How to furnish your apartment on a low budget as an expat?
Furnishing a new apartment is a great way to turn your new house into a home. But how much money do you really want to spend on this? The chance that you will have to leave the apartment again at some point is quite high and you may not be sure that you can take all the furniture with you to your next home. Below, you can read how you can furnish your new apartment without having to spend too much money.
Furnished, upholstered or bare
Most expats who come from abroad opt for a furnished home. Here you basically only need to bring a toothbrush and some clothes, since the rest is already there, including artwork and paintings, or schilderijen in Dutch, for example. However, it is not always self-evident that the house that was rented out is furnished. It is often easier to get an unfurnished home if you have a pet, for example. Not all home owners are happy with animals in the house and with an unfurnished home the owner runs less risk of damage. The rent of an unfurnished house may be lower than that of a fully furnished house, but keep in mind that you will have to spend more money on the purchase of furniture, bed linens, towels, crockery, kitchen utensils and everything else that comes with decorating a house, which includes wanddecoratie, or wall decorations in English. Opting for a bare house means that the house is both unfurnished and not upholstered.
Go for sustainability
By buying things from second-hand classified ad websites like Marktplaats, flea markets or thrift stores, you breathe new life into used items. These items are often not so trend-sensitive, so you can enjoy them for a longer period of time.
On Marktplaats, for example, you can set an alert for specific items that you are looking for to furnish your home. This way you ensure that you are always the first to be there and you increase the chance of a successful purchase. Sell your cabinet, sofa, table or chairs again when you are tired of it. This way you not only have a nice pocket money, but you also make someone else happy with these items.
Bring personal items
To really make you feel at home in your new home, it can help to bring some of your own personal items. Place photos of your loved ones and buy some plants that will instantly make your home more homey. You create warmth by playing with different accessories, light, cushions and other personal belongings. Please note that you are dealing with a rental property and most likely use the owner's interior. If you want to paint the wall or make a new cover for the sofa, first make sure you have permission for this.