Furnishing a home can be an expensive endeavour, especially when you’re moving out for the very first time and own very little. With so many items to purchase, the price tags can all add up really quickly and make the experience into more of a nightmare than a dream come true.
However, not everything has to be expensive or break the bank. There are many items you can buy second-hand or from cheaper stores to fill up your home. There are only a select couple of items where it really counts to splash the cash.
To avoid your items wearing down and breaking too quickly, purchase higher-quality pieces to serve particular functions. Here are some of the items where it really matters to focus on quality.
Bedding
You might be wondering, why do sheets pill? This is typically a problem that occurs when cheaper material is used. Cheap sheets and duvet covers will wear, stretch and even tear quicker than you can have your bed made. This can also make for an uncomfortable night’s sleep and leave you groggy and irritable the next day.
Purchasing quality when it comes to your bed is always a good idea. From the minor details like silk pillowcases (which are better for your skin hygiene) to the main event of the mattress itself, these items serve an important function and should last you a good couple of years, which means this is not the place to be bargain hunting or ducking into thrift stores.
Sofas and Seating
Another item that you should really be investing in is your sofa or any other kind of seating you want in your home – wingbacks, tub chairs or even dining room chairs. These will likely be used on a daily basis – sat on, lounged on and if you’re not fussy, have feet rested on them too. Poor quality will wear quickly, lose softness and become shabby looking.
Of course, these are also items that you want to be extra comfortable, because you’ll be sitting on them when you want to rest and relax, in front of the TV or with a cup of tea after work. A cheap loveseat that feels like you’re sitting on wooden beams isn’t ideal.
Appliances
Any item that needs to perform a function (and perform it well) should get serious financial input. Think of appliances like fridges, microwaves, washing machines and blenders. Electric devices are expensive anyway, but grabbing the cheapest option will have you kicking yourself when it breaks after 6 months.
High-end kitchen appliances are always worth the extra expense because they’ll last longer, do a better job and usually look a little better too which is always a bonus.
Cookware
Buying the right cookware is a bigger decision than you might think. Roasting dishes, pots, pans, casseroles, and knives for preparing your food are important, especially if you spend a lot of time cooking meals at home.
With so much use, these items can wear, rust and lose their integrity very quickly. With food and grease being caked on them, being exposed to chemicals and high heat in the dishwasher and even being left with old food drying on them (we’re all guilty), cheap, low-quality cookware will rust and become all but unusable within a few months.
Save yourself the trouble of repurchasing a new set of pans every year by investing in the good stuff right away.
Towels
Simply put, more expensive towels will last longer, and this rule can apply to so many different items we purchase. A cheap set of towels might be enticing, but when they start falling apart after only a few washes and you need to buy another set, will that bargain price really be serving you anymore?
Good quality towels and linen are similar in the sense that they’re used daily and will be worn down quickly if you opt for cheaply made items. Plus, there’s nothing quite like that luxurious feeling of a thick, fluffy towel to dry off after your bubble bath.
Rugs
An honourable mention for this list is the rug you’ll purchase for your bedroom or living room. While cheaper options can be okay in this sense, a higher-quality or even artisan rug (if you want to splurge) will truly last you for years and years, if not decades.
A good rug can be an investment as it adds so much to your home – comfort, warmth and style. Opt for a neutral but stylish rug that could be repurposed in another room at a later point if you wanted to.
