How to Furnish Your Apartment

If you were lucky enough to score a fully furnished apartment, this article isn’t for you. Finding a home is hard enough, but if it doesn’t come with furniture and you have yet to begin a collection of your own pieces, it can be frustrating trying to locate all the right items. But have no fear! Here are some ways and means to go about puzzling your new home together.

Bring it with You

When it’s your first time away from home, Mom and Dad might be willing to help out, especially if you’re not traveling too far away. The most important things you could bring from home are a bed, dresser, and maybe a desk. Because you’ve been using them already, they are tried and true.

A great runner up to this is hitting up your siblings or relatives. They might be ready to buy something new and you could benefit from their giveaway or soft family discount.

Secondhand

Your next best bet is surfing secondhand shops and websites. These are great deals because the previous owners tend not to care too much about making a profit off the item. Most furniture owners will try to be fair as well; if the couch is beaten up and they know it, they likely won’t try to overprice it, or it may not even show up on Craigslist.

Secondhand shops are pretty reliable when it comes to weeding out donated items that shouldn’t be going back out into the world.

Rent

It’s becoming more common that you can actually rent furniture if you don’t have money to buy your own but still want a comfortable living space. These can vary in price and in the amount of customer service you receive. Some companies will work alongside you to create an aesthetically pleasing home.

This is the next best thing to having a fully furnished apartment provided because, when it’s time to move, you won’t need to lug any furniture around with you.

Build

I don’t know how handy you are, but if you’re a fan of crafting and construction, building your own furniture is a plausible solution. Get your hands on some wood pallets or other reusable materials and you’ll not only have a kitchen table, but you’ll have countless works of art that your friends will admire for years to come.

Assemble

For the less handy, though still very capable individual, you can get a better deal on pieces of furniture that you assemble yourself (Did someone say IKEA?). Grab a few friends and make a night of it. You’ll be able to set up all the basics, including bookcases and TV stands.

New

If you’ve made it through all those suggestions and still aren’t satisfied, then it might be time for you to start your furniture collection. You’re picky enough that you know what you’re looking for and you’ll be much happier if you don’t settle. Picking out pieces you absolutely love will be worth the work it takes to move them if you ever decide to change apartments.