How To Buy Items For The Home And Make Them Last

As you’ll have seen from my recent post about what to save on and what to splurge on in the home, we’re well on board with thinking about how we’re going to kit out our first home. There are certain things we know are worth investing in so they last longer, like white goods. But other things we know we can get away with not spending as much on. But when you do buy cheaper items how do you get them to last so you’re replacing them after a year?!

Choose durable furniture

This might seem like a no-brainer but you can get durable furniture on a budget. Abakus Direct have a whole range of items including sofas which are great deals and mean you won’t be forking out thousands on something. We have a sofa already from our old flat but depending on the layout of the house we may want another one downstairs. But we don’t want to spend thousands, and the new Chicago range is calling out to me. Not only is a corner sofa just under £400 but it’s made from waterproof fabric to help protect it and extend the life of the sofa. This would be great if you had kids and wanted them to have their own space you didn’t need to worry about getting ruined.

Choose durable materials

What I talked about above about going for durability, this works past furniture and includes flooring, curtains, bedding, etc. Yes, a particular carpet might look stunning but if it’s in a high traffic area will it last?! Think about how much traffic areas will have, and how they might be used. For example, in bathrooms, you need to make sure the flooring and walls are going to be fine if they get wet. They’re not much good if they can’t.

Or it might be you’ve seen some stunning curtains for your bedroom, but if they’re sheer and let loads of light in they’ll bug the hell out of you in the summer sunshine. Think practically about the durability and needs of materials throughout your house.

When it comes to buying things like flooring, you need to consider the foot traffic in those areas. Choose better laminate flooring, and you’ll find it will stand the test of time. Laminate flooring that is made at a higher quality will withstand the increased foot traffic areas in the home and ensure that you don’t need to replace it within a year. Always choose quality when it comes to your flooring.

Think about how much you’ll use an item

This is so important as you don’t want to spend loads of money on items you won’t get a lot of use out of. For example, we’re going to have a spare bedroom for when our parents or friends come to stay. Chances are this room won’t get used masses to be slept on, so while we have a great mattress we don’t want to spend masses on a bed frame. It’s something we need but it may only be slept on once a month.

But then on the other hand if it’s an item you’re going to use lots like a kitchen appliance, or a desk chair consider spending that little bit more to ensure it lasts. If you buy cheap, to begin with, and have to replace it a year down the line it’s a bit of a waste (unless it’s all you can afford).

Don’t be afraid to go second hand

Most of can’t afford to kit out a whole house from scratch with brand new items. But don’t worry about this, there are plenty of other options and the second hand is a great one. With so many avenues now such as charity shops, gumtree, and Facebook marketplace you can buy good quality items which will last without having to shell out loads of money. I’m sure while we’re settling in and saving for things that we’ll get some items second hand. Or maybe even donated to us by family members. But this means we can make them last for as long as we need them before buying new.