How I’m Furnishing My House for Free
When we bought our house a couple years ago, we set aside some money for furniture. Since we were moving from an apartment, we had a lot of rooms to fill, and we wanted to make sure we were wise about our home budget. We valued quality just as much as quantity, and we didn’t want to end up in a big empty house because we spent everything on the house. We were prepared, and I am grateful for that.
But the one thing we were NOT prepared for was how EXPENSIVE all of the furniture was! We blew through our budget after a couple rooms, and the remaining rooms were left wanting. Since then I have been trying to come up with creative ways to rearrange our furniture and acquire what we need (or, more accurately, what I really want).
Out with the Old, In with the New
The primary way that I am funding the purchasing of NEW items is by selling OLD items. This is helpful because, not only am I saving money by creating income, but it also gives me motivation to declutter. Decluttering cleans up your spaces, enables better organization, and helps you identify your better items. (Sometimes when I’m decluttering, I stumble upon a treasured item that I totally forgot about!)
I like to sell large, difficult-to-ship items on Facebook Marketplace for local pick-up. I sell small household items on Mercari and clothes on Poshmark. There can be a slight learning curve to these apps, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very convenient. Due to the cost of shipping, I think you are more likely to sell valuable items ($20+). For your less valuable items, I recommend BUNDLING groups of like items (such as same-sized shirts) together. This consolidates shipping and makes a potential buyer more willing to make the purchase.
Use What You Your Momma Gave You
As luck will have it, our families have been downsizing around the same time that we have been upsizing. If you are the lucky beneficiary of a situation like this, or if you can simply convince your parents or grandparents to declutter a little bit, take advantage of the hand-me-downs. Try to reimagine them in your space or used in a different way. And don’t be afraid to refurbish old items (YouTube has some amazing ideas!).
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Most of all, remember that you don’t have to do it all at once. The process of furnishing and decorating a house can be slow, and although that is sometimes painful, it will be worth it in the end. Your taste may also change over time, and purchasing items slowly allows you refine your style and adjust as you settle into your home.
