Is It Time to Upgrade Furniture?
You know that couch you bought off of Craigslist freshmen year? Maybe that’s your study couch or your fav napping spot. Are you starting to feel the springs when you sit? Maybe the arm rest is not really as comfy as it used to be. I know the feeling. In college, my room was home to a giant purple Papasan chair. It was great for holding laundry, napping, snuggling with snacks, and watching movies. Alas her time was coming to an end.
After a particularly spectacular fall backwards while snacking, several of the supports snapped like twigs. I took my broken friend to my dad- who is the king of “jimmy rigging.” He lovingly wired together my poor chair so that it would be “sittable” once again. It lasted another year, the best year of its purple snuggly life. Yet the question is, how do you know when it’s time to say good-bye and upgrade furniture?
To Replace or Not to Replace?
So now I know I need to upgrade furniture in my abode. Where do I even start?? How do I know what is the best bang for my buck? Not only does Jet.com have an amazing variety of furniture, but they also have great deals. Free shipping, free returns and price breaks if you pay with a debit card. Buying online is typically the best way to go. There is often free shipping and no price spike like you’d get from buying it off the floor of some fancy furniture store.
Jet.com has a variety of options for all price ranges. Big items will obviously be a little pricier, but couches can be as low as $98.00. When you shop online you can custom pick color, style, and size of the replacement. You can completely re-style your home in a way that suits your current style.
Some different options, if you are looking to save a little cash, are to look in different second-hand shops. Second-hand furniture stores are great for tables, chairs, and other large pieces that can break the bank new. That way you have the extra funds to buy that fun red couch you’ve been eyeing. It will take some shopping around, however, to find the right piece.
Garage sales are also a great place to find solid pieces. Again, shopping around is going to be key to finding what you want. The best time to garage sale is in the morning (around 7:30 am) on most summer Saturdays. The earlier the better- I did say it would require some dedication, right? Many career garage sale pros get there early and buy up all the furniture, leaving latecomers with nothing but old coffee mugs to choose from. Also, remember when scoping out garage sales to haggle! You can always get your price lower than the one listed.
Do it All Now or Piece by Piece
Do you have huge amounts of cash laying around? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Unless you just have tons of cash the best way to go about revamping your place is to go piece by piece. If you have a credit card you can purchase large items that might be more than you have in cash. As long as paying off your bills isn’t something you let pile up, this can be a great way to start. If you are more of a pay in “cash” kind of person it might be better to budget per piece.
Find a piece that strikes your fancy, and start the savings jar! At my house, we have a special savings jar where all the extra cash (birthday cash, random side job cash, etc.) goes. We use it for big things that we don’t need but would really like to buy. That way it is set aside and untouchable (MUST HAVE SELF CONTROL). The jar can be tempting, so if you do not possess the self-control necessary to leave the money in the jar, it might be easier to put it in a separate bank account. Put money in the account and stop looking at it. It’s not yours anymore- it’s all for the couch!
In essence, if you are looking to replace furniture that inhabits your home start shopping. Head online and look around. Find something that you like and start the saving process. Look around at garage sales and thrift stores to find a piece that wouldn’t normally be affordable. If there is an adorable table but the stain is scuffed- head to Pinterest and re-stain that baby. Got a chair that is hideously outdated? PINTEREST! Get some new cute fabric to upgrade furniture. I wish you no injuries and only the most crafty of craftiness!