If you recently decided to rent or purchase a home, you know that it can be costly, and the expenses of furnishing it can add up quickly. As a first-time home buyer, you probably have a lot on your mind, but one of the main things you might be thinking about is how to furnish your new home. If you want to get furniture for cheap in your new house, there’s endless ways to achieve it within a budget.

It’s mandatory to make your living space comfortable and reflect your personal style. As you start to find pieces that make your home feel like yours, you may realize that there are many things you need for your new place, and it can get expensive quickly. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of costs when choosing furniture and decorations. To decorate your new home without spending a lot of money, take a look at our best advice.

Quality Furniture on a Budget Considerations

You pretty much have two solid options when it comes to buying furniture for cheap, buy new or buy used. Obviously second-hand anything comes with a much lower price. But, then you’re faced with things like damage, and not being able to return it. Here are a few more things to consider.

Regardless if the piece of furniture is new or used, quality materials are much more durable. Look for solid wood, high-grade plywood, or metal structures rather than particleboard or MDF. Any fabric or upholstery should have quality fabric that doesn’t tear easily. Especially if your home has pets.

Sometimes we cave in and get something like a cute side table on a whim. Just to bring it home and realize it really doesn’t match the vibe or looks awkward in every room.

If you are taking the affordable route online, don’t get carried away looking at the price. If there are customer reviews available, read them! A hot tip, check out the three star reviews, this usually gives you the good and the bad of the piece.

If you have experienced putting together a piece of furniture from IKEA, you probably want to never look at an allen wrench ever again. Buying furniture that’s used is a sure way to get it pre-assembled. If it’s brand new, you will be given all of the parts but need to have the proper tools.

How to Furnish Your New Home for Less

The whole process of moving into a new home is beyond exciting. It doesn’t take long before you get sick and tired of looking at empty spaces. Not everyone can blow a few grand on a complete home furnishing haul. Sometimes we need to furnish our home piece-by-piece or room-by-room. You will want to start by thinking about what you absolutely need to live comfortably and be able to function in your new home from day one.

Get the Most Essential Furniture First

These are going to be your non-negotiable pieces, for example, your bed. Whether that means it is just your mattress on the floor for a few nights until you get a bed frame. If you are in the market for a new mattress, make this one of your first priorities. Another shopping trip you should make within the first few days of moving in is to grab the essentials you often don’t think about. Think about things like shower curtains, toilet paper, eating utensils, trash cans, cleaning supplies, and lighting.

Prioritize and Plan

Grab a pen and paper or open up your note app and jot down your wants versus your needs. Your essentials we just went over should be a priority over decorative items. Your favorite tool here is a tape measure. Make sure you take note of the dimensions in each room so you don’t end up with a furniture set that doesn’t fit. The most important part of your plan should be setting your budget.

Get Furniture for Cheap In-Store or Online or Thrifting?

If you really want to get furniture for cheap in your new home you have a few options. Whether you prefer the convenience of online shopping, the thrill of in-store deals, or the treasure hunt that comes with thrifting, there are plenty of ways to score great furniture at affordable prices. Online retailers often offer competitive prices and frequent sales but hefty shipping fees. Brick-and-mortar stores can provide the chance to see and feel items before you buy, but tend to be pricier. Thrifting is a fantastic option for unique finds at unbeatable prices that you don’t mind being slightly damaged or not exactly what you want.

Tips for Shopping In-Store

You can scour the internet for discount codes and every deal possible when getting furniture for cheap. But, going into a store and actually getting up-close and personal with the pieces is a way different vibe. You might think that the drapes you are buying are a certain shade of blue just to have them delivered and be a complete mismatch.

If you are trying to match fabrics and colors, many furniture stores have swatches. These are small square samples of the furniture fabric, for you to take with you shopping and match to other items. Along with this helpful hint, keep in mind some of these effective strategies for finding furniture for cheap when shopping in-store.

Shop during sales events and major shopping holidays like Black Friday, Labor Day, or end-of-season sales cater to large furniture purchases. Even large furniture chain stores have close-out sales to move inventory in a short time.

Don’t pass up outlet stores! The big furniture retailers will typically have an outlet store somewhere in your area. You’ll find deals on furniture that was either on the showroom floor (open box type deal), maybe doesn’t have a full set, or is overstock.

Signup for rewards programs especially if you plan on accumulating your furniture over time.  You can sign up for exclusive deals and discounts. Plus you’ll be the first to know about huge in-store events.

Tips for Shopping Second-Hand

There are several ways to find new and used furniture on second-hand shopping apps. From local marketplaces and garage/yard sales to platforms like eBay and Amazon.

If you are strolling through your neighborhood yard sale, it’s possible you will come across an absolute steal. Older couples downsizing now their kids are on their own, people who are looking to add to their vacation fund… there are so many reasons people basically give their stuff away.

Be confident and don’t be scared to negotiate. If a coffee table has a $20 price tag, try saying something like “Oh that would look soo good in my living room, but I only have $10 on me”. It’s more than likely the owner will take what you’ve got (or what you “said” you have) just to get it off their hands.

Tips for Shopping Online

Should we consider online shopping platforms like Wish and Temu a second-hand shopping option? It’s more about the actual quality of those products. You get what you pay for right? Just make sure to measure everything. Online measurements are precise so double-check your units (cm, in, ft).

And shipping? Pssh, that delivery person is going to earn their paper for hauling your 200 lb bed into your house. Obviously there are other costly factors in the shipping process, but that’s the point. Shipping heavy furniture is not cheap. If you’re lucky, snag deals with free shipping. Yeah, you might need to spend a little more to earn the discount but it might weigh out to the same cost of shipping which can be $30 to $50.

Price Guidance to Furniture for Cheap

It can be quite overwhelming to really think about all of the pieces you need in order to fill your home. The costs add up quicker than you can imagine. Here is a very broad breakdown of furniture pieces and what you can expect to shell out if you’re getting them brand new.

Living Room

• Sofa: $300 – $1,000
• Coffee table: $50 – $150
• Tv stand: $100 – $200
• Armchair: $150 – $300
• Bookshelf: $50 – $100

Dining Room

• Dining table: $150 – $600
• Seating (set of 4): $100 – $350
• Kitchen storage: $80 – $200

Bedroom

• Bed frame (queen size): $150 – $400
• Mattress (queen size): $250 – $1000+
• Nightstand: $50 – $100
• Dresser: $150 – $400

Home Office

• Desk: $100 – $300
• Office chair: $80 – $200

Other Miscellaneous Furniture

• Entryway bench: $80 – $150
• Ottoman/footstool: $30 – $80
• Lamps: $20 – $60
• Rugs (various sizes): $30 – $200+