Buying stuff for first home

UltraVires

I am just about to move into my first home (a week on Friday) and I was wondering what websites or places people might go to buy furniture etc that is good quality at good prices.

I need items for pretty much every room in the house, is there somewhere people can recommend for me to have a look at?

Thanks

Grumpelstiltskin

Can you afford to pay cash for everything or do you intend to buy it on credit?

vansboy

Your local freecycle.org for no payment

Bigger charity centres who sell used items, if you are near Luton NOAH Entrprise have lots things including sofas and larger items. The sofas are from John Lewis customers, who have bought new and donated their old one.

If you have to buy new, Homebase will have 15% discount weekends quite often.

And if Ikea is near you, check their bargain corner, sometimes beds and matresses are about half price.

VB

Pete9501

Hmm, look when you buy your first house money is tight because everyone buys at their maximum budget and then needs lots of other stuff. So you have a choice go mad and buy everything new hitting the credit cards or take a step back and take the other option, cheap second hand stuff. The local free adds are the place to start, its local and cheap. Do you really need a new bed frame at £300 or will a cheap £50 pine one do for the first couple of years before you move it into a second bedroom, though a new mattress if your fussy, but I wasn't. Same with cooker, fridge and washing machine. Same with tables and chairs, anyone at work moving? my boss has just given a leather settee to a colleague. He is also having a double bed and mattress off us. Coffee tables are a box with a cloth over it. Try your luck at the local tip for lawn mower and a hoover.

Pots and pans, knives and forks , mugs and dishes from the charity shops. They benefit and you can give them back in time but don't max out your spending in the first few months when you need to be thrifty.

Are the vendors leaving anything? some will want to sell extra items which have to be declared to the solicitors so not a good idea at this late stage, but ask them if they are leaving any furniture. Otherwise they may think they have to dispose of the very stuff you need, be cheeky and ask. We are getting an old lawn mower, garden tools and a wardrobe which the vendors were thinking of taking to the tip until I asked.

I_have_spoken

Ikea :T

27col

UltraVires wrote: »

I am just about to move into my first home (a week on Friday) and I was wondering what websites or places people might go to buy furniture etc that is good quality at good prices.

I need items for pretty much every room in the house, is there somewhere people can recommend for me to have a look at?

Thanks

What you need is something called shopping and shopping around. No doubt your familiar with the concept in other aspects of your life. Well it's the same thing, only with an emphasis on furniture and fittings.

teddysmum

Our local Douglas Macmillan store has some lovely three piece suites (including leather) which sell for a few hundred pounds, besides other items which look new or hardly used.

UltraVires

27col wrote: »

What you need is something called shopping and shopping around. No doubt your familiar with the concept in other aspects of your life. Well it's the same thing, only with an emphasis on furniture and fittings.

Clearly your not familiar with the idea of a forum. You know, people coming together to share knowledge based on past experiences and discuss topics of shared interest.

Thanks to everyone for the replies, I am not fussy and would probably be paying with cash.

PlutoinCapricorn

I agree with Pete: start small and cheap, and investigate and save at leisure.

It is amazing what you can find in places such as British Heart Foundation shops. I am going to refurbish one day. but in the meantime am managing with, for example, a £19.99 bed that I got from LIDL (or was it ALDI?). Both have frequent special buys - camping supplies might be suitable. Indoor markets often have colourful rugs at low prices; Wilko and Dunelm Mill are worth checking at sale time. I really shop around.

Grumpelstiltskin

Depending on where you live there are auction houses such as this.


http://www.johnpye.co.uk/all-auctions/




It takes more time and effort and you have to factor in fees and transport but you can get good bargains.

katejo

I would also say 'don't rush into choosing'. It would be worth buying from somewhere like the BHF furniture shop first while you decide on things like colour schemes or the type of furniture which would suit the house/flat.