Good cheap furniture/homeware places

buzzyzoe

tizerbelle wrote: »

Congrats on getting your own place - enjoy it but don't think you have to get everything all at once. If you only have something to sit on and something to sleep on at first, you'll cope until the other stuff is sorted.

My first house for the first week all I had were 2 deck chairs and a bed - still have one of the chairs now.

Try any second hand furniture shops near by and talk to the owners - yes, talk to them - become a regular face and many of them will jump through hoops for your business.

I got 2 1950's wardrobes and a dressing table for £35 and that included 2 weeks storage and then delivery as well! Granted I had to go on a tour of the shop owners warehouse in the back garden, just built it and very proud and meet his wife and have a cuppa but it was well worth it. I also went back time and again for stuff like dining table, chairs, bookcases even vintage sofas etc. Always great prices and if I wanted something he didn't have, he'd keep an eye out for me until he found it.

Thanks! I should just about have enough money to get everything I need, but I'll be working to a pretty strict budget.

Don't suppose you're anywhere near me, are you? I'd love some recommendations for good secondhand furniture shops. I have had a search but haven't found many, and the ones I have found tend to be antiques, so more expensive than buying new in a lot of cases!

tizerbelle

buzzyzoe wrote: »

Don't suppose you're anywhere near me, are you? I'd love some recommendations for good secondhand furniture shops. I have had a search but haven't found many, and the ones I have found tend to be antiques, so more expensive than buying new in a lot of cases!

Sorry other end of the country to you. Not even near my old dealer either - I moved to the other side of the country and he shut up shop - I don't think the two are related!

The sort of places I'm thinking about aren't likely to have websites - you may find them in business directories and many will only be the one line entries cos that's free.

Your best bet is to walk - lots of walking - and get to know the local area and see what you can spot. They are unlikely to be in town centres but may be on the roads leading in and out - some are even in residential areas. Ask people you meet - heck even ask strangers on the street. If you are polite and friendly, you can find out loads of information.

Gastines2

When re-furbing flats for clients that were to be let whilst I did the interior work required, my wife used to tour the local charity shops for any items that could be used to keep the clients budget down.Best buys were curtains and fittings,loads of useful cutlery and kitchen items and tables and chairs were always cheap.We have a pair of G-Plan settees that were new and cost £100 each from a local charity shop.My wife spotted them actually being put into the window and not one to miss a bargain!! Worth looking at local auction rooms as well.Now prices have dropped so much it is possible to pick up general furnishings quite cheaply but don't forget the auctioneers extras,sometimes as much as 20%.They usually have delivery people that are on site.

MangoStan

Also congrats on your new place! Must be exciting but also a bit stressful to get everything ready. I agree with tizerbelle: if you can just get things bit by bit, than that might give you more time to pick up bargains. I would be concerned that having to get everything ready for one big van move date would potentially give rise to hastily-made decisions. I didn't even have a bed for the first two weeks I moved into my last flat, but it's really fine (I don't drive either, so you have my sympathies!)

In terms of second-hand, British Heart Foundation have furniture charity shops around London, I'm pretty sure - think you can search on their website. I don't know if you could pay them a bit more for delivery as well? They do free collection if you're donating, so they must have someone who drives furniture around!

This depends a bit on your long-term plans as well, I would say. Would you like to just get something cheap to get by for now or are you hoping to move on and keep most of your furniture? If the latter, it may be a false economy to skimp too much and you may just want to save up gradually/wait for sales/etc. Could you appeal to friends and family to lend/give/flog you cheaply their old stuff?

buzzyzoe

Thanks again all! Some brilliant suggestions.

I am hoping the stuff I buy will last a few years, but not too bothered about it lasting longer than that.

I will check out the British Heart Foundation shops and might try and pop along to an auction if I can work up the nerve!

jackyann

Lovely to have your first place. I would advise: take your time!
Get absolute basics (chair & bed!)_ and then have a good look around. Definitely join freecycle / freegle, and ask around for good charity shops. Wherever I have lived there has always been an organisation that takes old furniture, re-furbishes it on a not-for-profit or charitable basis, and will deliver.
I have not been to an auction in years, but still cherish some bargains I got that have lasted & lasted!

RESTEN

I would rather spend some more and get better quality. Furniture is an investment also.

martinsurrey

RESTEN wrote: »

I would rather spend some more and get better quality. Furniture is an investment also.

nothing worse than spending £10k putting furniture in a new house, only to realize 6 months later that you want everything in different positions after you've settled in to how the rooms work, and of course, the expensive furniture you bought won’t fit in the new layout, so you're stuck.

buzzyzoe

RESTEN wrote: »

I would rather spend some more and get better quality. Furniture is an investment also.

I would as well, but unfortunately it's not really an option. I just don't have the money to buy an entire house worth of expensive furniture, as much as I would like to.

Mojisola

buzzyzoe wrote: »

I would as well, but unfortunately it's not really an option. I just don't have the money to buy an entire house worth of expensive furniture, as much as I would like to.

That's why people are saying start off with free or cheap, second-hand stuff - just the minimum to be going on with - and then save up and buy better quality as you can afford it.