A Newlyweds' Guide to Furniture Shopping for Your First Home

You’ve said your vows, walked down the aisle and enjoyed your honeymoon, so what comes next? For most newlyweds, this is the time to start setting up your first home together. As Oscar Collins touches on in his article about finances, establishing a marital home is a smart move for couples as this can protect them from rising rental rates while also providing their future family with a good foundation. But building a home isn’t just about the structure itself. How you decorate it inside is just as crucial in making it a home. Since furniture shopping as a married couple demands different considerations, here’s a quick guide to help you out.

Opt for multi-use items

The first thing you want to look for is versatility, as this will ensure your furniture can keep up with all the potential changes your new life together may bring. This is especially important when looking at big-ticket items, as you don’t want to buy a substantial item that you’re forced to work around. As a rule of thumb, look for items with built-in storage or a modular design. The L-shaped sectional sofas with modular pieces on Living Spaces demonstrate how they can be moved around to change the configuration of the sofa to be in line with your space and particular needs. Furthermore, models like the Sebastian Cream Convertible Sleeper Sectional have a subtle storage solution to save space; opening the chaise reveals spacious storage that helps keep your living room organized. With something like this, you adapt and enjoy your furniture as you complete your family and home.

Invest in quality materials

Considering that the average single-family home can run up to $400,000, as per YCharts, it’s natural for some newlyweds to cut costs when buying furniture. However, this approach will only drain your money as expenses for repairs and replacements pile up over time. Instead, choose to invest in furniture made from quality materials right off the bat. Since most people furnish high-traffic areas first, you need to select materials that can withstand the extra wear and tear they’ll experience. For instance, the kitchen is one of the most used rooms in a home, which is why durable materials like wood are best. This is unlike cheaper materials like plastic, which can warp or break. As The Spruce explains, wooden countertops on side tables or butcher blocks work best whether you’re a regular cook or not because they’re easy to source and maintain. Suppliers like Lowe’s even offer bulk discounts for these, so you save money in the long run.

Don’t shop ahead

Lastly, shop for the home you have now and not the one you aim to have in the future. While having furniture that you think will look great in your dream home can be inspiring, they’re just a waste of space and money if they don't serve your present circumstances. According to an article on New Home Source, most people get their dream homes in their 40s and 50s when finances are more secure. On top of this, CT Insider notes that median home sizes are shrinking even though most families are growing. As such, if you’re buying “dream home” items as early as now, you’ll just be lugging them around and using up essential floor space. What’s more practical is to find a happy medium. As mentioned above, find items that can grow with you and your family, from your first starter home to your eventual forever one. Then, as your family, style and house size change, you can easily work around these items in a way that is cohesive and not forced.

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