A tight budget is not the only reason to save on furniture for your rental home. Anyone who sees renting as a temporary solution could be reluctant to spend significant amounts on things that may not fit in their permanent residence.
Contrary to what you may think, going to a furniture store and spending thousands of dollars is not the only way to furnish one's house. It can cost you very little to get everything a person needs to feel comfortable in their home.
5 tips to find free furniture
Tip #1. Check the online resources where you can get beds, tables, chairs and more, absolutely free. On website http:// www.gumtree.com.au there is a whole section named "freebees", and http://www.ozrecycle.com is a place where you can get free furniture that is no longer needed by its owner.
Tip #2. Drive around your neighbourhood, and look for things put on the nature strip for anyone interested. One man's trash is really another man's treasure. Even when it doesn’t look like a treasure right away, turning it into one can be easy. For example, an old chair can be completely transformed using nothing but a staple gun and a piece of fabric. Simply unscrew the seat, wrap it in the new fabric, staple it and screw the seat back on.
Tip #3. Opportunity shops of Vinnies (St Vincent de Paul Society) and Salvos (The Salvation Army) are excellent places to buy used furniture in a surprisingly good condition at very affordable prices. You can also rest assured that the money you spend will be used for a good cause - such as buying food for the local families in need.
Tip #4. Garage sales are your next destination. If you haven't seen any signs in your area, head over to www.egaragesales.com.au and find the ones that are close to you. You may be able to find items in a good condition priced as low as 75% off the original price.
Tip #5. Finally, if you can't bear the thought of used furniture, your local IKEA store is a great place to find new, inexpensive and durable furniture. Just think of a friend with a ute, who can help you deliver the items you bought, for free.
Photo sources:
Moving home http://www.flickr.com/photos/santheo/
By Christine Lang, author of award-winning Australian real estate blog www.homeiown.com.
I love your website, its great to get inside info from someone that has walked the road, so to speak. planning to immigrate to Australia from South Africa next year. Thank you for your informative site,I love it. Benny Theron