If you’re living in a one-bedroom apartment, your furniture matters. But you don’t want to spend a lot of money on brand new furniture, or purchase a low quality piece from a superstore. Our advice? Find awesome stuff for cheap by thrifting.
Where to Start
You may have noticed some eclectic stores around your neighborhood but hadn’t been bold enough to step inside. These thrift stores can have the coolest couch you’ve ever seen from the 70s and beyond. Start making rounds at the thrift shops near you and you might end up catching something in great condition that you simply can’t live without.
If you don’t know of many near you, try this directory to locate some awesome vintage resale stores in your neighborhood.
Hint: Get outside of the heart of town for the best shopping. The prices are usually lower with more merchandise variety when you take the time to venture elsewhere.
Or, if you’re daring…
If you live in a city with a university, college kids move in and out of apartments like clockwork in May and August. When the U-Haul is full, the parents usually make the executive decision of what to leave behind. If you just happen to be around when the kids start hauling furniture to the curb or dumpster, you might have some free furniture on your hands.
If you’re looking at a piece that could use some TLC, just envision what a new coat of paint or a deep clean could do. Cleaning furniture is simple and can make it feel brand new.
Other Free Options
If you’re too scared to shop off the curb, you can take an extra step and go online to see where free furniture is. Lots of people post pictures of their furniture on Craigslist that they don’t want anymore and don’t want to move out of their apartment. If you go pick it up and bring a couple buddies to help, you can get some awesome stuff for free.
Good furniture shouldn’t be for a one-home use. Unless you plan on keeping a piece of furniture for many years, don’t buy new. Shop clearance furniture or exhaust your local resources to make your apartment look great, and leave some change in your wallet.
