Shopping for my New Place on a Budget

Now that my friends have finally seen my place, I don’t have to keep it as hush hush that I’ve moved! It’s not my dream house but it is my own. (And it’s definitely better than I could have hoped). I’ve been most excited about finding budget friendly decor and furniture for my new place. I’m keeping in mind that a lot of this stuff is not a forever item but a “right now” item. Things break, styles change, and I don’t think I’ll furnish my future house the exact same way as my apartment. Which is why I’m not sweating bullets over the cheap price (and occasional bad reviews) when it comes to shopping for my new place. Here’s a closer look at my new pad & how I stayed on budget during this move.

3 Tips to Stay in Budget While Moving

I was lucky enough to begin the moving process during Thanksgiving when all these Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals were going on. So I found items at even better prices than they already were. The good news is, in the scheme of furnishing a new place, all of the things I found are relatively cheap. Here’s a few things to keep in mind if you’re moving some place new or looking to update your current furniture.

Do Your Research: Google in kind of perfect for this. I found so many items that were on Wayfair, Overstock, Home Depot, Target, and Walmart. Previously I would have thought that Wayfair and Overstock had the best prices. But after a quick Google search I found that more times than not every where else had better prices (especially Walmart).
Read the Reviews: Like I said earlier, I didn’t sweat the reviews too much, but I still read them. So long as it’s going to be able to last me a few years I’ll be happy. Things like being structurally sound however, is not something I can skimp on. Color discrepancies, high quality materials, and the occasional bad shipping don’t keep me from buying an item. Especially since, I know I’m buying things at a way cheaper price.
Need Now VS. Want Later: When I was shopping I saw so many beautiful things. Did I need all of those things? Not at all. For instance, I love the idea of a custom Ikea closet. Do I need it with two walk in closets? No. I tried to remind myself that moving is a big investment and just to buy the necessities. The wants will come along the way.

Cheap Finds for Your New Place

Here’s just a few items that I’ve bought for my new place since moving in. Like I said, I bought most of these items during the big sales of the year. Shockingly they were only priced slightly better. Though I have to say, the $300 couch was a total steal and it really great quality. Even with a $100 price jump since Black Friday it’s a great bang for your buck.

Still Looking for…

I’ve only been in my place for a little over a month and I’m in need of a few more things that would just make my life easier. Unfortunately I have a bad habit of not writing those things down and forgetting about them. So this is my list to help remind myself to buy them. Even if it takes me a couple months to get them. Maybe you’re in the same position as me and you need this list too.

A sugar bowl and coffee canister: I have this adorable coffee corner set up. The only not adorable thing is the amount of coffee and sugar I get all over the counter every morning. If I had proper storage for them I’d be less likely to spill everywhere.
A complete knife set: The true big kid toy. Knives. I have a mismatched collection of knives and a butchers block and nothing seems to go together or fit. I’d really love a nice set of knives to take with me throughout the next decade or so. But let it be said, I know nothing about good knives. I just know what looks pretty. So if you have a recommendation, please let me know!
Over the door shoe rack: Would you believe I have a lot of shoes? Running shoes, flats, heels, you name it. I’d love a nice over the door shoe rack to help me get them off my closet floor and keep them organized.
Chic Furniture: I have my eye on a few chic items that I’d love in my house. A few include a headboard, a shelf, and a bar cart. These are things I don’t need now, but items I sure would like.