As you furnish your apartment, you might think about going to a thrift store to save some money, which makes sense. Despite some misconceptions about thrifted items, you can find an array of furniture at thrift stores, including some in excellent condition at a great price. That said, if you’ve never been thrifting before, there are a few things to consider. Below, discover how thrifting can help you save money and find some thrifting do’s and don’ts.
The short-term costs of thrifting
Thrifting can help you save money upfront when you’re furnishing your apartment. Think about it like this: Even certain smaller decor pieces can be pricey, with some designer baskets you can use throughout your apartment running $50 to $100. However, you can often find similar baskets at a thrift store for as low as $5.
Additionally, you can find larger pieces of furniture at a discount in thrift stores. Thrift store cabinets or dressers often sell for less than $50, which is far less than the full price of a new item that typically costs hundreds of dollars.
The long-term costs of thrifting
While you’re thrifting furniture for your apartment, it’s best to avoid furniture and decor pieces that aren’t in good or excellent condition. Buying furniture that’s not high quality can cause you to spend more in the long run – you may have to repair or replace it due to damage. Put another way, some secondhand products aren’t always better because they’re more affordable. Buying new or like-new items for a higher price today can help prevent additional spending tomorrow.
Additionally, when thrifting for decor and furniture, you can get unlucky with a thrift find and unknowingly introduce pests into your apartment. Getting rid of pests is often costly and highly stressful. In this case, you may be tempted to throw out your thrifted furniture or decor, and doing so means you’ve wasted your money. Being selective while thrifting is essential to prevent pests and all their attendant costs.
The do’s and don’ts of thrifting
If you need help with thrifting and want to save money with great thrift finds, here are some dos and don’ts:
- Don’t buy rugs, cribs, couches, and other porous materials secondhand.
- Don’t buy larger thrifty furniture without inspecting it.
- Don’t buy appliances without testing them in the store.
- Don’t buy mattresses and pet beds. It’s difficult to sanitize them, and they might bring in pests.
- Don’t buy items that have odors or need to be upholstered.
- Do check the thrift store’s return policy. You should keep your receipt so that, if you’re unhappy with your purchase, you can potentially return it.
- Do go to the thrift store with a plan and measurements for your apartment.
- Do bring someone with you when meeting up with people from online thrifting groups.
- Do buy a thrifted item in good condition.
- Do buy and sell secondhand items to be more sustainable.
What pieces of furniture would you most likely buy while thrifting for your apartment? Sound off in the comments!
