Moving into a new home is always an adventure. The real adventure, however, is the part that comes next: furnishing your new home. 

With a clean slate in front of you, there are seemingly endless possibilities when it comes to filling each room—a task that can be both exciting and overwhelming. To help reduce the stress and decision making that goes into furnishing an entire home from scratch, it helps to follow a few guidelines and have a checklist to refer to. From taking inventory to upcycling old furniture, here are a few things to keep in mind when furnishing a new home. 

Take inventory 

Furnishing your new home actually begins before you even move out of your current home. Before you can even think about your new space, it’s important to consider what you’re bringing with you from your previous home. Assess your current inventory to determine which furniture pieces you may be in the market for and which you’re holding on to. 

Take into account existing furniture in your possession as well as additional furniture you may be adopting if you’re moving in with a partner or roommate. Start with the big items like the bed and sofa, then move onto smaller pieces like the TV stand and end tables, and finally consider the accessories and decorative items. 

It’s also a good idea to use this time to pare down your belongings and figure out if there’s anything you want to donate or put into storage. Decluttering during this step will help streamline your move and stay organized when furnishing your new home. 

Astrid fronts in Earthy Sand on Malm oak nightstand from IKEA, with chrome and lucite knobs.

 

Start with the essential

Once you’re ready to start shopping for new furniture for your home, it’s crucial to start with the basics. Consider the most important piece of furniture for each room: 

• Living room: A sofa or loveseat
• Bedroom: Bed frame and mattress
• Kitchen: Seating area 

These pieces are a must—they should be at the top of your list when it comes to furnishing your home because of their functionality and the fact that they will be put to use almost immediately. You most likely already have a couple of these pieces—like the bed, for example—that you will be bringing with you, but you may want to upgrade if the new space calls for a larger size or you just want a fresh start. 

Either way, these foundational pieces are the ones worth investing in, so take your time choosing the best fit for your home. The bed, sofa, and kitchen table are all pieces that their respective rooms are built around, why is why you want to focus on quality and timelessness when furnishing your new home with these pieces. 

Susan fronts in Earthy Sand on Malm oak dresser from IKEA with Elisabeth chrome knobs.

 

Upcycle old furniture 

If you are furnishing your new home on a budget, then instead of purchasing brand new pieces, the next best alternative is to reinvent your current furniture. Upcycling has long been a sustainable way to not only extend the life of a piece you love but also transform an item into something that feels new and updated. 

There are plenty of DIY projects you can do at home to upcycle your furniture, like adding a fresh coat of paint or swapping out the hardware. But if you’re looking for something more bespoke, consider custom furniture. At Norse Interiors, for instance, we upgrade IKEA furniture with modern designs to create fresh, custom pieces. If you have a trusted IKEA piece that you’re not ready to part ways with just yet (like the always reliable Malm dresser), we can breathe new life into it by adding unique doors, panels, and hardware. It’s like having an entirely new piece for your new space without the cost that comes with investing in new furniture. 

Focus on one room at a time 

With the essentials taken care of, it’s time to move on to tying everything together with complementing pieces that enhance the function and look of each room. But while it may be tempting to completely furnish your entire home at once, there’s no need to rush.

Furnishing a new home is a process that takes time and requires you to live in the space for a while to figure out how you best function. It may take a few months to learn what you want or need in order to make the space more livable. Plus, after investing in the major pieces of furniture, additional pieces may not be in the budget just yet. 

Focus on furnishing and decorating one room at a time. It’s much less overwhelming to be tasked with furnishing one room than it is an entire house, so take it one step at a time and enjoy the process of making your new house a home.

 

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Author: Sam Lauron