How I Furnished My Apartment For Under $2,000

I’m not sure if I’ve said this explicitly on this blog before, but I have a small family that is not at all close to each other geographically. As a result, I’ve always assumed that you have to do everything yourself – there’s no safety net or ‘community’ to fall back on. I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and a city that large isn’t known for its camaraderie. 

However, my Partner grew up in a small town with a large family. When we first started living together, we had zero dollars so we furnished our home in the cheapest way possible because we couldn’t afford anything else on top of our Manhattan rent. 

But when we signed a lease for a one bedroom apartment in Upstate NY earlier this year, while having way more money than we ever dreamed, our approach was completely different. I wanted to plan ahead how to find all the furniture and furnishing for our new apartment, but my Partner said “don’t worry about it” and I was very curious why 🙂 . 

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It turned out that apparently large families and small towns work very differently than small families dispersed across big cities. 

Community

Before becoming a nomad I had used things like Buy Nothing Groups, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to give things away for free in my community, but this time I went to the next next level because of: friends and family I know in the area who are looking to get rid of things!

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Friends And Family

We moved to this location specifically to be near family and it turns out that decision can be very helpful when looking to fill a home. I semi-jokingly texted our family group chat saying that if anyone is looking to get rid of furniture, I’m available.

And that’s how we learned that my Partner’s sister had recently upgraded her bed and didn’t have a plan to get rid of her previous one – and she wanted to give it to us for free. My jaw was on the floor. 

We went over to her house to check it out and it was super comfy and included a mattress topper. Yes please 🙂 . 

Then my Partner’s Mom texted saying that someone at her church was looking to get rid of a couch – she sent me a picture and it looked exactly like the kind of couch I wanted to buy. And she wanted no money for it. So now we have a comfy, free couch.

Previous Purchases Others Weren’t Using

This might be a specific situation because of our random tiny house side quest during the pandemic after we obviously had to cancel our previous international travel plans, but in 2020 I mentioned that we furnished our tiny house with items from Ikea and one of them was a dresser.

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Once people got vaccinated and we started traveling, we gifted the furniture we bought to the family member we were living with. And when we mentioned we got an apartment this year, that family member mentioned that they still had our dresser and weren’t using it. 

I found that hilarious because 5 years later we re-adopted our Ikea dresser after I had forgotten it existed. Nice 🙂 . 

Used Items

I’ve always loved used items both because of how it helps recycle items others don’t want instead of just filling a landfill, but also because my time living in NYC taught me that there are often brand new, never used items in thrift stores for 10% of their purchase price. And I love a deal 🙂 . 

So when I was looking for items for our new apartment, I decided to check out used stores to see what they have.

Antique/Consignment Stores

My mother-un-law suggested checking out antique stores when I mentioned I was looking for items to stock our house, which is something I hadn’t ever thought to check out before. 

And it turns out, it’s a gold mine! Apparently these stores stock a lot of random things including items from auctions and estate sales and I’ve never seen such low prices. For example, I got a Baking Tray for $1 and a Strainer for $0.50. 

At one antique shop I found some super soft Throw Pillows that I asked the price of because there wasn’t a tag, and the employee said “I didn’t know we had that. I don’t know, $3 each?” Absolutely sensational 🙂 . 

Goodwill

I’ve been to Goodwill before, but previously didn’t see anything that interested me. However, I didn’t realize that in addition to clothes, they also stock random household items. 

My Partner had been talking about wanting a water filter and while I was at Goodwill, I saw that they had several Brita filters for $7 and it even came with multiple filters, saving us over $50 overall. I’ll never overlook Goodwill’s household section again 🙂 . 

Habitat for Humanity ReStore

My sister-un-law also said that I should check out a place called Habitat For Humanity ReStore. I knew of the charity Habitat for Humanity and had even volunteered for it in my youth, but I had no idea they had a store. They do and it’s absolutely amazing!

Their ReStores are a thrift store with lightly used items and all the profits go to their charity. We found so many gems at this store that I’m obsessed with it. For example, we got a giant, solid wood table with 4 chairs for $225 and a beautiful 6 foot painting with a frame for $55. 

In general, the ReStore has ranges of how much an items costs and it’s generally 75% off retail value before additional markdowns and discounts. Here are the average price ranges for common items as listed on their website:

FURNITURE

• Sofas: $95 – $225
• Coffee Tables: $35 – $75
• Tables & Chairs: $75 – $225
• Dressers: $35 – $150
• Bed Frames: $25 – $125

KITCHEN & BATH

• Kitchen Cabinets: $750 – $1,200
• Appliances: $95 – $225
• Tubs: $85 – $225
• Sinks: $15 – $100
• Tile: $10 – $15 per box
• Vanities: $35 – $225

HOME IMPROVEMENT

• Doors: $20 – $125
• Windows: $40 – $200
• Lamps & Light Fixtures: $15 – $45

Discount Closeout Retailers

After I moved to rural NY, I heard about Ocean State Job Lot, once again from my Partner’s family. It’s a discount retail store that has amazing prices for new items. They also have a lot of discounts if you sign up for their store’s membership card, which is free along with lots of gift card deals, which saved me $30 during my first visit.

I got a lot of amazing things from them, such as a $140 air conditioner, a $40 comforter that is wildly soft and $23 Queen sized Jersey Knit sheets. I love this place so much and they have endless sales and deals that are even cheaper than their usual low prices. 

Free Stuff

This was a bit of an accident, but I kept running into free items after we had mostly filled our apartment. During the summer there seemed to be countless Garage Sales near us and a lot of them had “free boxes”. I didn’t seek any of these Garage Sales out intentionally, but if they were in our walking path I would peruse 🙂 . 

Garage Sale Free Boxes

In one of those free boxes I found two really cool, holiday themed cups that I’ve been using constantly. I obviously washed them super well before using them, but I now have a mug to go with one of my favorite Halloween movies, Hocus Pocus a mug with the Abominable Snowman on it and a fun, multi-colored thermos. All for free. 

The Local Library

Soon after moving into my apartment I learned that my local library not only has a free table for books, but also always has a deal to buy 5 books for $1 – WHAT?! So I couldn’t resist buying some coffee table books about fun things like gardening and wildlife for our new place. I suspect other libraries might have similar deals.

Free Little Libraries

I absolutely loved the Free Little Libraries in Seattle and that was actually where I put most of my bookshelves of books when I got rid of all my stuff before I became a nomad. However, I was excited to see that even small town America has these little guys! 

I checked out one by my house and found a book by an author I’ve enjoyed. New book acquired 🙂 .

Not Used This Time, But Recommended

I didn’t use these suggestions during my latest quest to furnish an apartment, but I have in the past so I wanted to mention them here in case other people weren’t aware of them. 

Craigslist

I used to use Craigslist often to both buy and sell items. It even has a section of free things, which are often large items like couches and tables that people are happy to give away if you can move them. I always had a good experience on Craigslist and it was a great way to get my furniture listings out there. 

Facebook Marketplace

As I mentioned in my previous post about getting rid of all my stuff before becoming a nomad, Facebook Marketplace was a big part of that in addition to Craigslist. I was able to sell a large swath of my stuff on that platform 5 years ago, but hilariously people were much easier to deal with when they were paying me for an item compared to when I listed it for free – go figure 🙂 . 

There are two things that really helped me hit my stride on Facebook Marketplace:

1. Responding to all inquiries asking if something is available with “Yes – it’s located in [neighborhood]. Let me know if you’re interested”
2. Downloading the Facebook Messenger app

That first item saved me a lot of back and forth. I had already list the neighborhood I live in within the actual post and put the specific location within the marketplace, but unfortunately it seems that people do not read 🙂 so I’ve found that saying it again often gets a response of “Oh I can’t come that far” and saves me some time.

The second item I was hesitant to do because I don’t trust Facebook’s (lack of) privacy integrity, but it was wildly helpful so that I didn’t have to constantly have a Facebook tab open on my laptop, which for some reason stressed me out. It felt annoying and not relaxing. It was like I was constantly waiting for the next notification, similar to how I felt during workdays waiting for an email ping – constant dread 🙂 . (I’m kidding and being over-dramatic, but you get the point.)

After downloading the app I could receive messages while outside while I was waiting to deliver someone’s item instead of asking my Partner to monitor my computer while I went outside and then text me if something happens (so inefficient 😉 …). Instead, my phone buzzes like I’m getting a text and it’s a prospective buyer asking about the item or saying they’re outside ready for pick up. Easy. And after I’m done buying or selling things, I delete the app from my phone.

Buy Nothing Groups

Previously when getting rid of my stuff in Seattle, if I had exhausted my paid options, I listed an item on my local Buy Nothing Group. They’re easy to join – just search Facebook for the one in your neighborhood and be sure to read the rules before posting anything.

It took me a while to understand the nuances of my Seattle Buy Nothing Group because the exact rules for how to use it weren’t listed anywhere, but after I spent some time on there I noticed a pattern. If you’re looking to give something away, you start your post with “GIFT” or “GIVE” and then list the item with its specs and pictures (and if you’re asking the community for an item you start with “ASK“).

Once someone has responded in the comments of your post about an item you’re giving away, you send them a private message and comment back to them on the thread that you have done that (because messages from non-friends usually go to a spam like folder). Then once you arrange a pickup time, you change the beginning of your post to “PENDING PICK UP“. If the pickup was successful, you change the beginning of the post to say “GIFTED” so people know it’s gone.

Purchases

So those are all the avenues I’ve walked down to furnish my apartments. And here is a list of everything that I bought to furnish my current 1 bedroom apartment:

KITCHEN

• (2) Kitchen Counter Carts: $216.50
• Large Wood Table & (4) Chairs: $225.00
• Cuisinart 10 Piece Cooking Set: $160.00
• Stainless Steel Silverware: $50.00
• Flatware: $18.00
• Hand Woven Basket: $24.00
• Hand Painted Spoon Rest: $24.50
• Dishware Set: $25.00
• Microwave: $35.00
• Toaster Oven: $20.00
• Trash Can: $12.00
• Desk Lamp: $0.00
• Cuisinart Knives: $13.00
• (2) Spatulas: $12.00
• Tupperware: $6.00
• Brita & Filters: $7.00
• Drawer Organizer: $5.00
• Sous Vide Bucket: $31.00
• Extension Cords: $10.24
• OXO Measuring Cup: $10.95
• Large Pyrex: $12.00
• Small Pyrex: $3.00
• Strainer: $0.50
• Strainer Spoon: $0.50
• Right Angle Extension Cord: $9.00
• Lamp: $12.00
• Baking Tray: $1.00
• Hand Towels: $3.99

BEDROOM

• Bed: $0.00
• Bedframe: $0.00
• Comforter: $40.00
• Duvet Cover: $18.00
• Pillows: $50.00
• Queen-Sized Jersey Knit Sheets: $23.00
• (2) Nightstands: $72.00
• (2) Nightstand Lamps: $48.00
• Air Conditioner: $140.00
• Fake Plant: $0.00
• Small Lamp: $0.00
• Rug: $32.50
• Mirror: $35.00
• 6 Ft Painting: $55.00
• Hangers: $3.00
• Wood Jewelry Organizer: $5.00
• Wicker Basket: $3.00
• Hangers (3 packs): $5.55
• Laundry Basket: $8.00

LIVING ROOM

• Couch: $0.00
• Floor Lamp: $0.00
• Desk Lamp: $0.00
• Rug: $32.50
• Coffee Table: $45.00
• Blanket: $15.00
• String Lights: $16.00
• (2) Throw Pillows: $6.00
• Wicker Yarn Basket: $10.00
• Extension Cords (3): $3.00

BATHROOM 

• (4) Towels: $28.00
• Pedestal Sink Storage: $33.47
• Squatty Potty: $13.98
• Shower Organizer: $18.00
• Nightlight: $7.00
• Squeegee: $10.00
• Scale: $18.00

MISCELLANEOUS

• Clothes Drying Rack: $48.00
• Shoe Rack: $36.00

TOTAL: $1,781.75

And that’s how much furnishing our one bedroom apartment cost. I said “$2,000” in the title to leave room for finishing touches we may purchase in the coming months, such as decor from local artists and items we haven’t realized we need yet 🙂 . 

Emotions

It’s super tiring to put an entire life together quickly – to buy literally EVERYTHING a house needs, measure everything in sight, and go to stores to try and avoid the Amazon demon if I can.

It’s shocking how many things I never thought about that were in my Seattle apartment that I now need to remember to buy. Or things that I don’t think about because every Airbnb I’ve lived in just has them 🙂 . 

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Luckily I can walk to a local shop or use my new-to-me car to pop out and purchase things. However, I actually put most of this apartment together before we bought that car and it was more of a challenge as a result, but I did it! And it only took a week of hard work to make the apartment livable. 

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I’m also very grateful for my Partner’s very different perspective on community. I’ve learned a lot about accepting help when it’s offered (I’m very bad at it 🙂 ) and now realize that items we are given have an unexpected benefit: I think of the person who gave it to us every time I look at that item. And that seems to give it more meaning and give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. I think I can get used to this small town thing 🙂 . 

Conclusion

So that’s how I furnished our apartment for less than $2,000. In general I was extremely surprised with how little it cost to furnish our place after tapping into the power of community and used stores.

I had budgeted $10,000 total to put our apartment together and doing all this for 80% less than I planned blew my mind. So I hope this was helpful if you’re looking to furnish your home – or are just curious about how someone might furnish an apartment for less than expected 🙂 .