Buying your first stuff

londonlydia

Hi all,

Second thread started today by me, but I am starting to think about when we do eventually have a bid accepted and complete, we will have an awful lot of stuff to buy!

I know that I can start threads in other areas of the forum on general items (which I may also do) but I thought I would post here too about how people would generally approach buying stuff for a new house.

So basically, my partner and I are moving out of our respective parents homes and getting our own place, so we dont have anything in the way of furniture or appliances to bring with us. The only stuff I do have is stuff I had as a student, so I have some random stuff like cookware, spare bedding, kettle etc)...and electronic goods.

Accordingly, we have held back some money in order to purchase stuff, and made a very loose list and budget- with three levels: The top level having stuff we MUST buy really before we can move in (Bed & Matress, Fridge/Freezer, cooker, Washing Machine, Sofa, Iron, vacuum, wardrobe, bin). Then it is stuff we could at least live in the house without but would want pretty soon (Dining Table, Tumble Drier, more bedroom storage, toaster) followed by stuff we can build up on over the next couple of years (New curtains/soft furnishings, coffee table, lighting, Dishwasher, Rugs, Spare room furnishings, study storage etc).

Anyway, there's not much I can do about needing to buy the stuff, but what I would like to do is make sure I'm as savvy as possible about getting it all.

So, does anyone have any tips as to where to buy stuff, their thoughts on getting 2nd hand on some items (is it worth it if it will break sooner?) and anything obvious I have missed off (I have a few more desirable items on the list which I didnt feel I need to put on, what I want to know is if I've missed an important item!).

camptownraces

You seem to have thought this through thoroughly.

Things to bear in mind about buying second hand:

Electrical goods - seller is liable if electrical goods are unsafe, so there is a limited market of goods from cautious sellers. However, the British Heart Foundation have some of their charity shops selling furniture and electrical goods (which they have checked out as safe before selling).

Freecycle - search for an organisation in your area, for things people will give away.

Furniture - wooden furniture (not chipboard furniture) lasts for generations, so you may be able to buy chests of drawers, cupboards, chairs and tables for a song. You can upgrade later when you can afford it.

kev225

We've moved into our house about a month ago and my advice would be draw up a long list of everything you need and see if you can find it cheap on ebay/gumtree/charity shops or from freecycle.

Just a few things we bought/were given:
3 pc reclining leather suite £270 delivered (gumtree)
Side tables £5 (gumtree)
Coffee table £15 (gumtree)
Tall pine corner unit £30 (dove house)
Freezer £10 (gumtree)
Computer table 99p (eBay)
Double bed base £0 (freecycle)
Three set of wardrobes £50 (gumtree)
Carpet for the stairs £30 (gumtree)
Dining table and four chairs £40 (gumtree)

All of these were in good condition, just no longer needed by there previous owners.

You'll have to be prepared to go collect if you want a bargain and it helps to be able to stash some items in parents' garages but a little patience and you'll find what you're after at the price you want to pay. good luck

CLAPTON

if you are buying new check out the cashback sites like quidco.co.uk and other such sites.

Polly05

I've been buying the small stuff (mostly kitchen stuff, plates, cutlery, mugs, glasses, utensils etc) for ages.. May as well buy them now when theyre cheap/on offer, than having to buy everything once I get a house..
so you could start doing that? but of course, only works for small things, as you have to have somewhere to keep the stuff! ha ha

poppy_f1

ikea for a lot of things, cheap enough but good enough quality imo - even things like glasses plates etc are good from ikea

avoid argos furniture - albeit can be cheap but not that great quality


i got most of my electrical stuff from argos when they had offers on like spend 100 get a 10 voucher back

Dunroamin

Personally I'd rein in your list of requirements considerably or you're going to spend all your earnings on just buying "stuff". If you really can't do this, then do buy second hand.

Mind you, I moved into somewhere with only a blow up mattress and a Woolworth's deck chair so perhaps I'm not typical.

MacMickster

I'd start by seeing what you are able to beg or borrow from friends and family. Its amazing how much "stuff" people have that they would be happy to give away to a young couple just starting out. Some use it as an excuse to bring forward a purchase of their own and, for example, decide that now is the time to replace the sofa which no longer goes with their decor.

phoebe1989seb

Whilst Ikea is definitely ok for alot of first home stuff, I would be wary of buying expensive items such as sofas there. Our DS and his GF (both 22 and just out of uni so also with alot of the obvious stuff - bedding, cookware etc) recently bought their first flat and decided to buy a sofa bed from Ikea for their reception room. It wasn't cheap at around £1800 but after only a couple of months it is showing signs of wear, despite them being incredibly careful with their stuff and they now wish they'd spent a bit more on something of better quality.

Personally DH and I swear by ebay - we've bought some great quality items over the years, but then we collect a certain period of furniture and couldn't just pick it up on the high street!

londonlydia

yeah i have quite a bit of ikea crockery and glasses etc left over from uni, and it seems to be lasting!

As I say, man of the things I dont mind building up by getting an item each month from income. But I'm going to be stuck without a fridge and a cooker for instance!

olly300

londonlydia wrote: »

As I say, man of the things I dont mind building up by getting an item each month from income. But I'm going to be stuck without a fridge and a cooker for instance!

If the house isn't new and the present owner is there (not tenants) see what you can get off them that works.

Lots of people leave working cookers, fridges and washing machines behind as they won't fit into their new kitchen or their new kitchen comes with such appliances. (Especially if you are polite.)

Yes you will have to scrap it in a year or two but least you will have things to start of with.

Also as the others stated get things of ebay and charity shops. As while you may like something when you move in later on your style is likely to change particularly if you are planning on redecorating.