How To Find Furniture For An Apartment On A Budget

Did you find the perfect apartment in Brooklyn but realize you didn’t save to furnish your new place? That is not a problem. There are many ways to furnish your apartment, especially in Brooklyn, NY.

Below are ways you can find furniture for an apartment on a budget. (PS Tina Fallon guest wrote a blog on renovating using recycled furniture and it’s also a great resource!!)

How much does it cost to furnish an apartment?

Depending on what you have in the bank after all the fees of your new apartment is how you will start. Evaluating how much you have to spend is important. You don’t want to go into debt to have all the latest and greatest pieces in your new home.

Shopping for secondhand pieces can be more time-consuming, but working with a tight budget can get you much more furniture than buying brand-new ones.

Look at a few places before heading to a local Rooms To Go or Ikea.

Where To Look When Furnishing an Apartment on a Budget

Ask Family and Friends.

Asking family and friends may feel weird, but you can hit the jackpot if you have people thinking of refurnishing their homes or selling a piece of furniture they don’t need anymore. This can also give you some bargaining power, and they might even give it to you for free.

Craigslist, Facebook Market, Local Selling Groups, and Similar Apps

There are many people selling furniture online. You could actually find a piece you are dying to get in good condition, secondhand. We recommend searching a little and saving items you like to consider. After evaluating what you saved, message the people of your top picks if the item is still available. You always have a right to bargain on these sites and apps; most of the time, people just want to get rid of their item depending on how long it has been listed.

Remember safety when using sites like this. Never go to a place alone and try to meet in a public area if the item allows.

Go to a Local Flea Markets and Secondhand Stores for Furniture in Brooklyn

The city has many flea markets and thrift stores, especially in Brooklyn. You can find refurbished vintage pieces and new items here. You also have bargaining power as well at flea markets. Even if the price is within the budget, consider negotiating a lower price. You never know.

Check out this list of the Best Vintage & Thrift Furniture Stores in Brooklyn from The Natural Novelist.

Also, Tina Fallon wrote a great guest blog on why recycled furniture is better – and cheaper – than buying brand new!

Great Example

Kylie Lipinski, A Certified Financial Trainer, wrote a piece on Financial Gym about how she and her partner moved back to the US after a year abroad and needed furniture. They were able to find these pieces on Craigslist and Facebook market for a total of $650 and they still have them today:

Couch: $50
Mattress: $100
Box Spring: Free
Bed Frame: $20
Bedside Tables: Free
Coffee Table: $20
Two Chairs: $30
TV Stand: $20
TV: $350
Moving Truck Rental: $60

Now Save For Your Ideal Furniture In Your Apartment

If the items you found when trying to get furniture are not your ideal items, then now would be the time to save and work towards replacing them over time. Like before, evaluate your income and see how much you can allocate monthly towards putting it away in a savings account.

If you need an extra set of eyes when making your purchase, feel free to get in touch! We live for this stuff!!! 🙂

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If you’re interested in learning about the buying process, download our free Buying Into Brooklyn Ebook. We share a ton of valuable resources to demystify the buying process and help you become a Brooklyn home-owner.