Ten Places To Find Cheap Furnishings For Your New Home

Read More About Home Improvement

Whether you're moving into your first apartment from college or just bought a home of your own, if you have a new place to furnish, you could be looking at thousands of dollars in furniture bills. Luckily, there are actually a number of places where you can find cheap - but great - furniture at a number of different places.
Yard Sales
Not every yard sale find you come across is junk. People sometimes sell items at yard sales because they simply don't want the pieces in their own house anymore. Transporting and getting rid of items can actually be time-consuming and expensive, so selling the pieces at a yard sale is often a better choice. For the best bet at finding good pieces, go to community yard sales where you can hit many houses at once, bring plenty of cash, be prepared to negotiate, and leave early in the morning before all the good stuff is gone.
Furniture Rental Stores
With any furniture rental store, there comes a point when the furniture can no longer be rented. That doesn't mean that the piece is junk. Sometimes, the pieces just have stains on the fabric, pet damage on the wood, or need a fresh coat of paint. It is easier for the rental store to sell these pieces than it is to refurbish them, and they'll often give you a highly discounted price. All you have to do is ask! Along the same lines, you can check with local home staging companies who may be selling old, outdated, or damaged pieces they can no longer use.
Showroom Floors
Almost every furniture store has a showroom where they display the styles they have for sale. These styles change with the seasons, of course, and when they do, the furniture stores sell the showroom models at a discounted price since they were slightly used. Your color options will be limited, and you may have to buff our a few scratches, but overall, the pieces should be in excellent condition.
Friends and Family
Don't overlook the generosity of friends and family members when you're trying to furnish a new home. You don't have to outright ask for donations if that makes you uncomfortable - but just mention that you're furnishing a new place and would be interested in hand-me-downs. Take everything that's offered, graciously, and don't forget to pass on the pieces to others in the future.
Online Sources
When you purchase furniture online, you can often get a better deal, even though you have to pay for shipping. You can also find deals online through eBay and Craig's List that allow you to pick up your purchase from local sellers. Be wary of anything that seems too good to be true, and ask tons of questions before shelling out any money, though.
College Sales
Did you know that most colleges have warehouses filled with furniture that's not being used? When dorms get new furniture or classrooms and offices are re-purposed, lots gets thrown away, but there are also many pieces in great condition that they keep. Every few years, most colleges sell these items. Usually, the sale is in-house, advertised only to students and college employees, but if you ask, most are willing to let you look through their stockpile as well. Be forewarned - this stuff usually isn't in the best condition - but it is usually structurally sound and works well for a first place until you save the money to buy other furniture.
Estate Sales
Open you newspaper's classifieds and you'll likely see a number of listings for estate sales. Usually, these sales take place when someone dies and their heirs need to sell everything in the house. The furniture may be a little outdated in some cases, but you can find great deals, since most of the people who go to the sales will likely be bidding on antiques and other pieces. Get there early to look at the items whenever possible.
Outlet Stores
Outlets aren't just good for clothing and dinnerware. Most major furniture manufacturers have at least one outlet store somewhere in the world - and many have several outlet stores all over the country. When you purchase items from an outlet, you may have to settle for pieces that have slight defects or are past seasons' styles, but overall, you should find quality items at very low prices.
Flea Markets
Like at yard sales, flea markets often have great furniture pieces, but you have to be willing to really hunt for them. Some of the pieces you may find will be stained or otherwise damaged, but if you're willing to really look, you can usually find pieces that are structurally sound and able to be refinished. New upholstery costs a lot less than brand new furniture.
Consignment Shops
Lastly, check with consignment shops when you're hunting for new furniture. These stores have new pieces arriving all the time, so even if you don't see anything you like today, there may completely new pieces in the same shop tomorrow. Theses are usually previously-owned pieces akin to what you'd find at a yard sale, flea market, or estate sale, so you may have to sift through some junk before you find pieces worth buying to add to your new home.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

For more home improvement advice or to find local general contractors visit www.handycanadian.com

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Home Improvement Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Home | Home Improvement

Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap

New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service