So, I’m (hopefully) moving in to a townhome in March. The last 2-3 places I lived in were furnished, so now I’m having to factor in furniture to my budget.
I have some things, of course: a computer desk, a writing desk, a bookcase, a table & chairs & swivel chair from my mom.
But of the bigger ticket items, looks like I’m going to be buying the following:
[ul]
[li]Master Bedroom Bed [/li][li]Spare room Bed[/li][li]Couch[/li][li]Loveseat/Side Chair[/li][li]TV[/li][li]Washer[/li][li]Dryer[/li][/ul]
There are other things as well (DVD player, vacuum, etc.) but those are the more obvious gaps in my earthly posessions. I know what things are more of a priority for me, and what things I can limp along without for a while, but I was curious.
If you needed the listed items and could only buy one at a time - which things would you try to buy first? Which thing would it be more of a struggle to go without?
See, when I moved to Denver, I actually slept on a blow up mattress for the first few months and have been toying with that. I guess I’m more interested in having a place for friends to sit. But I know I’m weird.
I would actually get a vacuum first, especially if there was going to be a period of time where I’d be sleeping on or near the floor. Then my list would go:
Couch
Washer & Dryer
TV
Bed for master bedroom
Then the rest as I could afford or as I needed, but the spare room bed would be the last thing (since it wouldn’t be for my personal use or comfort).
Until I could get a bed I would definitely get a good air mattress or futon, but I could sleep on a couch for a bit if I needed to, so that would probably be the first piece of furniture I’d buy.
Get a futon first, then enough seating to seat everyone who lives there. The futon will double as seating, become a couch after you get a real bed, and then it can become the guest bed. Then a washer. Everything can be hung to dry, but going to the laundrymat is a pain, as is washing everything in the tub. Just being able to wash in your own place will save you quite a bit of money over the long run. You can rent furniture, by the way, though I wouldn’t do it for more than a few months. TVs are ridiculously cheap, if you don’t demand an HD or plasma TV.
Find a thrift shop or three, and be prepared to go two or three times a week. The good stuff will sell quickly, which is why you need to go so often. Also, there’s no shame in cruising the curbs on the evening before garbage pickup day…especially when you go on the evening before the bulk trash is going to be picked up for the month. Cruise in the higher price neighborhoods, and around college dorms. You can sometimes find some very good stuff when the semester is over, as the students whose parents are paying for everything will pitch perfectly good furniture and electronics rather than try to move it.
Now I, personally, would be very wary of anything upholstered or stuffed, like a mattress or furniture, that I got from a thrift shop or off the curb. But I’ve never been that desperate.
A futon’s a good idea to kill two birds with one stone - modern futons with springs in them are very comfortable, and can double as a couch and a bed. A couch would be top of my list - you can make do without just about everything except a place to sit comfortably. ETA: The futon in the living room can get moved into the spare bedroom after you buy a real couch. You don’t have to buy all this stuff at once.
Next on my list would be the master bedroom bed. We splurged a bit on our last bed, and it has been worth every penny.
You can indeed get by on just a washer, but if you’re buying new, you’ll find that pairs of washer and dryer are actually cheaper, so I’d just buy the set together (and have, twice now!).
Are you open to used furniture? You can pick up couches, chairs, all that stuff for much less than new going to your local online used sites (my locals are freecycle and usedcalgary.com). I’m not really looking for anything, but I like to peruse the sites just to see what’s available anyway. I wouldn’t buy a bed that way (I want to get maximum life out of a bed purchase), but I have no problems with used couches or chairs. Heck, most of my furniture right now is still hand-me-downs from family. You can find some sweet deals that way, from people who have to get rid of practically new furniture/appliances/etc.
Provided you have an inflatable bed to sleep on during the acquisition phase:
TV
couch
washer/dryer (depending on how near/expensive the laundromat is, this can drop down on the list)
master bedroom bed
assorted side chairs/loveseats etc.
I don’t know if you have Ashley Furniture where you live but it’s pretty reasonable and fairly well made. I caught a sale right and furnished my entire house (living room, dining room and master bedroom - including dressers, night stands, mirror and mattress/box spring) for $7K, which included delivery and set-up. And I went higher end on the bedroom furniture (I really wanted a canopy bed. Which I got. And which doesn’t fit because the ceiling is too low. :mad:)
When I moved in to my first place (I know this isn’t your first place :)) all I ended up needing to buy was a washer and dryer and stove. I had my bed, and everything else - fridge, couch, guest bed, television - was foisted upon me by people who couldn’t wait to get rid of theirs.
I still have everything everyone gave me after 5 years, except I finally got rid of the fridge at the end of last year, opting for something more energy efficient.
I would buy a bed first, then laundry, and either go without the other stuff for a bit or buy cheapy used ones until you can afford what you really want.
Actually, I don’t need a fridge, FRM, it comes with the rental
I actually know of 2 households that are moving (one out of the country) so I’ve already put feelers in for that stuff. And like I said in the OP, I know what my priorities and plans are.
But I was just curious how other people would do it.
And Surly, I appreciate your suggestion - but aint no way I’m going to pay 7k at this point in my life. I’m a cash only kind of chick - so I will be doing a lot of craigslist/thrift shop/garage saling.
I’ll do the mattresses new and if the couch isn’t leatherish, probably that too over time.
Been there! The only reason I could afford it was because I ended up paying less for a house than I had budgeted for. The furniture was the most money I’d ever spent at one time with the exception of a car (and the house.) But to put it in perspective, there was a super cool chaise lounge that I saw at Ethan Allen and really, really wanted. It was $5,500! :eek: The kind saleswoman said I could get it for “substantially” cheaper if I went with cloth upholstry instead of the original leather. “Cheaper” price: $3,700. For one stinking piece of furniture! Needless to say, I am chaiseless.
Yeah, I’ve been there too. Back in the 90s I went out and paid about 3k for a bedroom set, living room set, and dining room table w/ chairs. It was nice having all new things - not that they stayed that way between the HATT and the 2 clawing cats.
I let him take the furniture and the cats and pretty much left home with whatever fit in my Toyota Corolla. But I admit, sleeping on a coleman mattress on the cement floor of my basement apartment, I slept better than I had in at least 5 years. So I’m not afraid to go there again if I must.
(Although, we do have a very nice IKEA in town - so don’t think I won’t be cruising there for ideas.)
Sorry - Husband At The Time. I would say “ex” but he wasn’t an “ex” then. “My then-husband” or “husband at the time” gets wordy - so I shorten it to HATT when I’m talking about my ex back when he was my husband.
[li]Master Bedroom Bed [/li][li]Spare room Bed[/li][li]Couch[/li][li]Loveseat/Side Chair[/li][li]TV[/li][li]Washer[/li][li]Dryer[/li][/QUOTE]
Years ago I moved into an unfurnished apartment without having enough money to buy furniture. I would have enough once I got paid, though. So I rented a bed for one month. That’s not a good option long-term, but it works well to “bridge you over.”
I would start with your bed, then the living room stuff. You don’t need to get the spare room bed until someone is going to need it; as for the washing machinery, find a laundromat. It’s only you, isn’t it? So you should be fine going to the laundromat once a week or once every two weeks.
Be on the lookout for secondhand sources. The bed I ended up getting was a hand-me-down from a coworker: I would never have bought a bed with pink roses painted on little porcelain spheres as part of the head- and foot-rests, but for that price, I sure didn’t complain!
Myself, I’d buy the washer because it’s really going to impact your life, directly, immediately and positively. I loath hauling clothes to the laundromat.
After that, I’d get a mattress for the floor. Then haunt the second hand stores for the rest. Putting out feelers, to people who will soon be heading off somewhere else, is a great first step.
If you can relax and take your time, you’ll do just fine.
Then my list would go: