When you have a whole house to fill with furniture, it can become an expensive endeavor. Even if you want to inject some personality into your property, you might find yourself falling back onto the same old ideas of flat pack furniture that everyone else has too.
If you want to save money and be unique, you could think about buying second hand furniture. Used items (not counting antiques, of course) are often much cheaper than new ones, and if they need any work done at all, it can be minimal. You might prefer to leave them as they come, complete with the patina of yesteryear.
If you choose to go with second hand furniture for your home, there are some things to think about and some pointers to bear in mind so that you don’t buy something that you have to throw out or that really doesn’t work for you. Read on to find out more.
Try Before You Buy
It doesn’t matter if you’re buying a bed, a couch, a dining table and chairs, or even a bathtub; you have to try it out before committing to spending any money. The gorgeous old chair you find might look like the right fit for your living room, but if it’s not comfortable, then you’re never going to use it and it will be a waste of money.
As well as making sure the furniture is fit for purpose, you must check it for any damage too. This is why it can be hard to buy online; it’s often better – and more fun – to head to a flea market instead. Remember, if there is some damage, this doesn’t mean you can’t buy the item. If you think you can fix it or know someone who can, you can negotiate, and you might be able to get some money off, helping you save even more.
Then there is the smell. Even if the item is ideal, it will fit, and it’s comfortable, if it smells bad then you probably don’t want to chance taking it home with you. Soft furnishings – and wood, to come extent – will quickly pick up odors. Cigarette smoke and pets are smells that sometimes never leave a couch or chair or pair of curtains, and you would be bringing that smell into your own home. If you don’t like the smell, look for something else.
Have The Dimensions To Hand
When you have some money in your pocket and a list of furniture you want to buy (or at least an idea of what rooms you need to find furniture for), it can be tempting to get over-excited and buy beautiful things because they fit with your budget and your aesthetic. However, they might not actually fit in the room you want them for – they might not even fit through the door.
This is why it’s important to have the dimensions of each room (and doorway) to hand when you’re buying. It can often be helpful to have a scale image of the room so you can measure accurately and ensure that whatever it is you’re buying will look great and fit well.
Similarly, it’s important to think about how you’re going to get these pieces of furniture home. Some sellers will deliver the items, but that will always cost you more. Hiring a truck will also be an additional expense, but if you are buying everything in one place, it’s a one-off cost that you should be able to work into your budget. This will need to be considered before you start buying, of course.
Don’t Buy A Mattress
Although most items of furniture can be bought second hand without any problems, even if they need to be reupholstered or aired out a little before anyone can use them. However, mattresses are something entirely different, and it is never recommended to buy a second hand one.
That’s because mattresses can harbor a lot of bacteria and other creatures including the well-named ‘bed bugs’. Plus, sleeping on a mattress that a stranger has slept in means you’ll never be fully aware of their cleanliness, and all in all, no matter how clean the mattress might look, it’s simply not sanitary to buy one second hand.
Luckily, many excellent brand-new mattresses don’t cost as much as you might think; read this review and you’ll understand what you should be looking for. Even if every single other piece of furniture in your home is second hand, the mattress should always be new – and you should replace it every seven years to ensure you continue to sleep well and stay healthy.