I am in the process of separating from my wife, and am leaving most of our personal belongings, including furniture, kitchen supplies, bedding, etc. with her in the marital home. So I have to figure out how to furnish a home on a budget.
Needless to say, this whole process is wreaking havoc on my newly FI-inspired brain!
So here is my plan for how I decided to tackle this problem.
First, I created a spreadsheet and listed everything I thought I would need, room by room.
Second, I found pricing for everything I needed online. Thankfully, Amazon, Costco and Facebook Marketplace make this relatively easy (if not extremely time consuming).
Third, I categorized every item by priority – i.e. need immediately, would like soon, and can wait for this.
Lastly, I started shopping!
How I saved money off the top
I employed four tactics to save money off the top and purchase about $1,700 worth of items using none of my own money and without going into any additional debt. This would have derailed my debt payoff plan and put a kink in my net worth.
Over the years I’ve built up a following on Youtube. As a result, I receive gift cards from one of my preferred payroll providers, Gusto. Typically I get one or two gift cards a month and they vary in value from $300 to $500.
It just so happens that I received FOUR cards in the past week totaling $1,400 in value. I immediately converted these to Amazon gift cards for my initial orders.
In addition, I had approximately $538 in an unused Costco rewards certificate from 2023. I’ve been waiting for an opportune time to use that certificate, and this was just one of those times!
Next, I’ve made an intentional choice to live a much more minimalistic life post-separation. I am very thoughtful about what I purchase and bring into my home. I want a home that is free from clutter and only has items that I will truly use on a day-to-day basis or otherwise bring me pleasure.
Lastly, I took inventory of what items I was going to take from the marital home (i.e. silverware that I inherited from my Mom) to see if I could stock any of my initial items with things I already had.
How I decided what to include on my initial list
This part was actually pretty easy.
I went to google and searched for “airbnb shopping list”. It turns out there are a lot of Airbnb hosts that have decided to blog about how they furnish their rental units.
I zeroed in on one blog in particular that had a great list that I used as a starting place.
Here are some of the things I included on my initial “need immediately” list.
FYI, some of the links below are affiliate links and I will make a small commission if you order using these links – but it won’t cost you a dime. Thanks in advance!
Kitchen
I wanted to start with the kitchen because I love to cook. So a lot of the essentials are listed here.
I’ve marked the items I’ve already purchased with a “✅” if it wasn’t obvious. And you can see a running list the total money spent at the bottom of the post.
- Mixing Bowls (I make homemade sourdough)
- ✅ Toaster Oven
- Glasses (I have some I can take from the home, but I found a great set of 8 tumblers at Costco)
- Can Opener
- Baking Pans
- ✅ Knife Set
- ✅ Thermometer
- ✅ Grater (so I can buy blocks of cheese instead of pre-shredded)
- ✅ Silverware Storage
- ✅ Oven Mits
- ✅ Cutting Boards
- ✅ Keurig (Gotta have my coffee!)
- ✅ Wooden Spoons
- ✅ Salt and Pepper Grinders
- ✅ Dish Set (My wife wouldn’t let me take any)
- ✅ Trash Can
- ✅ Kitchen Towels
- ✅ Trash Bags
- ✅ Pots and Pans (Found a great set at Costco!)
- ✅ Glass storage for meal prep
- ✅ Kitchen Table/Chairs (Found a round table and 4 chairs on Facebook Marketplace for $185. A little overpriced, but it’s in amazing condition and I’m pleased with the purchase.)
- ✅ Pizza Slicer (my Wife let me take ours)
- ✅ Silverware (Free from my Mom after she passed away)
- ✅ Measuring Cups (liquid) – We had a duplicate set at home
- ✅ Wine Opener (I took it… don’t tell my Wife!)
Here is a list of all the other items I will need for the kitchen, but can purchase over time:
- Barstools
- Strainer
- Serving Bowls
- Ice Packs
- Chip Clips
- ✅ Air Fryer – My Wife is letting me take it!
- ✅ Crockpot
- ✅ Griddle (my kids love pancakes – maybe I should move this up!)
- ✅ Measuring Cups (solid)
- Paper Towel Holder
- Blender
- Serving Utensils
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Sheet Trays
- Casserole Dish
- Bread Flour
- ✅ Measuring Spoons
- ✅ Whisk
- Peeler
- ✅ Tongs
- ✅ Lime/lemon Juicer
- Storage for Bread Flour
- Ziplock Bags
- Water Pitcher
- Kitchen Mat
Master Bedroom
Next I decided to move to the master bedroom. I want to get out of the house as quickly as possible, so I will need a place to sleep.
- ✅ Night Stand (
don’t need immediatelyfound one on Amazon for $18, I’ll probably give it to the kids or replace it later) - ✅ Mattress (
I ordered one that won’t arrive for two weeksFound the same one $100 cheaper that shipped immediately!) - ✅ Duvet Cover
- Noise Machine (I’m going to try to steal the one from our current bedroom… more on that later)
- ✅ Mattress Cover
- ✅ Duvet Insert
- ✅ Sheets
Here are things I will need in short order, but not immediately.
- ✅ Bed to put the mattress on!
- ✅ Lamp for the nightstand
Master Bathroom / Kids Bathroom
No real necessities here. I found a whole bunch of bath and hand towels at Costco for about $50. I’m also going to steal my towel from home (or maybe two).
I found a bath mat at Costco for $13.99. I’ll probably go back and get a couple more.
When I’m ready to move in, I will purchase shampoo/conditioner/body wash, etc. from Costco.
For the record, my Wife hates Costco and has refused to shop there. It has probably cost us tens of thousands of dollars during our marriage.
Living Room
The only item I have as a “need immediately” for the living room is the couch and coffee table. My wife has already told me I’m taking the current “ugly brown couch” (yes, it doesn’t look great, but everyone seems to love how comfortable it is!) and coffee table.
Here are the items I will need over time:
- Area rug
- Reading Chair
- Lamp
- TV
- Chest for TV
Also, I have a big open space in the living room between the end of the counter and the wall. I don’t know what to put here, if anything. Maybe a desk?
Cleaning Supplies/Other
This is the stuff we need to buy in bulk when you first move into a new place. Here’s my list.
- ✅ Tool Set (Actually, I found this set on Amazon and am going to give it to my Wife when I move out). I am keeping my personal tools.
- ✅ Dish Soap
- ✅ Dishwasher Detergent
- ✅ Sponges
- ✅ Paper Towels
- ✅ First Aid Kit (Hey, I got a few large splinters moving in my kitchen table)
- ✅ Plunger/Toilet Brush
- ✅ Fire Extinguisher
- Broom and Dustpan
- Multipurpose Cleaner
- Toilet Paper
- Hand Soap
- Laundry Detergent
Some other items I will need in this category include:
- Step Stool
- BBQ Tools
- Lighters
- Flashlight
- Stain Stick
- Vacuum
Kid’s Rooms and Bathroom
Again, this is not urgent because the kids aren’t moving in just yet. But here are some things I will need to purchase.
- 3 Mattresses
- Sheets
- Duvet/Cover for each child
- Shower Curtain
- Bath mats
Here are some things I anticipate I will need to find for the kids in the coming months:
- Bookshelves
- Desk(s)
- Nightstands
- Lamps
- Bed Frames
My daughter will want a say in how her room is decorated. She has a specific “aesthetic” (her word, not mine), so I’m giving her the basics and she can run with it. I’ll probably give her a budget.
The two boys will share a room, and I am undecided on whether they will need bunk beds or not. I’m going to let them have some say in this as well.
Patio
I do have a small patio outside. I would like to purchase a grill as well as a table, umbrella and chairs to eat outside. But none of this is urgent.
How much will all this cost?
I’m tracking everything I spend in a spreadsheet and will post my updated numbers here as I knock more things off the list.
Initial Amazon order = $984.65.
Second Amazon order = $379.57.
My initial shopping trip to Costco was $509.42.
I purchased a kitchen table and 4 chairs on Facebook Marketplace for $185.00.
Total purchases so far: $2,058.64.
Gift cards and Costco Rewards: $1,938.01 (some of which will be applied to future purchases). Remaining balance on gift cards = $10.53.
Total out of pocket expenses: $185.00.
Final thoughts on how to furnish a home on a budget
I recognize that I am fortunate to have gift cards and Costco rewards at my disposal. But this is no different than travel hacking with credit card points/miles.
In fact, you may be able to use the cash back on some of your credit cards to apply to your Amazon balance. I did this several years ago to purchase my son a laptop.
What is important is that you think creatively about how to do this, work within your means, and don’t break the bank buying a lot of fancy things that you may not need initially.
Good luck, and happy furnishing!
What do you think? Things I missed on this list? Things I don’t need? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
