Moving into a new place after a separation often means starting with far less than you had before. Maybe the couch stayed behind, maybe the kitchen gear was split down the middle, or maybe you left with a car-load of clothes and not much else. Furnishing a home from close to zero is daunting, but it is also a chance to build a space around how you actually live now rather than how things were.
Start with the five things you use every day
Before thinking about décor, list what you need to function in the first fortnight. For most people that is a bed, somewhere to sit, a way to cook and eat, a place for clothes and a working heater. Everything else can wait.
- Bed: spend here if you can. A decent mattress for $400 to $900 will affect your sleep, mood and back far more than any other purchase.
- Seating: two second-hand armchairs often cost less than one tired couch and are easier to move.
- Kitchen: one good frying pan, one pot, a sharp knife, a chopping board and four of everything for the table.
- Storage: a clothes rack and a set of drawers will do until you know how the rooms work.
- Heating: a basic oil column or panel heater for the bedroom if the place has no fixed heating.
Living with a slightly empty house for a few weeks is not a failure. It gives you time to notice where you naturally put your keys, where the sun falls in the afternoon and which corner needs a lamp.
Where the bargains really are
New Zealand has a strong second-hand culture, and it pays to use it. Trade Me and Facebook Marketplace are the obvious places, but timing matters. Late January and the end of the university year bring a flood of furniture from people moving cities. Searching for “moving sale” or “must go” in your area often surfaces bundles for well below their value.
Other places worth checking:
- Hospice and charity shops, which often have solid timber furniture at $30 to $150 a piece.
- Council inorganic or kerbside collections, where you can sometimes legally pick up items left on the berm (check the council’s rules first).
- Freecycle and community “buy nothing” groups, where people give away items simply to clear space.
- Friends and family who have been meaning to replace their own furniture and would rather it go somewhere useful.
When buying second-hand upholstery, check for stains, odours and any signs of borer or pests, and avoid second-hand mattresses unless you know where they came from.
Think about weight, size and the next move
There is a real chance this will not be your last move for a while. Many people go from a short-term rental to a longer one, or eventually buy again once the finances settle. That makes lightweight, flat-pack-friendly or modular pieces sensible choices. A massive solid rimu sideboard is lovely, but it is a nightmare to shift up a stairwell twice in two years.
Measure doorways, hallways and stairs before committing to anything large. A sofa that does not fit around the corner of a 1970s hallway is an expensive lesson.
It is also worth thinking about how securely things are fixed. Tall bookshelves, drawers and televisions can topple in an earthquake, and in parts of the country that is a very real risk. The Natural Hazards Commission has general information about protecting a home and its contents, and simple wall straps cost only a few dollars each.
Making it feel like home without spending much
Once the basics are in, small touches make the biggest difference to how a place feels. A few ideas that cost very little:
- Plants, including cuttings from friends’ gardens, bring life into bare rooms.
- A large rug defines a living area and softens echoes in empty spaces.
- Warm-toned bulbs instead of harsh white ones change the mood of a room immediately.
- Printing a handful of your own photos and framing them in op-shop frames.
If you have pets, the outdoor area may matter as much as the inside. This article on fencing a rental for privacy and pets covers what to check and what to ask a landlord before you make changes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to furnish a one or two bedroom place from scratch? Using mostly second-hand items, many people manage the essentials for $1,500 to $4,000. Buying everything new can easily cost three or four times that, and costs vary widely by region.
Is it worth buying cheap flat-pack furniture? For short-term use, yes, but cheaper flat-pack pieces often do not survive more than one or two moves. Prioritise solid second-hand items for anything you expect to keep.
Should I wait until I know where I will live long term? Get the essentials now so you can live comfortably, and hold off on large or expensive items until your situation is more settled.