Setting up your new home or apartment can be scary. Buying something may seem like something only your parents know how to do and choosing the perfect option for your taste, your home and your budget can be a tricky balance to maintain.
We are here to help! You are not alone on your furniture buying journey and we will be a trusted guide from start to finish. Here are the top 6 do’s and don’t you have to take into consideration before buying furniture:
1.Do take your personal style into consideration
Choosing function over style can be something we think we should do when buying furniture. Having something that works is better than having something pretty right? Wrong! Although functionality is important, being stuck with an ugly couch or a boring bedroom suite can be very depressing. Your home should be a space where you find joy everywhere you look and that includes your furniture. If velvet yellow chairs make your heart skip a beat, get them. If you’ve always dreamed of having a white couch, buy yourself one. Your home, your rules.
2.Don’t just buy because it’s cheap
Resisting the urge to buy something just because it’s on sale, is a skill not a lot of people have mastered, but it is important nonetheless. Bargain buying is definitely not a sin, but buying just because something is cheap and not because you actually need it, is. This way you’ll end up having a lot of items you don’t need, that only take up space and make your home look cluttered and messy.
If buying something on sale is what you live for, rather have a list of furniture pieces or decor items and keep a lookout on any sales for those specific items. This way you will get all the items your house needs and not break the bank.
3.Try it before you buy it
Getting physical is a must when buying furniture. Feeling how comfy a couch sits, if a new work chair will be able to support you through early Monday morning meetings and late nights or if your coffee table is the right length for you to put your feet up when watching your favourite movie.
Do not be afraid to ask questions in store when buying new furniture and still keep respectable store etiquette in mind when testing out pieces of furniture. But at the end of the day, how will you know if you can picture yourself taking a nap on a new mattress if you haven’t tested it out yet?
4.Don’t buy without measuring
That Pivot scene in Friends may have us laughing every time we see it, but being stuck in that situation in real life is definitely not as fun! When buying furniture, your measuring tape should be your best friend. The size of the space you have available and of course the size of the doors your new couch or bed need to fit through, are both elements that you need to know BEFORE you buy any furniture bigger than a mirror or a barstool. You don’t want to end up having to climb over your brand new bed every time you need to get to your closet.
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels
5.Do research
Research is definitely not something you leave in school or university. It’s an important skill you’ll always need. From buying a new television to getting the inside scoop on your Tinder date. When you are buying new furniture, doing your research is also very important. Knowing what type of couch will fit your lifestyle the best, knowing what type of mattress you need, looking at the best available dining table options and what will suit your specific needs, are all important questions you need to answer before you get to the buying phase. Research prevents regrets, so get your Googling skills up to date and ace the research part of buying furniture.
6.Don’t skimp on quality
Quality is always key. No matter how great a bargain you’ve managed to find, if you skimp on quality now, you will certainly pay the price later. Choosing quality does not have to mean that you’ll be living on two-minute noodles and dry bread for the rest of the month, but it does mean that the couch you buy today will probably still be your trusted relaxing partner 5 or 10 years down the road. Quality means your new bedroom set will look beautiful and function properly and quality means your dining table will support the weight of that delicious Christmas dinner for your whole family!
Buying new furniture can be daunting, but with the right partner by your side, it can also be an adventure. Get your shopping shoes on, because at Essops we are ready to show you a whole new world of fun, functional and fancy furniture, all in one place.
17 March