I just moved. I also sold all of my furniture in hopes of starting fresh in my new space. However, when I began to build up my bookmarks online with pages and pages of couches, rugs, and new bedding I found myself to be faced with a dilemma. Should I splurge on furniture that I love and know will last me a long time, even if it will set me back budget-wise? What happens if I am in the same situation a year or two from now where I have to clean house again before I move? My question to you is: how do you know which items to skimp on and when to splurge in your home (includes cookware, furniture, decor, bedding, etc.)?
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As a renter, I like to splurge on items that I know can come with me wherever I land next, like cookware and small appliances. But that doesn’t mean spending money just hoping something will hold up over time. Before buying practical items for home I like to check out Consumer Reports and Wirecutter - sometimes quality isn’t too expensive!
I also like to check out photos for estate sales if there are any teasers posted on Nextdoor before the day of the sale. I got a really durable, pretty rug for $50 and an awesome, not-college-style floor lamp for $30. Of course, those opportunities don’t come around all the time though, so if you’re thinking about furnishing your place, a long-term mindset in terms of acquiring may be more helpful than all those online bookmarks.
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I am starting to approach this from a much more minimalist approach. Even though I don’t have a lot of stuff to begin with, I have found that I just naturally start to accumulate stuff including household items and even furniture.
Ultimately, a lot of this stuff just ends up taking up space for the sake of taking up space.
Whatever you decide to buy, just make sure that you will consistently use it, or else it will just end up taking up space .
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Thanks, @user_510364694983004611 and @moore.income! I particularly agree with Moore here. My new place is considerably smaller than my last and has more built in features which is a nice space saver (and I don’t have to purchase storage)! I love the minimalist look and it has proved much easier to clean. I’ll occasionally find myself lusting over a chair or an ottoman I see online, but then I remember how I am perfectly happy with my couch and can’t be sitting in two places at once! Thanks again!
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“Can’t be sitting in two places at once” 
This made me laugh! It’s true though!
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When we purchased our 1st condo, we bought furniture that we loved & would last. We still have most of it now that we are in a house nearly 18yrs later. We have added some items, re-purposed some items & gotten rid of some that didn’t work for us anymore. Oddly enough, my parent & my in-laws had maple wood kids furniture that is very similar and they kept it after my husband & I moved out, so it was perfect that we got it for our kids. We have inherited some pieces that we really love too.
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Having moved more times than I care to admit…I think it depends on your financial situation. I don’t think I would go into debt for furniture. Check Facebook Marketplace, LetGo, etc. You can find some great high quality furniture.
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