deliver it for free!
Aside from major furnishings, you’ll also likely find photo frames, pottery, seasonal items and other finishing touches for around £1 / $1 instead of the £3 / $3 plus you’d see elsewhere.
That concludes my guide on the cheapest way to furnish an apartment, hopefully, you’ve found some inspiration in this post to help you go out and find some bargain furnishings – let us know down in the comments what results you have or share photos over on the Facebook page.