What to Get Secondhand and What to Buy New for Your First Home

If you’re moving into your first place, whether by yourself, with a sibling, best mate, housemate, or a partner, it’s important to look for ways to save money wherever possible to take off some of the financial stress.

One way to do this is to consider the best things you can buy secondhand when kitting out your home, versus what to invest in new for best results.

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Tables are something worth considering buying secondhand. Many of them are made from solid wood and securely constructed, meaning they’ll last well for years or even decades at a time. You may be able to source a quality dining room table, coffee table, side tables, and bedside tables to use throughout your home that simply need a light sand and repaint, or perhaps an update with new handles or knobs.

Storage items are something else to look for at secondhand stores, garage sales, thrift stores, online, and the like. Many shelving units, bookcases, entertainment units, chests of drawers, etc., can cost a lot to buy new but aren’t the most worthwhile investment when excellent options abound secondhand. Look around for a serious steal, and you’re sure to find some storage solutions at a fraction of the price.

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Similarly, keep an eye out for a pre-loved desk for your home. Whether you need something for your own home office or to put in a child’s bedroom for their study time, you should see that desks are plentiful secondhand. Since they come in similar sizes, materials, and shapes year after year, many already-used items won’t look too different from new ones. They might have the odd scratch or mark on them, but these things tend to occur soon enough on a new piece of furniture you work on, and you may end up covering them with your computer, keyboard, mousepad, files, and printer anyway.

If you need some new rugs for your place, keep in mind that secondhand options may help you save a lot of money. You do have to research and choose very carefully when it comes to these pieces since many pre-owned rugs are way too stained and worn to be worth buying, but plenty of them just need a good vacuum and spray with some carpet cleaner to get looking brand new again. Many people find beautiful old Persian rugs for a much lower price secondhand than they could afford new, too, so opting for a pre-loved product can be the way to go.

Other items you might like to buy secondhand are headboards, dinnerware and glassware, garden tools, cabinet hardware, lampshades, bed frames, stools, garden benches, and artworks.

On the other hand, there are certain goods for the home for which it’s always best to invest in new solutions. For example, we spend around a third of our lives in bed, so you need to have a quality mattress to lie on that suits your body size and sleeping method and how firm or soft you like beds to be. Over time, mattresses sag and otherwise decay, so it can be risky to buy secondhand ones. Search online or in-store for a comfortable, affordable mattress, though, and you’ll realize these items don’t have to break the bank, even when brand new.

Similarly, since pillows are a low-cost item but something we use a lot and that impact our rest significantly, it’s best to buy them new. Again, pick one that suits your body and avoid old pillows that have lost their fluffiness and support.

It’s wise to buy new electrical items for your home, too. There can be safety issues with older products, or they can stop working if they’re too old or damaged. It’s better to buy something you know you’ll have at least a year’s warranty on once you get it home. For instance, invest in new HVAC systems, ovens, stovetops, lights, televisions, and vacuums. Similarly, you’re better off buying new cookware, as you don’t know how secondhand products might have been used.

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Other things you should try to buy new are couches and other upholstered furniture, bath towels and related items, and a baby’s crib.

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There are plenty of ways you can save money around the house by finding good secondhand deals, but don’t rely on this method of shopping for absolutely everything. Save your dollars in some areas to afford to outlay more in others.

Published in: Home advice | Author: Yanita