Outfitting your home or apartment involves making some difficult choices. Should you try to save money as much as possible and go for discount furniture, or should you splash out on quality furniture that will last a lifetime? Whether you have a new home, or you’re one of the 9% of Americans who haven’t updated their decor in a decade, here are some tips on how to make the most of your budget at a furniture sale.
Think about where you need quality furniture and areas of the house where you can go cheaper. Let’s face it: hardly any of us can afford to just run out and buy all-new, quality furniture and accessories for every room of the house all at once. The key is knowing when it really matters that you have quality furniture, and when it is fine to use more inexpensive home furniture or decoration.
The Bedroom
Where To Spend
In the bedroom, you absolutely need a great mattress. Your sleep quality is greatly affected by your mattress, and sleep quality in turn affects nearly all of your life. If you’re going to splurge on anything in the bedroom, make sure it’s the new mattress. It’s also important to have good window treatments. For one thing, your windows need to give you privacy when you need it, and they need to make it very dark at night so you can sleep well. For another, windows are the focal point of any room, meaning that you and everyone else will notice if you go cheap.
Where to Save
You simply do not need sheets that cost a thousand dollars. Those sheets that advertise as hotel quality or have high thread counts are not necessarily going to be any better. All that matters is that you think they feel nice. If you do, feel free to save money here. The same is true of area rugs. If you’re getting some throw rugs for the bedroom, remember that they’re going to take a beating. Don’t spend too much on these.
The Living Areas
Where to Spend
Your sofa or armchair is really important. You want quality furniture that will be comfortable, look great, and last a long time. Get one made of quality materials and make sure you spend some time sitting on it in the store to make sure it feels just the way you want. If you want a table to eat at, this is another area where you want to go for quality furniture. You need something that can withstand daily use, look good for a long time, and enhance the look of the room.
Where to Save
Side tables, decorations, and lighting are all areas where you can afford to get something a bit cheaper. Side or end tables never get the abuse that a dining table endures, and by their very nature, they’re usually in corners and away from direct lighting. Speaking of lighting, it’s possible to get lovely, cute, eclectic, or unique lamps and lights for very reasonable prices. There’s no need to splash out on a crystal chandelier. Finally, remember that anything can be art. Decorations should reflect your style and values, but it doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg.
By thinking in advance about where you need quality furniture and where you can afford to make do with simpler items, you can outfit your home or apartment affordably, yet be sure of having pieces that will last.