Looking to get a good deal for furniture? Get started by browsing second-hand shops!

Furniture shopping doesn’t have to burn a hole in your finances. If you have the budget to spend on new furniture, by all means, go for it.

For many of you who are struggling to make ends meet, second-hand furniture shopping could be the way to go. You never know, you might find a diamond in the rough.

Here is a guide on how you can get started on second-hand furniture shopping!

#1: Determine the furniture you can buy second-hand … and the ones you can’t.

This is the most important first step that you need to do first. There are some pieces of furniture you can buy second-hand, and there are some that you can’t.

Generally, you will want to look out for a few potential enemies that may be hitching a ride into your home on your recent acquisitions. Let’s go through the list of some things you want to look out for when you are considering your options.

  1. Bed bugs – Carefully check over any soft furnishings you intend to buy. This includes cushions, mattresses, sofa, curtains, carpets, etc.
  2. Dust mites – Again, any soft furnishings that are heavily laden with dust (and therefore dust mites) are a concern. These may cost you plenty of additional money to clean thoroughly.
  3. Termites – Check over all wooden furniture. Look for little holes, mysterious hollow sounding spots which should not be hollow, or even water damage which is prime termite munching ground.
  4. Mould – An immediate danger to your health is any furniture that has mould growing on it. These happen if there is water damage or improperly stored in poorly-ventilated, damp areas.

Furniture with hard surfaces which can be wiped down are good options, especially if there are no or few crevices. Carefully inspect any items you plan to purchase. Check left, right, front, back, inside, outside, everywhere! Bear in mind you will want to thoroughly clean anything you do buy.

For the most part, you can buy plenty of furniture second-hand. The ones you can’t are the ones with obvious signs of the aforementioned problems. As long as you are alert and cautious, you’re on the right path.

 

#2: Survey the prices of brand new furniture first

This might be counter-intuitive, but you should survey the prices of brand new furniture first. They are mostly more expensive, but you need to understand the price ranges of the new furniture as you need to consider the quality also.

The benefit of buying new furniture is that you get higher quality products compared to the old and used ones normally. Preferably, come up with a spreadsheet of the prices of the new furniture you want to buy, and rate their quality also.

The important thing here is to consider the price of a new furniture compared to a second hand one, and consider how cheap the second hand furniture need to be for you to buy. To put it simply, if a new chair costs about RM400 and has very good quality, while the second hand chair costs about RM250 but is in poor condition, it might be better to just buy the new chair.

#3: Choosing the right places to shop at

There are many second-hand furniture places in Malaysia. Choosing the right place is actually counter-intuitive when it comes to second-hand furniture.

The objective here is to choose one that has the most variety, and possibly has hidden gems hidden in the corners of the shop. Hence, if you see a place that looks way too clean and arranged (yes, you heard that right), there is a high likelihood that the place is a bit too commercial and new.

Search for places that have things scattered all over (yes, very counter-intuitive) as they most likely have bought them in bulk from many people and companies over the years. Many of these second-hand places are not usually listed on the internet, so ask your relatives and friends for good recommendations.

#4: Be open and creative

The thing with second-hand furniture shopping is that most if not all of the furniture are of different designs and vibes. It’s hard to match all of them to the same concept, so go wild and be open in how you want to design your space.

You see that dining rattan table on the corner of your eyes. You really like it but feel like it will be hard to match with other furniture. Maybe it’s time to take the plunge and just go with it, and see how it goes.

Many of the unique designs and concepts came from unexpected places and experimentation. If you are too rigid on matching everything, you might just end up spending more money and time. If that is the case, you might as well just buy new furniture that match.

On that note, here are home interior decor concepts that are worthy of exploration to get your creative juices flowing:

  • Ecelectic
  • Boho
  • Maximalism

#5: Look for potential, not perfection … and bang for the buck

Many of the second-hand furniture that you see will have some defects and flaws from years of use. Remember, you are looking for a good deal and not perfection.

Think of the potential of the furniture in the context of your house space. If that unique shelf caught your eyes but has some broken pieces at the side, they can be repaired and even better, you can get a discount on them.

This is where having information on the prices of new furniture in #2 will come in very useful. It will provide a good starting point to judge how much you should bargain for second-hand furniture.

#6: Find a craftsman that can repair furniture … or do it yourself

Many of the second-hand furniture that you will buy will probably need repairs. Contracting a craftsman that is able to repair them would help you to save on cost.

You don’t need the best experts to do them, just people who can do basic repairs and make the furniture functional.

Even better, if you have the knowledge and expertise to repair them, you can do so. Convert that hidden gem into the best kind of diamond in your house!

Conclusion

Furniture buying has always been a source of great stress to many people, especially to people who can’t really afford them. Second-hand furniture shopping is an alternative way of easing your financial burden but also allow you to design the spaces of your house.

This guide to second-hand shopping can get you started in your journey to obtain important furniture for your house without breaking the bank.

 

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