How I Furnished My Home on a Budget

Whether you’ve just bought a beautiful new house or you’re renting a gorgeous new apartment, chances are your money is tied up in a lot of things; deposits, bills and rent to name a few! And if you’re like me and rented somewhere that was unfurnished, then you’re going to need to spend more money to get the place in a state that you can actually live in… or do you? Just because your lovely new space is unfurnished, doesn’t mean you have to blow a load of money on shiny new furniture. There are fantastic ways to furnish your home on the cheap, and here are my stellar tips on how to do just that. 

Unwanted Furniture from Friends, Family and Selling Sites

The first thing I would highly recommend is asking around to see if anyone has any unwanted furniture taking off their hands. I gained a sofa, two armchairs, my bed and my fridge (bonus!) from just asking friends and family, and did pretty well if I don’t say so myself. Selling pages on Social Media and Buy and Sell websites often have ads for furniture that people are giving away as they are moving house and ‘need gone’ as quickly as possible. And even if they’re not free, chances are there are pieces of furniture going for only a few euro.

Get Creative and Upcycle

Get your paint, sanding paper and tape measure at the ready! Upcycling is a fantastic way to take an old, unloved piece of furniture and turn it into something truly magnificent. You can find old coffee tables, chairs and all sorts at your local recycling centre or in charity shops, often selling for pitance. I am now a proud owner of a cute little side table, that has a lovely paper collage on the top; the table cost me next to nothing and I had great fun in the process! With a little search on Pinterest, you can create the coolest and most beautifully unique furniture for your home using unwanted furniture.

Buy Second Hand

In charity shops or online, you can find some fantastic pre-loved furniture that is still in good knick! I found a lovely sofa bed for the spare room, which was in great condition, was half the price of a new sofa bed and the money went to charity. Have a look around and see what you find before you buy new, you may be surprised!

DIY

If you’re feeling really creative, you can even make your own furniture using materials that are going spare or selling cheap. A pallet bed is a great idea if you don’t want to splash the cash. Ask around at local building companies or even supermarkets to see if they have any pallets going spare. You may even find these at the recycling centre. You can get some fantastic ideas online for homemade furniture, such as coffee tables, chairs or blinds for your windows. You will be surprised at how easy it can be to make your own furniture - just make sure it’s sturdy before you or anyone else uses it!

I hope this has inspired you to get creative with your furniture and save some cash! If you are thinking of buying some new furniture, take a look at Babateen’s beautiful custom made furniture. Babateen creates space saving furniture too, which is perfect for those who have just moved in to a small apartment! Take a look at space saving furniture here.