• Look online or explore your local area for used furniture stores, auctions, car boot sales and charity shops. These places are usually full of old treasures that can be transformed with a fresh lick of paint. As recycling and upcycling are growing in popularity some towns are setting up their own recycling and upcycling workshops and evenings where people can go along to swap tips and pick up some bargains.
• Use sites such as Friday Ad to browse and place local ads to find bargains on your doorstep! Other good sites to buy used goods from are Preloved, Gumtree and Ebay. Freecycle is also a popular website for finding used furniture.
• If you have a bulk of items you would like to buy ask for a discount, many places are willing to offer a discount on several pieces of furniture if they are sold together.
• Keep an eye open on regional selling pages on Facebook. There are several pages which promote recycling and upcycling and are ‘free to collect’ which is perfect if money is tight.
• Visit arts and craft stores or look online to find stencils, paints and stick on decorations that can be used to personalise old furniture into a creative piece of art.
• Set yourself a budget and if you can, haggle!
• If you plan on restoring furniture ensure you have the right tools for the job. Sanding down old wood then applying a coat of varnish can make furniture look as good as new, but you must be willing to put the effort in and make time and space to complete the project.
• Always inspect the second hand goods you buy. Unfortunately some people will try and sell broken objects that cannot be repaired or furniture that may be infested with wood rot. When buying second hand items such as beds and chairs it is always advisable to have them cleaned to eliminate any bed bugs that may be present.
• Always try out furniture before you buy- open drawers to check hinges, sit on beds and sofas to check they are comfy and there are no springs loose. If the item needs a little bit of work doing then this should be reflected in the price.
• When looking for furniture it is always a good idea to have dimensions written down and available to hand, this way you can ensure the furniture you buy will fit nicely in your home.
• It is worth asking tenants or landlords if they have any furniture in their properties as many people leave items when they leave.

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