Time for a new sofa? Kidlet outgrown her toddler room? Redoing your primary bedroom and new furniture’s on the list? If furniture shopping is in your future, in this blog I’ll share five pro tips to help you get the best results when you put your hard-earned money on the line.  

Furniture Purchasing Tips 

1.       Consider the purpose. Think of this step as a process rather than a simple answer to a check-the-box question. Take your time to fully consider the function or functions you need – right away and in the future. Will the desk and chair for your home office be used lightly, or will you be spending 8+ hours a day there, making good ergonomics critical? Will you need ample desk or table space to layout tools, papers or materials? Are you taking simple and inexpensive approach to your new bed or do you want all the bells and whistles of modern sleep science? (BTW, bells and whistles are not conducive to restful sleep.) The takeaway: spend plenty of time thinking before you hit the stores. By doing this, you’ll be able to choose wisely and avoid that dazzling impulse purchase followed by regret months or years later.

2.       Consider all the furniture users. Ergonomics plays into this tip above all else. You need a sofa. Who will sit on it? Are they tall or short? Heavy or slight? Does anyone have leg, hip, spine or neck issues thar require special features. Do you have family or friends who visit regularly who may face similar issues? Next, think about durability and cleanability. Will kiddos be using/slowly damaging it? Same question for pets in the house. Oh, that slink-away-with-guilty-eyes-look when you arrive home early to see your pet up on the “off limits” furniture! Thinking through all of these scenarios can prevent buyer’s remorse. Keep this in mind when you choose color as well. You don’t want to find yourself saying, “What were we thinking buying a big white leather sofa?”

3.       Remember the budget. Determining your budget range in advance is critical for making decisions you’ll feel good about. If you’re purchasing big items like beds and sofas or dining sets, try to save up or earmark specific money ahead so you can buy quality. If you always go for the cheaper items, you can nickel and diming yourself to death over time because cheap furniture will wear out quickly and need to be replaced more often. It’s a terrible feeling to buy furniture you love and see it erode or break down much sooner than you expected.

4.       Watch for sales. Becoming familiar with the furniture stores in your area and when they run big sales can help with budgeting. For instance, stores are famous for special sales around all the major holidays (or course, George Washington stands for low, low ottoman prices!). You might find specials with zero sales tax, zero interest rates, or bundle discounts. If you watch the prices months in advance, you’ll have a better idea of whether the “George Washington” deal is really a deal or just a gimmick that would make our former president wonder about how society has devolved. Having money set aside is incredibly helpful when you do see a great sale and decide to pounce.

5.       Measure, measure, and measure again! I’m always surprised at the number of people who blindly go into a furniture store without having measured the space where said furniture is supposed to go. Be sure to get accurate measurements and log them in your phone so you have them at your fingertips when you shop. Never trust your eyes! Most furniture stores are set up in huge spaces where that classy sectional looks like it will fit fine…until you bring it into your far-smaller-than-a-warehouse space. With rare exceptions, your living room is not a furniture warehouse! Along with room measurements, don’t forget about doorways, hallways, and stairways you may have to pass through to reach the actual room. Yes, I have known people who got a sofa stuck in a hallway or bought a desk that wouldn’t fit through the doorway—made famous by the Friends “Pivot!” scene. Make sure to avoid the hassle and disappointment of getting something home that won’t fit.  

I hope these tips will be helpful to you the next time you have to buy the big stuff. Planning ahead can take a lot of the stress out of the situation and help to make it the fun experience it should be. 

Now, what will you do next to love where you live? 

Please feel free to reach out to us at The Redesign Habit and ask questions or simply share a project that you are working on or have completed. 

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