35 Tips to Furnish Your New Home for Less
35 Tips to Furnish Your New Home for Less
35 Tips to Furnish Your New Home for Less - Buying a new home is one of the most exciting experiences in life. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite ways to save on home essentials.
PRIORITIZE WHAT YOU REALLY NEED BEFORE YOU START SHOPPING
- Make a list of everything you need. Going room by room could help you brainstorm—for example, you might list items ranging from a mattress to blackout curtains for your new primary bedroom.
- Inventory what you already have. Cross the big (dining table) to the small (kitchen knives) off your list as you go.
- Divide the remaining items into three groups: things you need right away (a mattress), items you’d like to have in the near future (a coffee table for your living room), and pieces that can wait (an area rug).
- Calculate your budget. Figure out how much money you’ll have available for immediate purchases after the sale has closed, and start researching the items on your priority list to understand how they’ll fit into your budget.
- Don’t rush the process. Bringing older items to your new space doesn’t mean you need to keep them forever. Consider hanging onto pieces that can tide you over for a year or two until your bank account has recovered from the costs of a home purchase.
GET CREATIVE
- Repurpose what you have. Repurpose an old dresser as a television stand or use a mismatched dining chair in your home office.
- Upgrade existing items. Sometimes, a new coat of paint or varnish, or simply swapping out drawer pulls and handles, can lend a new lease on life to an old piece of furniture.
- Reupholster instead of buying new. Click here for more design trends
- Get handy. You might also be able to repair pieces you already have and avoid shopping altogether.
TIME YOUR PURCHASES TO MAKE THE MOST OF SEASONAL SALES
If you can wait to buy these pieces when prices are lower, you could save significantly.
- Bedding and linens: January
- TVs: Black Friday/Cyber Monday and late January (before the Super Bowl)
- Furniture: February and August, as well as Black Friday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day
- Large appliances: Labor Day through October
- Small kitchen appliances: May
- Mattresses: Holiday weekends, especially Memorial Day, Labor Day, and 4th of July
- Vacuum cleaners: April
- Tools: June
- Outdoor furniture: August through October
FIND ALTERNATIVE SHOPPING SOURCES
- Check out overstock and liquidation stores.
- Try private membership/warehouse stores. Retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club often have great deals on home goods.
- Consider open-box items. Look online for open-box deals from retailers like Wayfair and Amazon Warehouse or visit local retailers to see what they have in stock.
- Give scratch-and-dent appliances a chance. Typically, this means that flaws are purely cosmetic—but it’s always possible that the merchandise has suffered more serious damage.
- Expand your window treatment search. It’s often possible to save by buying off-the-shelf offerings in standard sizes. If you need a custom size or material, consider ordering online from a discount supplier and installing them yourself.
- Shop secondhand. In addition to thrift stores and garage sales, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, and Craigslist are all great places to find deals in your area.
MAKE THE MOST OF REWARD PROGRAMS AND COUPONS
- Make sure you never miss a sale.
- Take advantage of loyalty programs. Signing up often comes with an introductory coupon.
- Enroll in coupon and cashback programs. When you’re shopping online, programs like Rakuten and Honey can help you find coupon codes and give you cash back on purchases.
- Sign up for a change of address kit with the United States Postal Service. It comes packed with valuable coupons.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO NEGOTIATE FOR A BETTER DEAL
- Comparison shop before you walk into a store. If you can find a lower price for the same item elsewhere, many retailers will match it.
- Ask the store associate or manager for the best price available. They may be able to offer additional discounts or coupons.
- If you can pay in cash, ask if you can get a discount for doing so. The seller may be happy to offer a small price reduction to avoid paying processor fees.
- Call ahead to ask about applicable discounts. Some retailers offer price reductions for active military, veterans, teachers, first responders, or senior citizens on certain days or times of the year.
- Point out scratches or dings to the sales associate. They may be willing to offer a discount to compensate for the imperfection.
- Ask about floor models. Many stores offer these pieces at a lower price, even if they’re in like-new condition.