How to furnish your new apartment on a budget 5 Aug Written By Claire Horn Tips For designing With Limited Funds There are so many benefits to living in an apartment. You get a brand new home, with all the latest features, at a fraction of the cost and time of buying or building your own property. The downsides, however, can be rather obvious. Sharing walls and common areas with other people means you have much less space to yourself and pay monthly for it. Settling for an apartment instead of your own house can also be seen as a step down by some people. But it’s not all bad! There are some significant upsides to living in a smaller space you rent instead of buy. An apartment forces you to think about how you want to live and what kind of home is most beneficial for you right now. And getting ready for that transition requires some planning and budgeting so that you don’t end up with empty shelves and surfaces everywhere because your funds were too tight to allow for storage or furniture purchases. Research, Research, ResearchBefore you even move in, you should be doing as much research as possible about your new neighbourhood, apartment building, and the costs involved in furnishing and equipping a new home. This will give you a solid foundation for making informed choices about where to live, how much you can expect to pay, and what kind of lifestyle you can afford.Apartment Size and Price: The size of your apartment will be the most significant factor in determining how much you can afford to furnish it. A studio apartment is going to be much cheaper to furnish than a four-bedroom house, but it’s also going to be much less convenient and liveable than a house. The amount you pay for an apartment will also depend on the neighbourhood and amenities nearby.Utilities: You should also get a rough estimate of your utilities upfront. Knowing the costs of electricity, water, gas, and internet before you move in will help you plan your budget and avoid surprises. Neighbourhood and Amenities: You should also get a rough estimate of your monthly HOA fees. Knowing the amenities and community benefits of each building will help you decide which one is best for you and how you want to live.Know Your NeighbourhoodBeyond just the logistics of your new home, the neighbourhood and city you live in will influence the kind of furniture you purchase and the style of your home. For example, if you live in a tropical climate, you’re not going to want the same furniture or fabrics as someone in a temperate or arid climate. If you live in a city like New York or London, you’ll also want to ensure you have enough storage space to avoid stacks of boxes and bags taking up every square inch of your apartment. Climate: The climate where you live will have a significant impact on what kind of furniture you can purchase and the fabrics you use. Tropical climates will require leather or vinyl furniture and textiles, while colder climates will require materials that repel water and are easy to clean. Neighbourhood: The neighbourhood you live in will have a major impact on the kind of furniture you purchase. You might want to go for a more rustic style in a sparsely populated rural setting compared to a sleek modern or minimalist style in a busy urban neighbourhood.Plan Your PurchasesBefore shopping for furniture or decor items, you should list everything you want to purchase and rank them according to importance. You want to make sure you are buying the most necessary items first to avoid the problem of having nothing but empty shelves and surfaces and nothing to put on them. If you have a larger budget, you can purchase more expensive or higher-quality items like couches or other pieces of furniture. If you have a smaller budget or want to furnish your apartment as economically as possible, you can focus on finding cheaper alternatives that serve the same purpose. When you make your purchases, make sure you budget enough time and space to transport them to your apartment. You don’t want to end up with a house full of boxes, unsure of where they should go, or with nowhere to put them while you’re waiting to move in.Shop For The BasicsOnce you have a clear idea of what you need and want, you can start shopping for the basics that you can use to furnish your entire apartment. You can use these items as the foundation for your decor and style and build from there. You can also use them for storage to avoid having everything stacked on shelves and surfaces. Couches and chairs are the most essential pieces of furniture in any living room or lounging space. You can always find sofas for sale on places like Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for cheaper, so remember to check second-hand before buying brand new and at full price since the costs of buying all these larger furniture pieces will quickly add up. Ensure you get a style and colour that will last a long time. You can save a lot of money using a neutral colour like black or grey. In addition, you will almost always need a table to put things on. You can use a small table as a coffee table or side table and a larger table as a dining table. Rugs are not only decorative but can also protect your floors and be used for storage. You can use a large rug to store smaller items like shoes or bags, or you can use smaller rugs to decorate your tables or other pieces of furniture.Don’t Be Afraid To DIY If you have the skills and a bit of time to spare, you can easily make a lot of the items you need for your apartment. From decorative pieces like wall art and shelves to furniture like stools and coffee tables, you can save a lot of money by making these items yourself. When you DIY, you can style your apartment precisely as you want it and avoid paying extra for features you don’t need or want. If you don’t want to buy framed prints and paintings, you can make them yourself by repurposing old fabrics, papers, or magazines. You can also make framed posters by mounting old posters or artwork onto a board. Using basic wood or metal and a little glue, you can create shelves to fit any space. You can even make decorative shelves using repurposed materials like pallets, old fabrics, and wooden boards. Lastly, you can make easy stools from scratch using wooden boards and a few nails. You can also repurpose old furniture and turn them into seats.Bottom lineApartment living requires you to think creatively about how you want to live and furnish your home. You can save a lot of money by purchasing only what you need and making the rest yourself. Even if you have a larger budget, waiting to buy items until you’re sure you need them will also help you save money long-term by keeping your bills low. Claire Horn http://www.atominteriorstyling.com
How to furnish your new apartment on a budget 5 Aug Written By Claire Horn Tips For designing With Limited Funds There are so many benefits to living in an apartment. You get a brand new home, with all the latest features, at a fraction of the cost and time of buying or building your own property. The downsides, however, can be rather obvious. Sharing walls and common areas with other people means you have much less space to yourself and pay monthly for it. Settling for an apartment instead of your own house can also be seen as a step down by some people. But it’s not all bad! There are some significant upsides to living in a smaller space you rent instead of buy. An apartment forces you to think about how you want to live and what kind of home is most beneficial for you right now. And getting ready for that transition requires some planning and budgeting so that you don’t end up with empty shelves and surfaces everywhere because your funds were too tight to allow for storage or furniture purchases. Research, Research, ResearchBefore you even move in, you should be doing as much research as possible about your new neighbourhood, apartment building, and the costs involved in furnishing and equipping a new home. This will give you a solid foundation for making informed choices about where to live, how much you can expect to pay, and what kind of lifestyle you can afford.Apartment Size and Price: The size of your apartment will be the most significant factor in determining how much you can afford to furnish it. A studio apartment is going to be much cheaper to furnish than a four-bedroom house, but it’s also going to be much less convenient and liveable than a house. The amount you pay for an apartment will also depend on the neighbourhood and amenities nearby.Utilities: You should also get a rough estimate of your utilities upfront. Knowing the costs of electricity, water, gas, and internet before you move in will help you plan your budget and avoid surprises. Neighbourhood and Amenities: You should also get a rough estimate of your monthly HOA fees. Knowing the amenities and community benefits of each building will help you decide which one is best for you and how you want to live.Know Your NeighbourhoodBeyond just the logistics of your new home, the neighbourhood and city you live in will influence the kind of furniture you purchase and the style of your home. For example, if you live in a tropical climate, you’re not going to want the same furniture or fabrics as someone in a temperate or arid climate. If you live in a city like New York or London, you’ll also want to ensure you have enough storage space to avoid stacks of boxes and bags taking up every square inch of your apartment. Climate: The climate where you live will have a significant impact on what kind of furniture you can purchase and the fabrics you use. Tropical climates will require leather or vinyl furniture and textiles, while colder climates will require materials that repel water and are easy to clean. Neighbourhood: The neighbourhood you live in will have a major impact on the kind of furniture you purchase. You might want to go for a more rustic style in a sparsely populated rural setting compared to a sleek modern or minimalist style in a busy urban neighbourhood.Plan Your PurchasesBefore shopping for furniture or decor items, you should list everything you want to purchase and rank them according to importance. You want to make sure you are buying the most necessary items first to avoid the problem of having nothing but empty shelves and surfaces and nothing to put on them. If you have a larger budget, you can purchase more expensive or higher-quality items like couches or other pieces of furniture. If you have a smaller budget or want to furnish your apartment as economically as possible, you can focus on finding cheaper alternatives that serve the same purpose. When you make your purchases, make sure you budget enough time and space to transport them to your apartment. You don’t want to end up with a house full of boxes, unsure of where they should go, or with nowhere to put them while you’re waiting to move in.Shop For The BasicsOnce you have a clear idea of what you need and want, you can start shopping for the basics that you can use to furnish your entire apartment. You can use these items as the foundation for your decor and style and build from there. You can also use them for storage to avoid having everything stacked on shelves and surfaces. Couches and chairs are the most essential pieces of furniture in any living room or lounging space. You can always find sofas for sale on places like Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for cheaper, so remember to check second-hand before buying brand new and at full price since the costs of buying all these larger furniture pieces will quickly add up. Ensure you get a style and colour that will last a long time. You can save a lot of money using a neutral colour like black or grey. In addition, you will almost always need a table to put things on. You can use a small table as a coffee table or side table and a larger table as a dining table. Rugs are not only decorative but can also protect your floors and be used for storage. You can use a large rug to store smaller items like shoes or bags, or you can use smaller rugs to decorate your tables or other pieces of furniture.Don’t Be Afraid To DIY If you have the skills and a bit of time to spare, you can easily make a lot of the items you need for your apartment. From decorative pieces like wall art and shelves to furniture like stools and coffee tables, you can save a lot of money by making these items yourself. When you DIY, you can style your apartment precisely as you want it and avoid paying extra for features you don’t need or want. If you don’t want to buy framed prints and paintings, you can make them yourself by repurposing old fabrics, papers, or magazines. You can also make framed posters by mounting old posters or artwork onto a board. Using basic wood or metal and a little glue, you can create shelves to fit any space. You can even make decorative shelves using repurposed materials like pallets, old fabrics, and wooden boards. Lastly, you can make easy stools from scratch using wooden boards and a few nails. You can also repurpose old furniture and turn them into seats.Bottom lineApartment living requires you to think creatively about how you want to live and furnish your home. You can save a lot of money by purchasing only what you need and making the rest yourself. Even if you have a larger budget, waiting to buy items until you’re sure you need them will also help you save money long-term by keeping your bills low. Claire Horn http://www.atominteriorstyling.com
