How can I furnish my new property more cheaply?

It may seem like a daunting list when you realise just how much a new property needs to become a fully functioning home, particularly as you may have just spent all your money buying the home in the first place! Here are several tips to keep your costs down while still making the most of your new place:

• Shop at second hand furniture shops - These shops will have lots of bargains and it also means your furniture will have real character!
• Shop at auctions - Auctions are great places for picking up unusual furniture and other items which can become the focal point of your room.
• Keep an eye out for unwanted ads - Try websites such as Gumtree and eBay for unwanted or second-hand items. They sometimes even have bargain designer goods, but always check you are buying from a reputable seller.
• Look for sales in furniture shops, curtain shops, carpet shops and homeware stores like IKEA.
• Ask friends or family for spare items that they don't need.

I have the basics but how can I make it look more appealing?

If you have spent your cash on essentials such as an iron and a toilet brush holder but your budget can't stretch to more exciting items such as paintings or designer homeware, here are some more simple tips to make the most of what you have:

• Scented and coloured candles are a thrifty way of making a room look more cosy and intimate
• Flowers can brighten up a room without costing a bunch! In particular, Gypsophilia is a delicate white flower and a small bunch costs just £1.99 from most flower shops.
• Cushions and throws can cheer up an old or dingy piece of furniture.
• Posters and prints can make a fantastic alternative to expensive paintings or artwork. Most markets will sell posters of famous celebrities, musicians or bands, and even movie stills. This can help you stamp your personal taste on the property for less than a fiver!
• If you're interested in photography then you could blow up a favourite photo to a much larger size and hang it as a decorative piece. You can also buy top quality photography, without having to spend big money from websites such as Zengle.
• Up-lighting lamps. If your room is particularly small, then an up-lighting floor or table lamp will give the illusion of more height. These are available cheaply in most homeware shops.
• Mirrors make space look bigger, so place them around your home to increase the expanse of your property. They can also be purchased relatively cheaply from second hand furniture shops.
• A new paint job can totally transform a dull room and need not be expensive.

While you may only need the bare essentials to get by in your new home there's nothing that beats the feeling of having your first property fully kitted out with all the things that make it a proper home.

It may seem like quite a list but it can be completely reasonably cheaply, especially if you have friends and family prepared to pass on items they no longer need or use. This, and of course an eye for a bargain, will make the move in to your first home as painless as possible.