Furniture Hunting For Your Off-Campus Home: Where to Find Affordable, Stylish Finds
Moving off-campus can be a stressful yet exciting experience. Once you’ve found your group of friends you want to live with and have signed onto a lease, the next big step is furnishing your new home. Here, I will tell you all the things you need to make a house feel like home and where to find them for a bargain.
Thrifting:
The first place to start looking for furniture has to be Facebook Marketplace and the local Goodwill at Davis Square. Browsing these will help you get a sense of what’s available and how much things typically cost. Goodwill will often have lamps of various sizes which are so perfect for creating a warm, ambient and cozy atmosphere in your home. FB marketplace is better for more specific finds, but my favorite thing to look for are electronics and sound systems. A good speaker setup can completely change the vibe of your home, it ‘fills’ the space in ways furniture can never do. I love playing jazz music in the house for me and my roommates to relax and study too.
Curb Watching:
The sidewalks of Medford and Somerville can be a treasure field at times. Venture out a little further to Allston at the end of August and beginning of September, and you’ll hit the jackpot during “Allston Christmas.” That’s when leases generally end in Boston and move-out season for students kick in, leaving behind furniture and home goods that are often in great condition—and all for free. I have found home decor like mirrors and lamps. Get your friends together on this one, open a group chat and if you see something cool take a picture and send it in the chat! If you want a city-wide network of curb watchers, join “Curb Alert” Facebook groups for convenient places to scroll and look for things you may want – But you better be quick! Best thing about this method is that it is so low effort, it’s almost like the items come to you on your walks.
Flea Markets:
Finally we have flea markets! Going to flea markets is definitely one of my favorite activities. I will spend hours browsing vintage clothes, chatting with vendors, and sifting through antique trinkets. Flea markets are great places for décor—think quirky lamps, handmade ceramics, and flower vases. You can also find artists setting up shop there who sell amazing works, and it is always nice to support a local artist! My favorite flea markets are SoWa open market which takes place every Sunday in the South End, and Somerville Flea Market at Davis Square which takes place every Sunday from August through October. If you are specifically looking for furniture, a fantastic resource is the MIT Furniture Exchange program, and as a Tufts student, you can access it with your student ID!
The final step is decorating your house. Use your imagination and envision how you want to be spending time in the spaces. Gather all your thrift finds and pair them with string lights and posters! Put up your own artworks on the walls for a personal touch and get your roommates involved. Furnishing your off-campus house should not break the bank. Making your house a home takes a little bit of patience and a lot of love.