On Tuesday I talked about my first round of Frugal Furnishing for my new house. The first round was the time when I bought the big ticket items, things I knew I were going to cost me some money. My washer and dryer were delivered on Tuesday. My sofa came this morning. All were worth the money I spent.

Still, even after buying the big ticket items, there are other items of furniture I would like to purchase. I need a dining room table and chairs. I want a TV stand for my television. I’d like a new headboard and footboard for my bed. I need an endtable for the living room. Plus there are assorted decorative items I would like to have for the house. I want to find all this, but I don’t want to spend a lot. Now that the big ticket items are out of the way, I’d like to spend as little money as possible and still fulfill the rest of my wants.

The question now becomes, how do I do that?

One way is to do research online. You can often find great deals that way. Right now Kmart.com is offering 20% off the sale price of selected home furnishing items that were already in the Clearance Section. Target.com is offering 15% off orders of $125 or more. The web sites often carry brands that aren’t in the stores. You can also use the sites to do research before you go to the store. That way you’ll already know what you want and won’t be distracted by the selection or lured into paying more than you had decided to spend.

Another good place for bargains is consignment shops. Furniture consignment is a big business now days and many cities have second hand furniture stores. A lot of local charities like Goodwill or the Salvation Army run shops and may sell furniture as well. This furniture is used and may need some refurbishing or repair, but if you’re willing to spend the time looking you can often find a bargain that will be a great decorative asset in your new home.

Another way to furnish your rooms without breaking your budget is to repurpose. A filing cabinet can double as a tv stand in a pinch. Bookshelves can become a storage space for plates or a curio cabinet to display your treasures. A pretty quilt can become a wall hanging and add color to an otherwise bland room. Take stock of what you have and try to come up with innovative uses for the same old stuff. You may discover there are some things you don’t need to buy at all.

Furnishing a new house should be fun, and it certainly won’t be as enjoyable if you’re worrying about how you’re going to pay for everything you’ve purchased. The biggest thing to remember when setting out to furnish a new place is that you need to use your common sense. Spend what feels comfortable to you and figure out a way to accomplish your goals while maintaining your budget. That’s a sure way to make your new house a happy home.

Posted: 08|21|08 at 8:02 am. Filed under: Organize Your House/Life.
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