You just bought a new house or moved into a new apartment, and you’re incredibly excited about furnishing it. If you’ve never bought furniture for a new place before, it can be kind of intimidating to start. Luckily, we have some tips for you!

Create a budget

Before you run to furniture stores and buy beds, sectionals, end tables, dressers, and more, you need to figure out a good budget for yourself. You just moved into a new place, so you probably had to put down a large down payment or security deposit. Your new mortgage or rent will probably be different than your old one, so you have to figure out your monthly living expenses before you can start dropping a bunch of dough on new furniture.

Don’t buy everything all at once

Most experts suggest waiting at least two months of living in your new home before you make any significant purchases. Obviously, you need the basics like a bed and a couch. However, you won’t be completely sure how you’re going to use certain rooms in your house until you’re living in it. After you’ve lived in your new place for a while, you can best figure out where and how to spend your money on new furniture.

Measure everything

Okay, so now you’ve set a budget and know exactly what you need. It’s time to get to the furniture stores and go crazy. Before that, you have one small thing left to do, and that’s measuring. You don’t want to get your new bed or sleeper sofa home only to realize that it doesn’t quite fit in the space. You want to trust your eye, but that’s not always a good idea. Make sure you not only measure the space where you want to put your furniture but your openings and doorways too. You have to be able to get it into your house.

Match your personality

Finally, you want to make sure your furniture matches your personality. When your friends and family come over, they should be able to tell that you live there. In a recent survey of more than 2,000 consumers, 72.7% of respondents said that “The design of my furniture reflects my personality.” Additionally, 67% of respondents agreed that “A lot can be said about a person from the furniture s/he owns.” So, look at the furniture stores for pieces that bring out your personality the best.

Your new place is the perfect way to express yourself with your furniture, but don’t go too crazy until you’ve done some serious planning. Then, check out our inventory to fill up your new house with amazing furniture pieces that you’ll love!