Buying furniture to fill a whole new space can be fun but most of the time it will end up being stressful when you are unfamiliar with furniture buying. Hiring an ID or home stylist to help you with the planning will help tremendously but it is also precious funds that you can be spending more on buying quality furniture.

Here are some top tips to minimise the stress: 

1. TAKE NOTE OF THE LEADTIME

Sofas and beds can take awhile to arrive so do not leave it to the last minute. Shop 3-4 months in advance if possible and ask for the leadtime so you are not left without these essential furniture when you move in. A simple visit to the store website can provide you with the rough estimate of the leadtime.  If the item you purchase is 'in-stock', you will still need to be prepared for a lack of delivery slots that you want. The lack of delivery slots can occur during high peak for BTO completion. 

With the challenges in 2020 in 2021 with shipping, there is also a possibility of delayed shipment, so be prepared as early as you can. The reality is, there is nothing that anyone can do about shipment delays and issues. You can try to be in control a little bit more by ordering in advance and book the delivery slots early.  

Read this article by Channel News Asia

2. CHOOSE YOUR STYLE

Choosing a specific style can be tough as there are sooooo many options available. Discuss with your partner/family who will be living in the home with you before you head to stores. Search Pinterest and ideas from furniture websites first to know which style of furniture to look for.

If you have conflicting styles, you can merge 2 styles in the home and keep to similar colours to avoid a cluttered look. Mixing and matching is a popular interior style known as Eclectic Home Decor. 

If you like furniture that match perfectly, it is easier to purchase from the same collection in a single store. This reduces the stress of filling up the home. This is also a fool-proof way to a style your living room if you are not exactly 'gifted' in the world of interior styling. 

3. BUY QUALITY ITEMS FOR BIGGER ITEMS

Bigger furniture in your home are used regularly and are usually in high-traffic areas. It's your sofa, dining table and bed/mattress. These are the pieces that will cost you more and something you should not compromise your budget for. 

SOFAS:

Sofas are no doubt, the most important furniture in the home. It's where your family and friends will hang out. So it is important to set rules for young kids and pets on what they can and cannot do on the sofa (no jumping, no colouring, no scratching).

There's the highback style for comfort and lowback style for aesthetics. How about materials? Getting premium leather and stain-resistant fabrics for your sofa is a good way to prolong the life of your sofa. 

A real leather sofa and a PU leather sofa will probably give you a similar look but one of it lasts A LOT longer than the other. You should know this which is which. 

A premium quality fabric sofa VS. a normal fabric sofa will look the same as well but a cheaper fabric will have a shorter lifespan. 

But for all furniture, no matter how expensive or high quality, is useless without good maintenance. Leather needs to be conditioned and fabrics should avoid being washed too often. Spot-cleaning is the way to go. Also, no jumping no sofa as it will cause pre-mature stretching of fabrics and leathers. 

DINING TABLE:

The dining table WILL get dirty and scratched. There is no way around this as that is where you have your meals and where sharp utensils are. 

Solid wood can last a long time. But don't be confused by thinking that this mean that solid wood will look perfect for a long time. It just means that the structure will not break easily. Solid wood table tops will wear and tear just like any other wooden furniture that comes in contact with moisture/heat on the regular. Most home-owners don't mind the worn-out look but if you are looking for something that will look perfect for a long time, you can opt for sintered-stone or glass table tops which requires minimal maintenance. 

BEDS & MATTRESSES:

Mattresses and beds are usually purchased only once in 10 years. So it is very important to choose a mattress that will give you a great nights rest and last you for years. Latex mattresses is a go-to if you have allergies as it is anti-bacterial and anti-dustmite. The downside to latex is that it is very costly. 

To bring down the cost, you can purchase a latex topper instead of a whole mattress made of latex. Choose one that have a removable and washable cover - yes, this exists! 

Another way to prolong the cleanliness of your mattress is to have a thick layer of mattress protector, this also provides a slight comfy softness to a firm mattress. 

4. LOOK OUT FOR OFFERS - WAY IN ADVANCE

Find furniture stores that have the item or style that you like. Do this way in advance. Do your research. Then follow their social media as this is where promotions are posted on (there may even be giveaways and useful articles available). Stalk them till the best promotion comes and ask if a later delivery is possible. Most are able to keep the stock for you about 3-4 months before delivery while you purchase now to enjoy the promotion. The biggest sale periods are usually mid-year and year-end. 

  

5. ALWAYS MEASURE

Lastly, always know your measurements before heading to a furniture store or you will be wasting time shopping blindly. A sofa does not look good if it juts out by 10cm or more. Not ideal at all. 

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These are the 5 top tips but the most important thing is to buy something you absolutely love and is a timeless design that you won't get sick of.

Enjoy furniture shopping with your partner and family, trust us, you will create a special bond and learn more about each other after this.