If there’s a major set of purchases that can make a considerable dent in your bank account, refurnishing your home ranks way up there! Furniture can certainly cost a lot of arms and legs, and if you’re in the market to refurnish your space, you presumably already know that even “bargain” outlets known for lower prices on furniture can still strain your wallet.
So what are a tight budget and an empty room to do? There are solutions. Here’s a guide to glamming up your pad on the cheap!
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What Kind of Cheap Does Your Lifestyle Need?
The easiest way to begin targeting your approach to an inexpensive furniture redux is to start by assessing where you are in life and what particular décor suits that lifestyle the best.
For example, you may be a college student, which likely means you’re coasting on some seriously tight funds with little room for play. On a practical level, you need durable furniture you can share with roommates and that can withstand parties, all-night study sessions and the occasional soda or pizza spill.
Or perhaps you’ve left your university days behind — but not too far behind — and are now a new exec in your first serious career post. You want more “grown-up” décor, and you’ve got a little more wiggle room in the bank, but you’re still working with an entry-level salary.
Another common lifestyle involves putting together a comfortable home for a growing family. The challenge of furnishing for babies, kids, teens and adults (maybe all of these at once?) under both space and money constraints can be daunting, to say the least.
As you can easily see, all of these “starting points” call for very different tactics when scouting out your bargain furnishings.
The Usefulness of Utilizing Used
There is one common place to start, and that’s used.
No matter where you are in life, you’ll find that utilizing used furniture can save a ton of money. If the idea of buying used makes you cringe, consider the cost of buying everything you need brand new. It may change your mind pretty quickly!
At your favorite “bargain” outlet, a new fabric-covered sofa, two armchairs and a coffee table will probably run you around $1,700 to $2,000, on average. So, wanna talk about cringing now?
Luckily, restoring used furniture for a second turn can often be quite easy — and even provide dramatically attractive results. Once you’ve found a piece you like, bring it back to life with a good cleaning and/or some TLC (perhaps reupholstering or refinishing, both of which you can do on the cheap yourself).
Not sure where to begin looking for used furniture? If you’ve never been on the hunt for it before, it can seem like a challenging task. Try your search in person first by visiting local thrift shops and swap meets. Don’t forget garage sales, either; target ones in high-end neighborhoods to see if you can score a nice deal.
Take your time, enjoy browsing and don’t be stressed out if you don’t find anything right away. If you do find a killer item, don’t be afraid to haggle on prices! It’s expected and part of the fun of thrifting and swap meet culture.
After browsing brick-and-mortar retailers to get a hands-on feel for what used furniture entails, go ahead and explore online. Try local swap boards, auction sites, etc. — just beware of delivery costs, which can add a wallop to your final expense.
Finally, don’t be shy. Ask your friends and family if they have furniture they’re looking to unload. And yes, you can simply drive around and see if there’s anything interesting hanging out for grabs on the curb. Yes, really! Many people do it — why not you? Find out what day curbside pickup is in your neighborhood; then “shop” that morning before the truck arrives.
If you’re a student, move-out day at the end of a school year is a prime time to pick up furniture people are looking to get rid of. Just make sure you have a place to store it over the summer.
Used is Still Just One Big EWWW to You?
Alright, if you really can’t get over the idea of used (or can’t find anything that suits your taste or lifestyle readily available), there are still plenty of ways to get bargains on new furniture. Arm yourself with a few tips and tricks before hitting the stores.
The first and simplest tip is to mark your calendar. Timing is everything when it comes to finding the best furniture sales! Most specialty stores put deep discounts on furniture in January and July, since fresh styles hit the showrooms in February and August. Gotta clear out the “old” stuff to make room for the new!
You can plan your shopping to suit your lifestyle needs as well. If you’re the theoretical college student, how about gathering your roommates together for a “furnie party” one day in July or the post-Christmas holiday before school starts up again? Pool your funds to purchase sale items, or have each roommate buy one piece.
If you’re in the new exec mode, try saving your end-of-year bonus expressly for the purpose of finding some great new pieces during the discount period.
And if you’ve got a family, use the time while your kids are at camp or off to visit Grandma in July to browse on-sale furnishings at your leisure. Or you can wait until they return to school post-holidays.
If you can’t hit the stores at the right time, ask if your favorite store has any floor samples or slightly damaged items they’d be willing to part with at a lower price. You can also hit import stores reputed for discounts off the bat.
Can’t Find, Afford or Fake It? Make It!
So, you’ve exhausted your options — you’ve searched all the usual places new and old and still can’t find anything that exactly suits your needs. Now you really need to put your brain to work! Get crafty and use unexpected materials to fill in gaps in your furnishings.
Rifling through thrift shops, garage sales, even the garbage (be careful!) can provide you with free and awesome fodder for cool furniture hacks. Try a few standout examples to get you started; you’ll find your creativity snowballing in no time.
Let’s start with the students — you all surely have tons of books, right? Store them neatly using a bookshelf made from an old ladder or a hollowed-out vintage television set, or simply install inexpensive brackets and hang your books on them!
New rising executives can try “elegance hacks” such as seeking out stylish wallpaper samples and using them to cover a cheap or thrifted coffee table. Nail in shiny studs to secure the paper and you’ll have a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece for your next cocktail party.
Need an idea for your family abode? Get started by creating quirky, fun headboards for your children’s beds. You can collect carpet tile squares in their favorite colors and affix them to the wall. This will work for Mom and Dad’s lair as well.
Welcome to your beautiful (discount) furnished home! Now, when are you inviting us over for dinner?
Sources:
http://www.oprah.com/money/Best-Time-of-Year-to-Buy-TVs-Computers-Jewelry-Gym-Memberships
http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/25-awesome-diy-ideas-for-bookshelves#dk26v1
http://budgetdecorating.about.com/od/furnishingsonabudget/a/Designer-Decorating-On-A-Dime.htm
http://www.homedit.com/elegant-diy-coffee-table/