Make Cheap Furniture Long Lasting
Remember when you first moved into your own place? You may have moved in alone, with a partner or other housemates, but it was an exciting time for you. The only challenge was filling your spaces with cheap furniture after dumping your savings into security deposits and rent in advance.
Furniture is one of the most expensive items that every home must-have. Even on the cheap, furniture is still a drain on the finances. Very few people buy cheap furniture with the intention of replacing it a year or two later and if you are on a tight budget, you want to hang on to your furniture indefinite if you can.
You may be thinking that cheap furniture won’t last long but if you play your cards right, you can make even the cheapest furniture last forever. Here are some tips to really get the most out of cheap furniture so you may never need to replace the pieces gracing your home.
1. Cover Up
Dirt, grime, and spills are the mortal enemy of furniture and will make any piece look old and worn long before it’s time. To keep your sofa and armchairs looking and smelling like new, cover up. You can buy fitted covers that are machine washable, but a few cheap blankets will do the job just as well. These are easy to replace and even easier to throw in the washing machine. You don’t need the dirt and odor of smelly feet and sweaty bodies absorbing into your furniture so keep them covered. Apart from being smelly, sweat and acids from our skin can expedite the deterioration of your furniture fabrics so keep the blankets close to avoid this problem.
The same applies to your mattress. Whether you have an ordinary spring mattress or a memory foam mattress, look for ones that come with a cover or again, cover with a blanket before you put on the bedding. That added layer of protection will prevent spills and stains marring the mattress and possibly ruining it at the same time.
2. Stain Proofing
Another way to keep your furniture clean is by applying a stain proofing solution such as Scotchgard over the surface. This solution acts as a barrier over the fabric so liquids pool and bead over the surface rather than seep into it. The only downside is that you will need to repeat this treatment at regular intervals to keep your furniture protected.
3. Eat In The Kitchen
Yes, we know, at the end of a hard day, you like to stretch out on your couch and eat your dinner leisurely. That’s all well and good, but food can be spilled with crumbs and other food particles lodging between he cushions causing unpleasant odors to develop and even mold forming where you won’t see it until it’s too late. Seriously, how long do you need to eat your dinner that you feel you need to do so on the couch. Eat your dinner in the kitchen or at the dining table. Not only will this extend the life of your furniture, but it’s also better for digestion to eat sitting upright.
4. Train Pets To Sleep On Their Own Furniture
Dogs may be man’s best friend, but your furniture doesn’t think the same. Pets are very much a part of our lives and we love them to pieces. The trouble is, pets shed smelly, unsightly hair, come in dirty and, worst of all, they have claws. Dedicate a corner of your living area for your pets or even have a bed and scratching post next to your couch. Train your pets to stay in their own spaces and keep your cheap furniture from looking cheap and nasty. Of course, the occasional cuddle on the couch with your pet on a blanket is perfectly acceptable.
5. Avoid Overloading
Even a cheap table can last forever if you look after it so avoid putting more on the table than needs to be there. This applies to the dining table, end tables, and even your gaming desk. Keep the load light or you will notice your table becoming wobbly over time. Once it starts to become loose, it is no longer stable and it will eventually become too weak to be of any use. If you must put something heavy on tables, keep it there for a short time.
6. Fortify Seats
Sit in any chair for prolonged periods and eventually the seat will lose its softness and shape. To avoid this happening to your favorite armchair, dining chair, or gaming chair, fortify the seat. Portable seat cushions are cheap and readily available so tie them on to all the chairs you like to sit on and keep the seat comfortable for as long as you need to. It’s easier and cheaper to replace these cushions than it is to replace the chairs.
7. Reupholstering
The construction of your furniture’s frame is the most redeeming feature. Whether your furniture is cheap or not, if the frame is good, the furniture can last. One of the main reasons people change their furniture after a few years is they become bored with the look or it becomes outdated. Instead of throwing everything out and replacing it with something new, why not get your furniture reupholstered? This will breathe new life into your furniture and the upholsterer can check the construction and boost it where needed while re-covering your old, cheap furniture. Reupholstering furniture costs a fraction of the cost of new furniture and it gives you the chance to have unique pieces in fabrics that look expensive.
Before you start throwing out the cheap furniture in your home, look at ways of extending its life or repurposing it. There is a huge difference between wanting something new and needing something new and really, why spend loads of money on something you can still get use out of? Wouldn’t you rather put that money towards a nice vacation than an expensive couch that you will eventually tire of anyway?
Comments