When you are on a limited budget, it’s difficult to furnish your home. Whether you’ve moved into your first rental property or bought a house, there’s not much money left over for purchasing new furniture. If you don’t have money, why not furnish your first home for free? How? Keep reading and find out a few great ways…
1. Build your own furniture
If you have some practical skills, build your own furniture. Or, if you know someone who can do it, ask for help. Creative people can turn all kinds of unwanted trash into tables, cupboards and even beds and closets. Look for anything you can use and try to convert. For instance, from an old carved wooden door you could make a beautiful table.
2. Walk along the streets
Sometimes people put out the pieces of furniture they don’t need any more for passers-by to pick up. This is one of the best ways to furnish your home for free! Nowadays this practice is official in many cities and towns, so find out if your city does this and when. I’ve got really beautiful pieces this way, including a sturdy bookcase and a lovely sofa.
3. Freecycle
This is another great tip I used when I furnished my first home cheaply. Freecycle and some other similar sites are an excellent resource for finding some great free furniture. However, there are some important things to remember. You should always send polite requests to the people expressing your interest. Never ask them to call you or deliver the furniture, or they will most likely ignore your request.
4. House refurbishment
Look out for any signs of a home being refurbished or cleared. The owner may be getting rid of all types of usable furniture that could be given a new life in your house. Ask if you can take anything away. The owner could be only happy for you to take it away.
5. Borrow
Ask your family and friends if they have any piece of furniture you could use for a while. Sometimes people have furniture that they never use because they don’t have enough space in their current house. Borrowing some piece of furniture items, even if it is only for a short period of time, will give you the time to save up to purchase your own.
6. A wedding gift
If it is your first matrimonial house, there’s a perfect way to furnish some of it for free. Ask people who want to purchase you a wedding present if they would give you money or buy you vouchers towards furniture. Most people think that you should not ask for cash, but there are also people who are only pleased to gift you something practical.
7. Local websites
Some local websites have sections where people can give away their furniture for free. As with Freecycle, you should check these websites very often so that you can pick up the furniture very quickly, especially if the giver wants to get rid of it within a short time or even the same day.
Remember secondhand furniture doesn’t mean shabby. You can make new covers or repaint it. Your home may not be the most beautiful, but it’s much better than getting into debt. I know people who furnished their whole house for free and saved a lot of money on creating an individual home. Do you have any other tips for furnishing home for free? Share them, please.