How Can I Furnish My Apartment for $1000 (Shopping List Included)

Every homeowner wants to decorate their home according to their design preferences. However, it can be extremely difficult to furnish an entire apartment on a tight budget.

Living on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can easily furnish your apartment without breaking the bank

There are plenty of ways to get stylish furniture on a budget. In this post, we’ll show you how to furnish your entire apartment for $1000 or less.

So how can you furnish your apartment on a budget? Here is a step-by-step guide to help you furnish the apartment of your dreams.

Create and Follow a Furnishing Budget

Start by establishing a need-based, reasonable budget. You can do that by answering the following questions:

Is your stay in your apartment temporary or permanent?
Are you working from home?
What type of furniture do you prefer right now?
Do you intend to maintain the furnishings?

After determining your fundamental requirements, list every item of furniture you require, including a few more pieces, just in case you have extra funds.

When creating a furnishing budget, account for delivery charges and sales tax. These include food for the help, truck rental fees, delivery costs, etc.

Do Some Prep Work Before Purchasing Furnishings

Before you prepare your list of furnishing, you still have to follow a few guidelines before heading down to your local furniture store. Some of these guidelines are listed below:

Assess the Size of Every Item

You might have your eye on that Italian sofa. However, you must first consider the amount of room it will take in your apartment.

After all, there have been cases where apartment owners have bought furniture pieces that don’t fit inside their apartments.

Therefore, it would be wise to ensure that you can fit your shortlisted furnishings through the elevators, hallways, etc.

Ultimately, it won’t do you any good if you can’t get that Italian leather couch to your apartment just because it doesn’t fit inside your elevator.

Create a Furniture Placement Floor Plan

Make a blueprint of each room’s dimensions, basic furniture placement ideas, and the locations of wall outlets, doorways, and windows.

Keep a couple of copies on hand so you can doodle two to three different furniture configurations, particularly for your couch design.

At the end of the day, possessing a library of design concepts improves your chances of discovering the right furnishings.

Add Items to Your Shopping List

Here are some essential pieces of furniture you should add to your shopping list to make your new apartment practical and comfy while keeping things under budget.

Bedroom Curtains

Invest in a bedroom curtain if you don’t want the outside world to invade your privacy. Cheap curtains can do the trick perfectly.

However, you can also choose ornate curtains to enhance the décor of your home.

But don’t forget that while sheer curtains may keep visitors from looking inside, they do not prevent you from seeing outside.

Typically, curtains can cost anywhere from 30 to 500 dollars, depending on quality and size. We prefer the 30-dollar ones, especially if you want to keep everything under 1000 dollars.

Sheets

Sheets are probably the most inexpensive item on your list of furnishings. However, you shouldn’t skimp out on purchasing them because you’ll need them to keep your bed comfortable, cozy, and warm.

Although mattresses are comfortable to lay on, they can nevertheless feel scratchy when not covered by soft sheets.

A Bed Frame

Although you can sleep on a mattress on the floor, doing so is uncomfortable and makes you appear to be a squatter rather than a renter. Also, a bedframe will allow you to store items under your mattress.

A Nightstand

If you read in bed, you’ll need a cozy location to keep your phone, bed light, and books. Again, your dresser can work well as a stand-in.

A Dresser

The idea of keeping your clothes in cartons will quickly become outdated. This is where a dresser or chest of drawers can come in handy.

In fact, it can also double as a nightstand, providing you with two advantages in one! It is a must-have item if you’re looking to furnish your apartment on the cheap.

A Coffee Table

When friends are over, a coffee table can serve as a dining table or a place to set drinks. And without it, a house may appear somewhat bare.

So, add it to your list of things to purchase to furnish your apartment.

Kitchen Utensils

Even the most novice cook requires a few basic ingredients to get cooking in their new apartment. These include:

A couple of pans and pots
An oven-safe dish
A trash can
An oven mitt or two
A small set of cutting knives
A cutting board
One or two dishes
Bowls
Cutlery such as knives, spoons, and forks
Measuring spoons and cups
Six glasses
Six drinking cups
Dishtowels,
A drying rack

If you must have coffee, here is how to make it: You’ll need money to buy a small coffee machine. Less expensive coffee preparation methods include a pour-over dripper or a French press.

A Floor Lamp

If your new apartment lacks ceiling lights, include floor lamps into your furnishing budget.

Think about adding a cheap lamp to the area adjacent to your bed and a larger floor lamp to the living and dining area.

Dining Table

You will need a relaxing setting for meals and conversation if you invite friends and family to your apartment.

However, this kitchen table can also serve as both a desk and a kitchen table, offering you two useful pieces in one.

An Accent Chair or Sofa

You might want to get a brand-new sofa. However, this will go over your 1000 budget. In fact, even a new, cheap sofa won’t be an option here.

Instead, go for a secondhand sofa. But avoid purchasing heavy three-seaters. After all, it will be difficult to move if you want to change your living room’s setting.

You can also ditch the whole sofa idea and go for an accent chair. This will help you save money while providing a comfortable place to sit in your apartment’s living room.

A Shower Curtain

A shower curtain is a must, especially if you don’t want to deal with a wet bathroom all the time. However, the best thing about it is that it only costs a few bucks.

You can typically purchase one for under 10 dollars. In fact, they are also available in various designs, allowing you to get something that matches your bathroom’s overall feel and design.

A Mattress

A mattress is probably one of the most important items you need to add to your list of furnishings. It will give you a good night’s sleep and something to rest on during off hours.

But don’t forget that brand-new mattresses can be expensive. Instead, go for a secondhand one.

Occasionally people will sell or give away slightly used beds. In fact, some home cleaning businesses will professionally clean mattresses and resell them at discounted prices. So, take advantage of that.

Also, consider the possibility that you won’t require a King or Queen-sized bed. However, this totally depends on the size of your bed frame.

We recommend getting a single bed, especially if you live alone in your apartment.

Look for Budget Furnishings

When you have a budget of 1000 dollars, it’s a no-brainer to look for deals and discounted prices to save as much money as possible.

With that in mind, here are some tips for finding cheap furnishings.

Purchase Furnishings at the Right Time

Mid-fall or early spring is a great time to purchase an older design style because new furniture types often debut in this particular period.

However, you can also benefit from all-inclusive furniture and unique design packages. These will allow you to improve the quality of your home furnishings while saving money.

Furthermore, try to purchase on holidays like Black Friday, the fourth of July, or Labor Day.

Additionally, furniture retailers start their summer sales in July. Another wonderful time is in January because it’s a slow month for shopping.

Visit Affordable Furnishing Stores

You can shop for furnishings at stores such as Ashley Furniture, eBay, or Ikea to save money.

Moreover, Target and Ross are excellent options for furniture and other essentials like cookware, bedding, and draperies.

Visit Thrift Stores

You can also visit donation centers like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and neighborhood thrift shops to fund cheap deals.

These groups take in furniture donations and do an excellent job of ensuring each piece is suitable for sale.

Furthermore, newer items can frequently be found in a Habitat for Humanity Store than in other places.

Visit Flea Markets

A flea market is good for quick, one-stop shopping and frequently sells nice furniture. You won’t have to bother cleaning the products up because sellers care about their appearance.

Get a set of dining table with chairs, and while you’re at it, grab some extras like a tablecloth, cutlery, cookware, and decorative items.

Need a kitchen set with 60 pieces? Possibly one or two simple kitchen utensils on the cheap? Your best bet is a flea market.

Look For Garage Sales

Used furniture is affordable, and yard and garage sales are some of the cheapest places to find it. Some things may also be quite good.

For various reasons, owners may be desperate to get rid of them. However, the age-old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” holds real value in such a situation.

Look for Online Classified Ads

Look at websites that advertise items for sale, such as OfferUp, Let Go, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist.

You can also sign up with Freecycle.org to join the sharing economy. Typically, most homeowners would rather not throw away prized furnishings.

Instead, they look for a new home for it just like they would a pet. Some may even let you take their bulky items for free if you pick them up yourself.

Upcycle

If your friends and family have extra furniture lying around their house, ask them for it. You can then repaint and refinish it and make it look as good as new.

This is the best way to save money and add new life to old, worn-out furnishings.

Wrapping Up

Create the ideal apartment that perfectly captures your individuality to make the most of your experience living in the city.

With the tips mentioned above, you can transform that modest apartment into a paradise while saving a ton of cash.

At the end of the day, it’s all about making the right purchase decisions. A thousand dollars might not be a lot to work with, but you can succeed if you plan well.

Consider doing your best with what you have, and you’ll be well on your way to having the apartment of your dreams.

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