Moving Out? Set up Your First Apartment on the Cheap

There is something uniquely thrilling (and terrifying) about moving out into your own apartment. Finally, after years of sharing and compromising, you have your very own space (hooray!) but you also have the responsibilities, financial and otherwise that come with the territory.

Here are some ideas about how to set up your swish bachelor (or bachelorette) pad, while keeping your budget intact.

Beg, Borrow or Steal

Get whatever you can from your parents, friends, neighbours or total strangers that they are giving away.

This is not the time in your life to be worrying about craftsmanship and design detail. Yes, your great-aunt’s couch may shock you with its crazy jungle floral patterns, or you may question the design integrity of your dad’s old kitchen table and chairs that have been in the garage, but that can be dealt with (read on).

This is about furnishing- and there is no better price than free!

DIY

The good news is there is a dearth of DIY info out there for the design inclined (even for the not-so-inclined).Re-invent awful living room furniture with slipcovers, which are a fraction of the price of new furniture (the good news is that they can usually be thrown in the washing machine).

Take old dressers or wood tables and throw on a coat of paint. Not only are you being budget-friendly, you are expressing yourself too.

Dress the Walls

Make the walls a focal point with an accent wall (if you are allowed to paint) and some cool artwork.

Artwork (think big box stores) can be relatively inexpensive, and can completely change the complexion of your living space for very little money.

Hunt Proactively

Become a regular at Thrift shops or consignment stores, and use some of the DIY principles above to turn old furnishings into cool and funky.

Post ads on used sites for what you want, in addition to surfing on your own. Become a Yard Sale aficionado.

Re-Purpose

Find new uses for things from which they may have originally been intended. Think of buckets, shelves, old filing cabinets, old doors and other things that might be perceived as trash.

Get to know Pinterest, and the old is new again!