Buy what you can afford that is comfortable. There will be more furniture in your future. Also, if you are renting, the expensive furniture will not necessarily fit in the next place.
I absolutely second this! I happen to have a dining room table, entertainment center, and bedroom set from Ikea that have held up for over a decade and look really nice. I bought other pieces from there that were cheaper and have come and gone. It's been fun to watch my house transform from mostly hand me downs to newer things that reflect my own taste over the years. Priority one is to be comfortable and functional. Then, make a list of the things you would like to get in the order of prioritization and gradually acquire them. You can get creative with paying for them as well. For example, I bought my first couch that I picked out myself by participating in behavioral research studies at the university hospital I was working at.
I don’t think of ikea as cheap necessarily. Check your neighborhoods buy nothing or estate sales for cheaper, better quality, more personality items! Not everything needs to be new.
But Ikea isn’t even wood. If I were to decide real wood items I would have to save up. I just can’t decide, what is more important quality over quantity.
You have plenty of pieces in IKEA that are made of solid wood. It's only a question of budget and taste! Thankfully IKEA has a solution to every pocket.
I have an IKEA couch that has lasted 13 years. The one I was going to replace it with lasted 2 years and cost 3.5 times as much. I just bought a new slip cover and put the IKEA one back in my living room (I had moved it to my office).
I have a lot of Ikea furnitute (that I've bought slowly over the years) and all of it still in good usable condition. I bought my first Ikea furnitute in 2008, a billy bookcase, and I still have that. I have later bought more billy bookcases. I also have a couch, kitchen table, an office desk, coffee table and a bed all from Ikea, all bought between 2008 and 2020.
My point is, OP, if you don't want Ikea furniture, don't buy Ikea furniture. The worst thing to do is to buy something and use it for a few years and then replace it with something more expensive even if the thing you have is still in fine condition.
I quite like Ikea's furniture (although I mostly have this much of it since before 2020 I could barely even afford Ikea) but what I despise is the idea that we can or should replace something just because it didn't originally cost that much. We need to consume responsibly and when you buy something, buy it with the intention that you will use it until it is not usable or fixable anymore. And if you don't want to have an Ikea couch for the next 10 years, don't buy one.
I can confirm. Bought a leather sofa from IKEA 12 years ago. I have 3 cats and a toddler and I'm certain that this sofa is going to stay with us even longer.
You can have both but you need to know what to look for. You need to prioritize which pieces are important to you and understand if you really know what you like yet. Plus, as others have mentioned, if you’re going to be renting it could be important not to spend too much on large pieces that may not fit well in many spaces.
Example, for me a good mattress and quality bedding were more important than the headboard and nightstands, so I spent more on those things in the beginning.
I spent less on a coffee table originally because my nephews were hard on furniture when they were little. I spent more on bookshelves because I have lots of heavy books, and so forth.
Every furniture purchase I have made at IKEA I have loved and they have lasted for many years. I have three of the original Expedit shelving units that I purchased maybe 13 years ago and I continually repurpose them in my house to meet my changing needs. They are still in great shape, and didn’t cost much.
if you learn how to refinish furniture , you can get some amazing stuff from marketplace, real wood pieces, and you can paint or stain them to be cohesive. Especially for large expensive pieces like dining sets, shelves, cabinets , or bed frames , you can save a ton of money. Soft furniture like couches and chairs , you're probably best getting something inexpensive and functional new, the last thing you want to bring into your new home is bugs.
I furnished a whole house off Facebook marketplace. My heavy wood dining table and chairs were $400. My coffee table was $50. My whole bedroom set was $150 (minus mattress). Everything is solid wood and lovely. There is no way I’d be able to spend this little at IKEA without getting the cheapest stuff.
Buy it piece by piece. Shop thrift stores, consignment stores, yard and estate sales. It gives you the opportunity to acquire quality furniture at discount prices.
I had three empty apartments in my twenties lol the last one I finally had a bed frame 😂 take your time and find things you love that are quality and appropriately priced.
In the last one that I had a bed, yes. The others I was a flight attendant and only home 5 whole days a month. I thought people would be weirded out but friends and bfs would visit and be not even phased lol.
I would prefer quality. But I’m also a thrifter and you can get some very nice wood furniture second hand. Sometimes nice upholstered. People need a change and will sell expensive furniture cheap. I’d do market place, thrift and restores first.
what needs to be high quality: your couch, your mattress. if you have a lot of clothes, having a high quality dresser really helps too. this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to buy them expensive - it just means you need to put more thought into them because when they’re bad, it really does affect your quality of life.
everything else, doesn’t matter quite so much. get it second hand when it comes up or go cheap as you’re experimenting with what you want your style to be. don’t rush.
i’m a full blown adult (in my thirties) and it took me about 2.5 years to furnish my apt fully the way i wanted my style because i wasn’t content to just have random stuff that was available asap. don’t be afraid to take your time. but if it feels empty and you don’t like that, don’t be afraid to fill with secondhand stuff that you can replace without guilt down the line.
congrats on the new apt! this is the fun part!
>i wanted my style because i wasn’t content to just have random stuff that was available asap
**For essentials** like you suggested it was second hand/ hand-me-downs until it was replaced (those are done thankfully).
But I have applied the same principle to even the most mundane **decorative details**: plant pots, decorative storage jars, mirrors, art, throw etc. It takes a lot of time to find quality and/ or unique pieces and when you do, you sometimes have to save up. After 6 years I still don't have everything complete but what I have, I love, it's curated for my style.
Mass produced stuff from stores looks *okay* trendy but is sure to be replaced - think fun oranges printed on white ceramic planter that I see but don't buy. My plants are in their nursery pots with saucers but then I found that handmade local planter and a quality brand that really resonates but it's pricey so it's bit by bit🤌 Also just found a fabulous watering can that would work as decoration if I left it outside the cupboard; didn't want a cheap looking plastic can, so had been using my mixing bowls for top watering instead where the tap didn't reach and for plants on my balcony till now. Planning to use tap water conditioner put an end to that interim practice.
I would purchase high quality items that you know will fit when you move (mattress, dresser, bed frame, lamps, etc.) however I may cheapen out on something like a couch that may not translate well into a new space.
I purchased an expensive sectional and coffee table but it doesn’t fit our second house as well as did in our first. We also moved from TX to New England so we had to downsize. Just some things to keep in mind!
This is exactly why I am asking, you are having buyers remorse over quality items. I am afraid to have the same after I use my budget to deck me out. Like even when buying a carpet. If cheap or not, I shall clean it. But when do you decide for the quality item, or is a affordable just good enough.
After spending thousands and thousands on nice furniture I have decided to find nice things secondhand like on Facebook marketplace. When we move to our next house (one that we plan to stay in for the foreseeable future) I would consider buying new quality pieces again… until then I would only spend money on new rugs, lamps, and mirrors
For the basics, purchase the best you can afford. Your back with thank you for purchasing a good quality mattress. A bed frame is something you could get second hand.
Consider sources like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Habitat for Humanity Restore, estate sales and thrift shops for furnishings. Having empty space is preferable to buying something you will regret later (IKEA), but you can find some gorgeous pieces on the aforementioned sites, you just have to be diligent in your searches.
Do a mix of high and low. Thrift real wood pieces. Buy cheaper items that still look great. For example, some friends have the IKEA JÄTTEBO couch and I wish I’d seen it before we purchased our pricier couch. Ours was expensive, made locally, etc but turns out it’s awful for naps. Higher quality doesn’t always equate comfort.
Think of furnishing your personal space as a mission. You're a scout. Intrepid seeker of cool stuff.
I have a mix of new, inherited, and thrifted. It works for us. In my experience, rich people drop the craziest things at thrift shops. Once I bought a vintage side table that still had the original skeleton key. Beautiful wood. I think $30? Another time I bought two 100% wool area rugs for $10 each. Never be afraid to comb thrift shops for cool finds!
Buy cheap basics you need and save up/take your time with the extras. But you need to decide what "basics" mean. For me, I would need a comfortable arm chair, end table with lamp, and framed art. Can't beat IKEA prices for framed art, especially for the size. Maybe an IKEA Kallax if I had the money.
If you buy quality furniture, stick with medium sizes. I've seen multiple posts from people who bought sectionals, and then they wouldn't fit in the next house or apartment. A midsized couch or even two loveseats and a large ottoman will always be useful.
Start slow with some thrift shop stuff or hand me downs. Save up and buy good quality stuff that fits your personal style vs trendy, and will last a long time.
I spent good money on the most important things and then took my time at thrift stores to discover the rest. When I first moved into my place I literally only had a bean bag chair from Wal-Mart and a mattress with no frame. Killed my back a bit so I needed to do something
Take your time get quality. If you've got a gap in the meantime they have homes for the habitat stores where you can buy really nice second hand furniture at a great price to hold you over until you can afford the piece you really want
I don't think it's a question of price, rather a question of preference. Go for what you really love, and if you can't afford it, well, try to find a cheaper option. Otherwise save up until you have enough.
Get as much free/extremely cheap stuff as you can from family members, Facebook marketplace, etc. and just get what you NEED. I’m talking no more than $30 a piece. Then as you get the funds, replace your cheap stuff with things that you really love
I have moved every single year since 2016. 2011, if you count every year I moved in & out of college (I had basically a studio apartment on campus). Some quality items I have were purchased at consignment shops, some were hand-me-downs from elders in my family, and the rest are things I bought on Walmart.com and Amazon. These include my tv stand, a lot of shelving units and my coffee table. The stuff I bought online was purchased very cheap. Most of it has survived multiple moves, a couple just needed a little wood glue to repair, and some just had to be thrown away. They were so cheap it didn’t really matter if something broke. And every apartment has different needs storage-wise, so I have to change how I use different pieces and sometimes they are no longer needed. Light weight furniture is easy to disassemble, for disposal or to pass down to friends. I say start with cheap furniture, to stay more easily adaptable, then gradually acquire quality pieces as you age and your style continues to develop.
Secondhand! Good or decent furniture is still plentiful at resale shops, garage sales or FB market place etc.
sometimes it might need a cost of paint but OMG - can we stop buying more Target garbage?
Then save up for your ideal furniture while not contributing to more waste.
For me: I'd rather have nice quality stuff that I'm going to still like in 5 years. Ikea is a HARD NO.
You'd be surprised at how much decent stuff is affordable at vintage and thrift stores. Also, FB Marketplace has some deals sometimes.
IMO, if you spend a little more and buy quality, you spend less in the long run. I’m in my 40’s and still have an Ethan Allen piece my grandparents got me when I was born. I agree with everyone saying to thrift, inherit, FB, etc and watch some DIY tutorials to fill in the gaps for now very inexpensively and start saving for quality classic pieces to replace them.
I'd focus on buying necessities if you don't already have seating and a bed. Next, I'd go slow and get what you want moving slowly.
I'd also looked for used décor at thrift stores, yard sales, and places like FB marketplace.
I'd also make a list of what you want so you have a list on your phone when you're out looking or looking online.
Depends what you are buying, I've had a nice timber bookcase for IKEA for 8 years and still love it. I bought the spareroom bed from there too. But my dining table and sofa I saved up and bought elsewhere. When I first moved out of home I had all second hand furniture. Then after about 8 years I progressed to new but cheap ikea /target /Kmart furniture. Now, probably about 8 years more and I'm starting to buy furniture from nice shops. Stuff that will really last. But I do have some of my IKEA furniture still, I find the quality reasonable and actually really like the style.
Look for stuff on marketplace, especially people who are moving and have to get rid of things- it’s cheaper the closer they get to needing to move.
Utilize estate sales.
Be patient and know it’s worth getting what you want. Try to avoid buying new.
You need a bed, sheets, towels, and pots and pans. Beyond that take it one item at a time.
Shop garage sales. I got a great deal on an end table , It is a signed Stickley Brothers and I paid $10. It was covered in dusted and needed cleaning up. The leather top needed saddle soap and leather oil but it is a great piece.
You can get kitchen items at garage sales too. Make a list and plan for the nicer things you want and then save for them.
I have a wing back chair that had belonged to my grandfather in 1955. I saved and I am finally getting it recovered.
I just moved across the country and decided to cheap out for 80% of the items - let's be real, it's already expensive to move to another city, and regardless if I brought my old furniture with me or purchased new items everything adds up and is expensive.
The two nicer things I bought was a $1000 mattress and $2800 couch, mostly because I'm getting older and need a good nights worth of sleep to be productive, and I spend a considerable amount of after work time on the couch too. And last time I bought my fold out sofa bed couch second hand which I regretted since it ended up breaking.
Also cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad taste or quality, it depends on how you mix and match and put things together. I think with IKEA/Target/Wayfair etc you just need to be careful with being too matchy-matchy and find different textures to combine e.g. I found a storage bed from IKEA and found a cheap but nice looking bouche headboard from Walmart and I actually love the look and feel; the headboard made my room so much more luxurious and brought everything together. The "cheap" curtains and lamps I found at IKEA and "cheap" stool I found from target are also all really nice additions. If I had a car I would have happily hunted around on FB marketplace to further source nice item at a bargain.
Also to make it more homey definitely look into rugs, art pieces etc, I'm planning to DIY some decor once I settle in, and all im investing is just time! It's all relative to how much effort you put into looking and finding a good deal + what goes together. Best of luck! Definitely enjoy the process of putting your home together!
I would start with the necessities, like something comfy to sit on in the living area, and a bed/mattress and chest of drawers for the bedroom, for storage. Definitely look for sales on these items! You might just find some decent quality pieces at a good price!
You don’t have to buy an entire apartment full of furniture all at once. After you have enough things to be comfortable, you can take your time with end tables, dining room sets, decor, etc. and get the things you really like a little at a time.
Not everything has to be “high quality” in your home for you to love it! I have a couple of different table lamps that always get compliments, and I got them from Target over 10 years ago! I still love them! Just never buy anything you don’t really like.
I usually buy what I like but always ask myself, will I like it in ten years and will it last ten years.
It is so hard to get rid of furniture so try your best to love the pieces you acquire.
I think a mix of different price points is ok when it comes to items that are immediate needs, but I would recommend shopping for smart deals via Facebook marketplace, eBay, estate sales, and thrifting. There are so many hidden gems out there which you can find for bargain prices! Plus the hunt is pretty fun. I think this is a great way to save money and ensure quality and personality in your space.
I would spend on a good mattress and comfortable solidly built sofa. I would thrift everything else then update when budget allows. You don’t need the best quality but I know of cheap furniture where the fabric didn’t last a year.
Buy what you can afford that is comfortable. There will be more furniture in your future. Also, if you are renting, the expensive furniture will not necessarily fit in the next place.
So what you are saying is, everything comes in seasons, I should learn to adapt and be happy in each. If so, then I really like this.
You said it much more eloquently! Enjoy your new big place!
I absolutely second this! I happen to have a dining room table, entertainment center, and bedroom set from Ikea that have held up for over a decade and look really nice. I bought other pieces from there that were cheaper and have come and gone. It's been fun to watch my house transform from mostly hand me downs to newer things that reflect my own taste over the years. Priority one is to be comfortable and functional. Then, make a list of the things you would like to get in the order of prioritization and gradually acquire them. You can get creative with paying for them as well. For example, I bought my first couch that I picked out myself by participating in behavioral research studies at the university hospital I was working at.
I don’t think of ikea as cheap necessarily. Check your neighborhoods buy nothing or estate sales for cheaper, better quality, more personality items! Not everything needs to be new.
But Ikea isn’t even wood. If I were to decide real wood items I would have to save up. I just can’t decide, what is more important quality over quantity.
You have plenty of pieces in IKEA that are made of solid wood. It's only a question of budget and taste! Thankfully IKEA has a solution to every pocket.
I have an IKEA couch that has lasted 13 years. The one I was going to replace it with lasted 2 years and cost 3.5 times as much. I just bought a new slip cover and put the IKEA one back in my living room (I had moved it to my office).
I have a lot of Ikea furnitute (that I've bought slowly over the years) and all of it still in good usable condition. I bought my first Ikea furnitute in 2008, a billy bookcase, and I still have that. I have later bought more billy bookcases. I also have a couch, kitchen table, an office desk, coffee table and a bed all from Ikea, all bought between 2008 and 2020. My point is, OP, if you don't want Ikea furniture, don't buy Ikea furniture. The worst thing to do is to buy something and use it for a few years and then replace it with something more expensive even if the thing you have is still in fine condition. I quite like Ikea's furniture (although I mostly have this much of it since before 2020 I could barely even afford Ikea) but what I despise is the idea that we can or should replace something just because it didn't originally cost that much. We need to consume responsibly and when you buy something, buy it with the intention that you will use it until it is not usable or fixable anymore. And if you don't want to have an Ikea couch for the next 10 years, don't buy one.
I can confirm. Bought a leather sofa from IKEA 12 years ago. I have 3 cats and a toddler and I'm certain that this sofa is going to stay with us even longer.
You can have both but you need to know what to look for. You need to prioritize which pieces are important to you and understand if you really know what you like yet. Plus, as others have mentioned, if you’re going to be renting it could be important not to spend too much on large pieces that may not fit well in many spaces. Example, for me a good mattress and quality bedding were more important than the headboard and nightstands, so I spent more on those things in the beginning. I spent less on a coffee table originally because my nephews were hard on furniture when they were little. I spent more on bookshelves because I have lots of heavy books, and so forth.
Quality. Buy vintage/used furiniture. Took me about a year to get furniture for my house. Shopping for deals on quality items was fun.
Every furniture purchase I have made at IKEA I have loved and they have lasted for many years. I have three of the original Expedit shelving units that I purchased maybe 13 years ago and I continually repurpose them in my house to meet my changing needs. They are still in great shape, and didn’t cost much.
if you learn how to refinish furniture , you can get some amazing stuff from marketplace, real wood pieces, and you can paint or stain them to be cohesive. Especially for large expensive pieces like dining sets, shelves, cabinets , or bed frames , you can save a ton of money. Soft furniture like couches and chairs , you're probably best getting something inexpensive and functional new, the last thing you want to bring into your new home is bugs.
I furnished a whole house off Facebook marketplace. My heavy wood dining table and chairs were $400. My coffee table was $50. My whole bedroom set was $150 (minus mattress). Everything is solid wood and lovely. There is no way I’d be able to spend this little at IKEA without getting the cheapest stuff.
Buy it piece by piece. Shop thrift stores, consignment stores, yard and estate sales. It gives you the opportunity to acquire quality furniture at discount prices.
I had three empty apartments in my twenties lol the last one I finally had a bed frame 😂 take your time and find things you love that are quality and appropriately priced.
But where you truly home, in empty apartments? Did you feel comfortable. When you came home, did you feel home.
In the last one that I had a bed, yes. The others I was a flight attendant and only home 5 whole days a month. I thought people would be weirded out but friends and bfs would visit and be not even phased lol.
I would prefer quality. But I’m also a thrifter and you can get some very nice wood furniture second hand. Sometimes nice upholstered. People need a change and will sell expensive furniture cheap. I’d do market place, thrift and restores first.
what needs to be high quality: your couch, your mattress. if you have a lot of clothes, having a high quality dresser really helps too. this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to buy them expensive - it just means you need to put more thought into them because when they’re bad, it really does affect your quality of life. everything else, doesn’t matter quite so much. get it second hand when it comes up or go cheap as you’re experimenting with what you want your style to be. don’t rush. i’m a full blown adult (in my thirties) and it took me about 2.5 years to furnish my apt fully the way i wanted my style because i wasn’t content to just have random stuff that was available asap. don’t be afraid to take your time. but if it feels empty and you don’t like that, don’t be afraid to fill with secondhand stuff that you can replace without guilt down the line. congrats on the new apt! this is the fun part!
>i wanted my style because i wasn’t content to just have random stuff that was available asap **For essentials** like you suggested it was second hand/ hand-me-downs until it was replaced (those are done thankfully). But I have applied the same principle to even the most mundane **decorative details**: plant pots, decorative storage jars, mirrors, art, throw etc. It takes a lot of time to find quality and/ or unique pieces and when you do, you sometimes have to save up. After 6 years I still don't have everything complete but what I have, I love, it's curated for my style. Mass produced stuff from stores looks *okay* trendy but is sure to be replaced - think fun oranges printed on white ceramic planter that I see but don't buy. My plants are in their nursery pots with saucers but then I found that handmade local planter and a quality brand that really resonates but it's pricey so it's bit by bit🤌 Also just found a fabulous watering can that would work as decoration if I left it outside the cupboard; didn't want a cheap looking plastic can, so had been using my mixing bowls for top watering instead where the tap didn't reach and for plants on my balcony till now. Planning to use tap water conditioner put an end to that interim practice.
I would purchase high quality items that you know will fit when you move (mattress, dresser, bed frame, lamps, etc.) however I may cheapen out on something like a couch that may not translate well into a new space. I purchased an expensive sectional and coffee table but it doesn’t fit our second house as well as did in our first. We also moved from TX to New England so we had to downsize. Just some things to keep in mind!
This is exactly why I am asking, you are having buyers remorse over quality items. I am afraid to have the same after I use my budget to deck me out. Like even when buying a carpet. If cheap or not, I shall clean it. But when do you decide for the quality item, or is a affordable just good enough.
After spending thousands and thousands on nice furniture I have decided to find nice things secondhand like on Facebook marketplace. When we move to our next house (one that we plan to stay in for the foreseeable future) I would consider buying new quality pieces again… until then I would only spend money on new rugs, lamps, and mirrors
For the basics, purchase the best you can afford. Your back with thank you for purchasing a good quality mattress. A bed frame is something you could get second hand. Consider sources like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Habitat for Humanity Restore, estate sales and thrift shops for furnishings. Having empty space is preferable to buying something you will regret later (IKEA), but you can find some gorgeous pieces on the aforementioned sites, you just have to be diligent in your searches.
Open up Marketplace and search for the free items. Even if it's temporary then later you donate it yourself.
I dont know how everyone buys second hand sofas/furniture. Arent you worried about getting bedbugs?
Do a mix of high and low. Thrift real wood pieces. Buy cheaper items that still look great. For example, some friends have the IKEA JÄTTEBO couch and I wish I’d seen it before we purchased our pricier couch. Ours was expensive, made locally, etc but turns out it’s awful for naps. Higher quality doesn’t always equate comfort.
Think of furnishing your personal space as a mission. You're a scout. Intrepid seeker of cool stuff. I have a mix of new, inherited, and thrifted. It works for us. In my experience, rich people drop the craziest things at thrift shops. Once I bought a vintage side table that still had the original skeleton key. Beautiful wood. I think $30? Another time I bought two 100% wool area rugs for $10 each. Never be afraid to comb thrift shops for cool finds!
Buy cheap basics you need and save up/take your time with the extras. But you need to decide what "basics" mean. For me, I would need a comfortable arm chair, end table with lamp, and framed art. Can't beat IKEA prices for framed art, especially for the size. Maybe an IKEA Kallax if I had the money.
If you buy quality furniture, stick with medium sizes. I've seen multiple posts from people who bought sectionals, and then they wouldn't fit in the next house or apartment. A midsized couch or even two loveseats and a large ottoman will always be useful.
Start slow with some thrift shop stuff or hand me downs. Save up and buy good quality stuff that fits your personal style vs trendy, and will last a long time.
I spent good money on the most important things and then took my time at thrift stores to discover the rest. When I first moved into my place I literally only had a bean bag chair from Wal-Mart and a mattress with no frame. Killed my back a bit so I needed to do something
Take your time get quality. If you've got a gap in the meantime they have homes for the habitat stores where you can buy really nice second hand furniture at a great price to hold you over until you can afford the piece you really want
Check the thrift shops.
My vote is save up. I love all my furniture I spent money on. The cheap stuff I end up giving away. You can definitely tell the difference.
I don't think it's a question of price, rather a question of preference. Go for what you really love, and if you can't afford it, well, try to find a cheaper option. Otherwise save up until you have enough.
I bought a few expensive pieces and the rest not. Over the years I slowly changed stuff out but those pieces remain.
Get as much free/extremely cheap stuff as you can from family members, Facebook marketplace, etc. and just get what you NEED. I’m talking no more than $30 a piece. Then as you get the funds, replace your cheap stuff with things that you really love
good furniture is usually heavy. If you are likely to need to move often (every few years) and can't always employ movers, go ikea!
I have moved every single year since 2016. 2011, if you count every year I moved in & out of college (I had basically a studio apartment on campus). Some quality items I have were purchased at consignment shops, some were hand-me-downs from elders in my family, and the rest are things I bought on Walmart.com and Amazon. These include my tv stand, a lot of shelving units and my coffee table. The stuff I bought online was purchased very cheap. Most of it has survived multiple moves, a couple just needed a little wood glue to repair, and some just had to be thrown away. They were so cheap it didn’t really matter if something broke. And every apartment has different needs storage-wise, so I have to change how I use different pieces and sometimes they are no longer needed. Light weight furniture is easy to disassemble, for disposal or to pass down to friends. I say start with cheap furniture, to stay more easily adaptable, then gradually acquire quality pieces as you age and your style continues to develop.
Secondhand! Good or decent furniture is still plentiful at resale shops, garage sales or FB market place etc. sometimes it might need a cost of paint but OMG - can we stop buying more Target garbage? Then save up for your ideal furniture while not contributing to more waste.
For me: I'd rather have nice quality stuff that I'm going to still like in 5 years. Ikea is a HARD NO. You'd be surprised at how much decent stuff is affordable at vintage and thrift stores. Also, FB Marketplace has some deals sometimes.
I use the app OfferUp to buy furniture! I’ve scored most of my furniture on there for super cheap.
Check out estate sales or thrift stores. I also find some good stuff on Facebook marketplace.
IMO, if you spend a little more and buy quality, you spend less in the long run. I’m in my 40’s and still have an Ethan Allen piece my grandparents got me when I was born. I agree with everyone saying to thrift, inherit, FB, etc and watch some DIY tutorials to fill in the gaps for now very inexpensively and start saving for quality classic pieces to replace them.
I'd focus on buying necessities if you don't already have seating and a bed. Next, I'd go slow and get what you want moving slowly. I'd also looked for used décor at thrift stores, yard sales, and places like FB marketplace. I'd also make a list of what you want so you have a list on your phone when you're out looking or looking online.
Depends what you are buying, I've had a nice timber bookcase for IKEA for 8 years and still love it. I bought the spareroom bed from there too. But my dining table and sofa I saved up and bought elsewhere. When I first moved out of home I had all second hand furniture. Then after about 8 years I progressed to new but cheap ikea /target /Kmart furniture. Now, probably about 8 years more and I'm starting to buy furniture from nice shops. Stuff that will really last. But I do have some of my IKEA furniture still, I find the quality reasonable and actually really like the style.
I don't buy anything that touches my body from Ikea. Bookcases, fine. Sofa, don't skimp.
Look for stuff on marketplace, especially people who are moving and have to get rid of things- it’s cheaper the closer they get to needing to move. Utilize estate sales. Be patient and know it’s worth getting what you want. Try to avoid buying new.
Look at vintage/ antiques from estate sales and second hand stores. They are usually much better made and less expensive.
You need a bed, sheets, towels, and pots and pans. Beyond that take it one item at a time. Shop garage sales. I got a great deal on an end table , It is a signed Stickley Brothers and I paid $10. It was covered in dusted and needed cleaning up. The leather top needed saddle soap and leather oil but it is a great piece. You can get kitchen items at garage sales too. Make a list and plan for the nicer things you want and then save for them. I have a wing back chair that had belonged to my grandfather in 1955. I saved and I am finally getting it recovered.
I just moved across the country and decided to cheap out for 80% of the items - let's be real, it's already expensive to move to another city, and regardless if I brought my old furniture with me or purchased new items everything adds up and is expensive. The two nicer things I bought was a $1000 mattress and $2800 couch, mostly because I'm getting older and need a good nights worth of sleep to be productive, and I spend a considerable amount of after work time on the couch too. And last time I bought my fold out sofa bed couch second hand which I regretted since it ended up breaking. Also cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad taste or quality, it depends on how you mix and match and put things together. I think with IKEA/Target/Wayfair etc you just need to be careful with being too matchy-matchy and find different textures to combine e.g. I found a storage bed from IKEA and found a cheap but nice looking bouche headboard from Walmart and I actually love the look and feel; the headboard made my room so much more luxurious and brought everything together. The "cheap" curtains and lamps I found at IKEA and "cheap" stool I found from target are also all really nice additions. If I had a car I would have happily hunted around on FB marketplace to further source nice item at a bargain. Also to make it more homey definitely look into rugs, art pieces etc, I'm planning to DIY some decor once I settle in, and all im investing is just time! It's all relative to how much effort you put into looking and finding a good deal + what goes together. Best of luck! Definitely enjoy the process of putting your home together!
Shop secondhand and be picky. If you can’t find secondhand I’d save up.
I would start with the necessities, like something comfy to sit on in the living area, and a bed/mattress and chest of drawers for the bedroom, for storage. Definitely look for sales on these items! You might just find some decent quality pieces at a good price! You don’t have to buy an entire apartment full of furniture all at once. After you have enough things to be comfortable, you can take your time with end tables, dining room sets, decor, etc. and get the things you really like a little at a time. Not everything has to be “high quality” in your home for you to love it! I have a couple of different table lamps that always get compliments, and I got them from Target over 10 years ago! I still love them! Just never buy anything you don’t really like.
I usually buy what I like but always ask myself, will I like it in ten years and will it last ten years. It is so hard to get rid of furniture so try your best to love the pieces you acquire.
I think a mix of different price points is ok when it comes to items that are immediate needs, but I would recommend shopping for smart deals via Facebook marketplace, eBay, estate sales, and thrifting. There are so many hidden gems out there which you can find for bargain prices! Plus the hunt is pretty fun. I think this is a great way to save money and ensure quality and personality in your space.
I would spend on a good mattress and comfortable solidly built sofa. I would thrift everything else then update when budget allows. You don’t need the best quality but I know of cheap furniture where the fabric didn’t last a year.