A simple yet practical DIY reference for decor buffs and home owners alike!
The majority of home owners believe that paying for premium furniture and appliances is a worthy investment when it comes to actualizing a dream house. While it is only natural for people to put their trust in superior brands in the market, not all of them are significantly different as compared to the cheaper ones in terms of quality. It actually depends on the types of furniture, some indeed are more worth it to pay extra and some are fine being low-end. Do not just splurge on furnishing your home without setting a proper budget for each category. The key is to know what to invest and what can be saved. Check out our guide to smart furnishing below to achieve your perfect home on a budget!
Furniture and appliances that you can splurge on
Most of us want to save money but when it comes to choosing a piece of furniture that directly affects the quality of living, it may not be worth it to go for a cheap and low quality item. Here are some things that you definitely would not want to compromise on:
Mattress
No one can deny the importance of having a good night’s sleep, yet most people underrate the value of a high quality mattress. It is in fact one of the costliest items on a furniture checklist because of its longevity. When shopping for mattress, price should not be your number one deciding factor, but it does not mean that the most expensive is the best one either. We only recommend you not be guilty of spending a bit more for a premium mattress that you find comfortable, supportive and suits your sleeping needs and preferences. Instead of going for a specific brand store, head out to a general furniture showroom where you can “test run” all available samples from the various manufacturers. Settle for the best one within your affordability or budget.
Sofa
A sofa to a home is what Pikachu is to Ash. It simply completes the whole living space, no matter how many pieces of furniture that you have already owned. A pleasant sofa will accompany your whole family for years to come, especially if you and your family members are couch potatoes. Allocate a reasonable budget for a sofa, but do not forget that it can be a supplementary bed too! The most important factor to consider is its durability. Cheap sofas start sagging after a couple of months, and you would not want to come home after a long day at work not being able to fall into a soft and comforting sofa.
Energy efficient refrigerator
Even a small hotel room is usually furnished with a mini fridge. It is without a doubt a must-have item in every home. You can choose to save on this appliance if you do not store a lot of fresh ingredients or foods at home, a basic single door fridge will do. However, having a high quality fridge that consumes less electricity is ideal if you enjoy cooking at home. Most standard fridges come with energy efficient feature so that your household electricity usage will be stable. Hence, it is always a smart investment regardless of your budget. To save some extra cash, you can actually buy fridges online as long as you know exactly which brand and model that you are looking for. You can also shop for good quality furniture and home appliances at the following premium stores below:
Harvey Norman
IKEA
Index Living Mall
AEON Furniture
What you should save on?
Furnishing your new home is obviously simpler than the process of buying a house itself. Beside the above mentioned items, most of other pieces around your living space do not have to be of premium brands. Better yet, you can hunt for bargain deals from online marketplaces like Lowyat, Lazada, Mudah, etc., as well as jumbo sales and stock clearances for the following items below:
Tables and chairs
Having a marble dining table does not really make much of a difference as compared to a basic wooden table, unless you want to build a lavish kingdom of your own. You can easily find a decent table from IKEA for under RM100. For an apartment setting, having various table functions placed in every room is rather abundant. You will not need either a side table or a coffee table to complete your furnishing list, investing in an extendable dining table and a small office desk is a much wiser choice.
Closets and cabinets
All that you need from a closet is a space to hang your clothes, so there is no need to spend too much on this piece of furniture. The same goes for kitchen cabinets. If you need to add extra storage for your kitchen, a cheap side cabinet works just fine.
Cooking utensils and other small home appliances
As long as savings are concerned, we recommend you to consider cheaper products for the kitchen unless cooking is your passion. You may check out this list of junk stores in Klang Valley where you can find everything for your home at the lowest prices possible. We believe that a perfect home is achievable to anyone, even with a limited budget. It only takes a good financial planning to turn your dream house into a reality.
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