how long could you live without furniture? - a WWYD (updated pg 2)

How about option d) borrow from friends and family or see what you can get on freecycle?

It may not be what you want but it would do until you could afford to replace it.

I have lent a bed, curtain poles, side table, lamps and curtains to a friend while she tries to sell her house so that she can dress a room as a bedroom without having to buy furniture she won't need when she moves.

HTH

I'd do b or c, I'd want to move out for the sake of my sanity, life's too short just because you have nothing to sit on lol!

I think the Freecycle idea is a fab one.

Definitely B. I'm sure friends would be able to offer you bits & bobs, and of course, Freecycle.

I think you need to go for your own sanity!

I would prob move out - you will be suprised about how generous people are in giving and lending you stuff! And what people have stashed away! We managed to furnish a 4 bed house in my year out with bits we were given! OK it wasn't beautiful, but it was fine for a while!

If you are anywhere near Southampton I have a sofa I'm trying to give away!!!

Id say B too, your own mental health is worth more than some furniture. Freecycle would be a great start to get some bits and bobs until you can afford to get some new stuff.

Go for it

Well having lived for 8 months in Sydney without even a bed to my name I'd say quite a long time! We just had camping mats down on the floor (thickly carpeted thank the lord) to sleep on and a couple of deckchairs for the lounge. Pikey, moi?

I would rather do that though than live with a numpty.

Oh and while IKEA is good for budget furniture don't buy their cheap chests of drawers as a stop gap, we did and have regretted it as they fell apart within months. You are better off getting old better made stuff from charity shops while you save for something swanky

B.

Than I'd check out freecycle for old furniture , mainly shelving units old soffas etc to help out and con people into helping me shift it to the new flat.

Then re-freecycle as needed

or look at what friends or family may happily be willing for you to shift for them

or look on the bay of e in your area for very very cheap things

A vote for B from me too. Identify what are essentials and what are wants, and shop around. Find somewhere to rent that has built-in wardrobes, and that's one problem solved right away ?. (which reminds me, we'll have to when we move because that's what we have now).

I remember when friends of ours bought their house, they had an inflatable sofa for ages ?

B.

Than I'd check out freecycle for old furniture , mainly shelving units old soffas etc to help out and con people into helping me shift it to the new flat.

Then re-freecycle as needed

or look at what friends or family may happily be willing for you to shift for them

or look on the bay of e in your area for very very cheap things

When we bought here renovations meant the only furniture we had was a mattress on the bedroom floor, a tv stand and a tv (used in last house) we hoped to finish rooms before furnishing as so much needed to be done, that's all we had for 6 months until we finished the sitting room and bought a sofa, armchairs, bookshelves. we did then put the bedframe up as it all took longer than expected. even now 18 months we have limited furniture up and in use, my accident delayed everything as i can't do anything. bedroom has bed, plastic crates for clothes and a hanging rack for shirts etc. we did buy a fridge pretty smartish though, the prev owners kindly left us 2, broken, smelly, icky ones.

B from me too. Where are you based? I might have some things you can have if you are not far away...

If we get our fingers out there might be a spare bed you can have, we are thinking about putting a sofa bed in the spare room for space reasons.

As others have mentioned; it's certainly worth putting the word around friends and family who might have stuff. We had a suite and a double bed in our garage for months before we managed to organise a charity to collect the suite and take the bed to the tip. We'd have been more than happy to see it go to a friend in need even if they decided to get rid once they'd got new stuff.

Looks like it's more or less unanimous for B then ?

Thanks everyone. I don't really know anyone (bar acquaintances) in the locality, so the begging and borrowing route isn't too viable, unfortunately. I think I'd buy a bed and mattress to move (I think a freecycle mattress might freak me out), then get a cheapy sofa in the first month, but that was ok to live with for 6 months to a year. Other stuff like shelves and wardrobes would be fine for begging and borrowing, and I can get a simple cheapo set of kitchen stuff at IKEA.

I think everyone is right, I'll be happier in my own space without numpty interference. I'm not really materialistic, luckily, so I don't think the lack of comforts will get me down too quickly. I've got to save up the deposit as it'll be more than I paid here (ahem, none) but hopefully in a couple of months I can get moving.

Ooh, I just thought, I think my old oak wardrobe which I bought for £15 when I was a student is still at my mum's ?

I don't suppose anyone is selling a digital TV cheap in the Gloucestershire area? <hopeful icon>

Whereabouts are you then FW? I'm in Glos.

Don't forget gumtree, they have a freebies area and a buying area so you might pick some stuff up on there

good luck

I'm in Cheltenham, where are you?

My colleague has just volunteered her (nice) double bed - she needs to get it out of the house due to baby coming. Result!

Well I work in Gloucester.

Ah, yes, I seem to remember now that you were local-ish, during my fruitless attempts to establish a Chelt'num kleek ?

If you (or anyone else) has any recs for good letting agents, it would be great to hear them. I've emailed them all and no-one's come back to me. Really, you'd think they'd be keener. I've given them ten minutes to reply and everything ?

My boss has a property in Cheltenham that he rents and he uses the company on the roundabout at the top of Montpellier. Can't think of their name now, it'll come to be in a minute.

Morgan Associates.

Fab, thanks!

When we've been skint over the years we've gone to big local charity shop outlets, here its a Blythswood and I've also used a Salvaation Army shop one too in Glasgow where we've bought stuff, including suites, futons, tables, chairs, and a bed frame - then a new mattress - all for really cheap prices. Is there anything like that near you? You could just put a throws cover over things to make it look better.

Also, we used a hanging rail for £4.99 out of poundstretchers for ages, and currently use an old shower rail as a clothes hanging rail to dry clothes on.

We've bought a lot of furniture in sales, we just bought a new wardrobe for £90 reduced from £360 in a catalogue sale.

Definitely B from me too though, I did similar years ago and it made a huge difference to how happy I was, I loved living on my own too.

Good luck

When I first moved to Skegness I moved straight into a house share which luckily included all furniture and kitchen utensils etc, unfortunately I wasn't completely comfortable there so when I got a tax rebate in October I decided to use it as a deposit for my own flat. When I moved in I had absolutely nothing but the landlords kindly left the settee, bed and wardrobe the previous tennants had left along with a kettle and microwave. Friends (well Sherry and her Mum!) were very kind in helping me with some crockery, cutlery and bedding and I stole a few glasses from the pub I work in ?. I've just bought other things as and when so didn't really have many massive outlays. I can honestly say it's the best few hundred pounds I've ever spent in getting my own place, this is the first time I've ever lived properly on my own and I absolutely love it and even though it might not be the poshest of places friends are more than happy to come here and feel comfortable so I'm happy ?

Just wanted to say thanks for all the experiences and advice - I have an appointment to view my first flat on Thursday and am most excited about it! (You'd think I'd never moved out of my mum's by the way I'm going on ? )

Oh you work fast! good luck, hope you find something thats suitable!

I'm a bit late to the party but don't forget about part furnished places. Also you may be able to reduce the rent on a place advertised as furnished but which really needs stuff replacing or has stuff missing.