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There’s nothing quite as exciting as buying a whole lot of new furniture for your home. It instantly changes the look and makes a good impression on your guests. But do you need to replace your furniture, or are you surrendering to trends?
To save yourself unnecessary expenses and buyer’s regret down the line, check out these 5 key factors in deciding when to replace your furniture. You might just rediscover your love for those older furniture items.
Is it Still Meeting Your Needs?
Is your furniture still meeting your needs? As time goes by, our lifestyles change, and so do our responsibilities and priorities. Your children may have grown up and left home. Perhaps you’ve moved into a much smaller property or started working from home.
Whatever the case, some furniture items may no longer serve your needs and they may also be taking up space you dearly need for other activities. Smart, space-saving furniture, like extendable dining table sets, is the answer.
They’re perfect for dealing with extra guests at family get-togethers, yet take up minimal space when folded into their smallest size. Simply fold them out when needed for large dinner parties, and fold them in for more intimate meals. It’ll feel like having two sets of furniture, in one!
Investing in space-saving or modular furniture is the simplest way to give your home a modern, fresh look while meeting the needs of your new lifestyle.
Outdated vs Worn
Take a good, hard look at your current furniture. Is it outdated, or is it worn? The answer is important because there are multiple ways to resolve both these issues. Outdated furniture may be obsolete, or just not in step with current decor trends.
The temptation to replace everything with new, trendy pieces is high. But before you incur major expenses, be honest about how long those new items will be trendy. You don’t want to spend a fortune only to do it all again soon.
Obsolete furnishings that are just taking up space and not serving any purpose should go. You could sell them, or even donate them to a charitable organization. The same can be said of outdated furniture.
However, a drab wardrobe or couch can get a whole new look by swapping out door handles or adding colorful scatter cushions. Sometimes, you still like the look of your furniture, but it’s looking a little shabby. It can be easier to reupholster a chair or mend a broken table leg than to find a new chair or table with the right look for your aesthetic.
Can it Be Repurposed or Repaired?
Repurposing old furniture is key to a sustainable home, and it can save you a lot of money. Consider repurposing your older furniture elsewhere in the home, to balance out the expense of buying new furniture.
If you have decided it’s time to replace your sitting room armchairs, but they’re still in good condition, repurpose them. Move those old armchairs to your covered patio, and you save on buying patio chairs. Just remember to throw some outdoor chair covers over them, when the weather turns bad.
If your furniture needs repairing, could you do it yourself? A bit of love and some glue or a few nails may save you a great expense. Generally speaking, it’s more profitable to have valuable antiques repaired than modern, kit-form furniture. Let the piece’s sentimental or intrinsic value be your guide in this decision.
Cost Per Use
Some items look very enticing on the furniture store floor, but do you actually need them? When considering replacing your furniture, consider the cost per use of the newer items. This is especially relevant when buying more expensive items.
Is the item you’re thinking of buying an armchair or couch that you plan to use every day? Such furnishings usually last for years and are generally worth the expense. But if you rarely receive guests in your home, a very expensive lounge suite may not be strictly necessary.
Think about how often you’ll be using it, and divide the total number of potential use occasions over the expected lifespan of the product, by the expense of buying and maintaining it. You may be surprised by the results.
The Cost of Cleaning and Maintenance
Maintenance is a factor that too few people consider when buying furniture. All furnishings need some level of maintenance, whether it’s just a dusting and polishing, or specialized cleaning. Maintenance costs time and money, so don’t ignore this.
If you’re happy to spend time and a bit of money regularly dusting and polishing natural wood furniture, go for it. These items always look good when well cared for, retain some value, and add style to your home.
But if you have found that your furniture cleaning and maintenance was more than you bargained for, don’t make the same mistake when replacing your old furniture. Many couches come with removable and easy-to-clean covers. Engineered wood looks like the real thing but doesn’t need oiling or polishing.
