Bought 1st house- on budget - what furniture is essential??

Twinkle_Mitchell

Heth wrote:

For me a bed would be the most essential piece of furniture. I'd get a cheap hangind rail as well to put my best clothes on.
After a bed i'd probably got for a table and a few chairs, then some floor cushions/sofa/bean bags.

For cheap places look at ads in the paper and charity furniturre shops. My husband got his sofa, and a wardrobe from the age concern one in mk, we have an oxfam one here in coventry which is good as well. Most stuff a bit old fashioned, but cheap and they deliver. Or try ikea/argos for cheap stuff.

Hi Heth,
We are in Coventry too - which Oxfam shop is the one with the good stuff in?
Cheers, Twinkle.

Heth_2

Hi Twinkle,
We just found it on the web, on the Oxfam website, under furniture shops. Was quite big and had lots of things we would have bought if we had been about to move into an unfurnished place.

frugglewump

British Heart Foundation have some furniture-only charity shops - the only one i know of is in wallington near croydon, but they do have others. The stuff I have seen in the windows is at least the same quality as the 2nd hand furniture places if not slightly better.

roswell

George forman
microwave
bed

that should do :-)

Al_Mac

Cooker was left.

Purchased on ald fridge/freezer, new microwave, old kettle.

Had my old bed, plus parents old garden furniture.

Sat on the floor, watching my old b/w portable for several months.

You don't need a lot.

Then you get married and the missus gets rid of everything you ever owned.

:beer:

pavlovs_dog

depending on what is left behind/she can beg/steal/boorow off friends and relatives...

*somewhere to sleep
*basic kitchen equipment
*something to sit and relax on


doesnt matter if its pretty, or if it even matches, you can worry about that once the money situation improves and there is more disposable income.

in my experience, you normally find people are very giving with their old stuff if you mention you are setting up home.

all the best!

jobbingmusician

A bed. Buy the best you can afford, but you can get a new double for £100 inc mattress if you shop around

At this time of year, a washing machine. You could probably buy a 2nd hand one in the local paper for £50. A new one would cost under £200 (but will cost money to have plumbed in if the fittings aren't already there. They normally are, in this day and age)

A microwave. If you're really pushed, you can even heat water in this and dispense with a kettle. if you hunt around in larger supermarkets, this should be less than £30 - might even be less than £20 :j

Some containers for putting stuff in to heat in the microwave. £5 for a whole batch in Woolworths.

A fridge before the summer. (A fridge would be my 2nd priority if the weather was warmer!) If you can afford it, buy a fridge freezer, to freeze all the cheap food and reduced stuff that you buy after becoming an expert on the Old Style board.

A slow cooker - £14.99 at the moment in the sales, or even cheaper. An excellent gift from any friend who asks you what you want as a housewarming prezzie.

A cooker and basic kitchen equipment. Asda are the dogs' danglies for really cheap really good kitchen essentials. Tesco and the others do good imitations of their stuff if you haven't got one nearby.

A sofa or a couple of bean bags to relax in.

A rail or cheap wardrobe to hang up your clothes. Look in the local paper for 2nd hand, or charity shops, or even bargain corners in MFI, Ikea etc. Get free hangers from M& S or other clothes shops just by asking for them

Hope this helps! And do keep us updated about what happens......:)

Sirmonster

A bed is defo topping the list.

Second is a computer and internet access so you can keep tabs on Moneysavingexpert.co.uk

BWZN93

I would say a bed + duvet and pillows, basic kitchen equipment (saucepan, plates, knifes, forks, spoons, kettle, george foreman/steamer/slowcooker if no cooker (my steamer and slowcooker were £9.99 each from argos) microwave), then a sofa and a TV.

If buying a bed, get the duvet and pillows thrown in free by bartering. Kitchen equipment etc is easy to come by on freecycle and if needing to purchase bigger items such as cookers/washing machines, is there a sofa project or similar nearby? They can deliver too which is good. My kettle was under £6 from tesco, and my iron was the value tesco one too at £4.90odd, plates are around 35p in Ikea.

Sofa - mine was £299 from Ikea and its big and comfy too, and TV ive had for years. Wardrobe can be a hanging rail and cardboard boxes as drawers. It doesnt matter what they look like initially, whats important is having some basics to function with until the money situation settles and can be replaced later (but dont forget to put the old stuff on freecycle to help those in a similar situation!)

Id tell everyone I was moving and all donations would be happily accepted, its amazing what people have that they dont need lying around in the loft etc, like breadmakers that have never been used! And parents are usually pretty good at donating things like sets of bedding and towels, and should let her take her entire bedroom furniture until she can get new stuff. Also, get the father round for a DIY session to hang pictures and shelves and fix up the furniture already there, mine did and tought me how to do it at the same time, so when I moved again there wasnt much need, as by then id learned and bought my own drill driver.

Ebay is fab for some cheap home accessories, sell anything she doesnt need, and charity shops often have some gems especially when people are de-junking at this time of year. Finally, enlist the help of handy friends, especially arty/crafty types who could knock up cushions etc, those that cook could bring around a large frozen lasagne in individual tubs for reheating, good gardeners could do some garden work, painters etc could help paint and those with plenty of £££ can buy some nice salt n pepper shakers from Habitat. When my friend moved I was one of the only friends who could drive so helped with the move and brought around ready prepared food, and when another friend moved who was hopeless with furniture/diy, took around my kit and built furniture, hung shelves/pics, and set up the computer. Every little helps as they say!

Finally, make sure there is a housewarming party, if nothing else then the bodies will heat the house for free, and probably leave a years worth of booze behind them!

Jo xx

jobbingmusician

Sirmonster wrote:

A bed is defo topping the list.

Second is a computer and internet access so you can keep tabs on Moneysavingexpert.co.uk

Ooooooooo - forgot about this! YES YES YES - a computer and internet access, combined with regular trips here, will more than pay for itself..... :j