Should you buy furniture before or after you move in?

When moving to a new place – and starting your life anew – it’s only natural to want everything in your new home to be new as well. From the curtains and area rugs to the furniture and wall décor, you’ll want every single item to be just right for the new space – to fit perfectly, to bring comfort and functionality, to match the interior design, to reflect your personal style, etc. It will, therefore, be best to get new things for your new place rather than move your old stuff.

Besides, regardless of whether you want to buy new household items or not, you’ll most likely need to purchase quite a few things for your new place – because you’re moving to a bigger home (and don’t have enough furnishings for it), moving out of a rental or out of your parents’ house (and don’t have what you need), etc.

So, you’ll need to buy new items for your new home. The only question is when to buy them – before or after the relocation.

What you decide will make a big difference for your move (and your settling in period) – especially when it comes to big items like furniture.

Is it better to buy furniture before or after moving?

It can be rather tempting to get the things you need for your new home before the move – so you have everything ready and can set up your new place right away. Besides, it’s quite exciting to plan your new living space, design your new home décor, and go searching for the right items – and once you find them, you’ll be eager to get them, of course.

Yet, buying household items in advance may not be a good idea – the more stuff you have for moving, the more expensive and more difficult your move will be. Besides, the new things may not look well – or function well – in your new place.

When it comes to furniture – some of the largest and most essential items in a home – the dilemma is really big and critical. There are many good reasons to buy furniture before moving – and even better reasons to wait until after the move.

Advantages of buying furniture before moving in

• You’ll have more time to look for the right items (after the move, you’ll be in a hurry to get the basic furniture – unless you want to sleep and eat on the floor);
• You’ll be shopping in your old city, so you’ll know where you can get the best furniture at the best prices;
• You’ll have time to wait for sales so you can get your chosen pieces at a discount;
• You’ll have everything you need from day one in your new home – your new space will be functional and comfortable;
• You’ll be able to take every piece directly to its rightful place upon moving in and won’t need to rearrange things later on;
• You’ll be able to put your smaller items (most of which will sit on or inside your furniture) where they belong as soon as you take them out of the moving boxes and will, therefore, be able to arrange and decorate your new home right away;
• Your new home will feel like a real home right from the start.

Drawbacks of buying furniture before moving out

• Before the move, you won’t have a good sense of the place where you’ll be living. Even if you know the dimensions of the rooms, you won’t be aware of the natural flow of movement within the space and won’t be sure what kind of furniture will be most practical and most comfortable in the specific layout. Besides, you won’t know exactly what size, shape, and style of furniture will be the right fit for the room. If you buy new furniture prior to the move, it may not fit through the doors or hallways, may not fit in the available space, may not fit the interior design, etc. (See also: What to do if furniture doesn’t fit through the door).
• Furniture is large and heavy, so it is difficult to pack and difficult to move. If you buy new pieces before moving out,
  • packing will take a lot of time and effort (See also: How to pack furniture for moving);
  • there will be a lot of heavy lifting (See also: Proper lifting techniques for moving heavy furniture and boxes);
  • there will be a greater risk of property damage and personal injuries (See also: How to prevent property damage when moving; How to avoid accidents and injuries when moving);
  • your new furniture may get damaged during the relocation.
• Moving furniture is expensive:
  • If you’re moving yourself, you’ll need to rent a bigger truck to fit your large furniture (the bigger the vehicle, the higher the rental cost) and find someone to help you load and unload the heavy pieces (ask friends for help (and find a way to thank them for it)  or hire moving labor);
  • If you’re moving short distance and using professional moving services, the relocation cost will be based on the time to complete your move (local movers charge by the hour) and the complexity of the job. Moving furniture is difficult and time-consuming, so your local moving cost will soar up;
  • If you’re moving long distance and using professional moving services, the relocation cost will be based on the weight of the shipment and, once again, the complexity of the job. Furniture is heavy and difficult to move, so your final moving cost will skyrocket.

It makes a lot of financial and practical sense to buy your furniture after moving in – so you don’t have to pack and transport the pieces, don’t need to pay high moving costs, and can make an informed decision about the type of furniture that will perfectly fit in your new home.

See also: 5 things to buy after moving – and only after moving

When does it make sense to buy furniture before moving?

Even though it seems wiser to wait until after the move, buying furniture before moving out may be the better option under certain circumstances:

1. You find great furniture at a great price

If you find a piece that you really like and that piece is put on sale, you should not hesitate to purchase it promptly – even if your move is still weeks away. You may not be able to easily find such a piece after the relocation – and even if you do, the price won’t be that good.

And if a furniture store in your current city has a sale, you should definitely drop by – you may find quality furniture that suits your needs and preferences (and fits your new home) at a great price. Such opportunities should not be missed – you can save a lot of money by buying furniture when they are on sale.

Bonus tip: If you buy IKEA furniture before the move, leave it as it is – the pieces will be much easier (and much safer) to relocate in their original packaging. You will assemble the furniture in your new home. (Related: How to move IKEA furniture)

2. You can order the furniture to be delivered to your new home after you have already moved in

With most stores, you can purchase a furniture piece and order it to be delivered to the address you specify at the time you specify – even if that time is a few months away. In that case, there’s no reason to wait – you can buy the furniture you like before the move and have it delivered to your new home at the time when you’re moving in (or a couple of days after the relocation – whenever is convenient for you).

Good to remember: If you have to take the furniture when you purchase it, you need to have where to store it (either in your current home or in a storage unit) until moving day – and you need to transport it to your new home (hire furniture movers or rent the right size moving truck).

By buying furniture before moving in you will avoid a lot of stress (you won’t need to go searching for furniture after the move when you’ll be exhausted by the arduous relocation process and will have many important post-relocation tasks to take care of), your new place will feel like home as soon as you move in (as you’ll have everything you need and will be able to set up the place right away), and you may even be able to save some money (if you bought the furniture on sale). You just need to make sure that the new pieces will fit in your new home (make a floor plan of your new place).

So, should you buy furniture before or after you move in? It is usually better to buy furniture after moving, but sometimes it may be worth it to purchase the pieces you need ahead of time – it depends on the particular circumstances in your case and your personal preferences. The choice is yours, of course – may it be beneficial and successful!

Related useful information: Is it better to move furniture or buy new; What to do with unwanted furniture when moving