Should You Rent Furniture?

There are pros and cons to renting furniture.

Lifestyle plays a significant role in whether or not renting is best for you.

Some other contributors are your budget, how long you’ll  be staying at your apartment, and if you live with furry friends.

Here are some things you should think about before renting or buying furniture.

1. How Long Will You Be Needing the Furniture?
Most businesses allow you to rent anywhere from one month to over a year. However,
the longer you plan on keeping the furniture can help you decide if renting is really a
cheaper option. If you use CORT Furniture Rental, you can rent a Charlie Sleeper Sofa
for $52/month. At IKEA, you can buy a similar loveseat for around $400-$450. That
means it will take you a maximum of nine months to make it worth buying the IKEA
sofa. So, if you’ll be staying in your apartment and using the furniture for over a year,
you should definitely consider buying a sofa. That would apply to most if not all of the
other furniture you need to buy.

2. How Much of Your House Will You Be Furnishing?
If you’ve just moved into an unfurnished apartment, you’ll be needing a lot of furniture.
You don’t want to have to break your budget just so you can have a coffee table to rest
your feet and dishes on. When you’re starting from scratch and are in need of a lot of
furniture, renting is probably your best option—at least for a few months. If you’re
planning on making your apartment your new home instead of just a place to stay until
the semester ends, buying is still probably the best idea. That doesn’t mean you have to
buy one piece of furniture per month as you save up enough money to get one thing at
a time. Consider renting for as long as you need until you can replace everything with
bought furniture. If you know you can afford a TV stand in 60 days, rent one for 2
months then buy one. If you need furniture long-term, buying is usually the way to go.

3. Does Renting Fit Your Lifestyle?
While your pet will always be your best friend, they can end up costing you a lot of
money. If your pet stains your rented couch, you’ll likely be forced to pay for the
furniture at a higher price than you would have to pay if you bought a discounted couch.
Another thing to take into consideration is how often you’ll be using a certain piece of
furniture. If you get a mahogany table and wear it down through how much you use it,
you might end up paying extra charges when you return it in poor condition. And let’s be
honest—college students pay enough extra fees at school and shouldn’t have to worry
about unwanted fees off campus too.

There’s nothing wrong with renting or buying furniture, but understanding what’s most beneficial for your situation is key to saving money and avoiding unnecessary stress. Think about what you need and want from your furniture and make the choice that’s best for you.

Whatever you do, choose what makes you comfortable and happy. If you do that, you’ll be able to fall back onto your comfy sofa after a long day and relax.

Have any tips on renting furniture? Share below!