Finding Furniture & Game Consoles for Home

[TheStatutoryApe]

I now have a home, which is rather a load off. The electron flow was just turned on today so I can use my computer at home now. The gas still needs to be turned on but other than that I have pretty much everything I need. Convention though says that one should have furniture other than a place to put books and a table for the computer and to play boardgames on.

So where does one find good furniture? I am hoping for someplace that will deliver since I really don't want to have to deal with dragging more stuff upstairs or renting moving vans.

A friend of mine said that Ikea is good and fairly cheap but then two others told me that they are over priced and their product is crap. Any thoughts?

Right now a bed would be good. I am considering most likely getting a futon or two, one for my room and maybe one for the living room. I am hoping to find ones that are nice, not the ones with the cheap metal spring frame, so that might run a bit pricey.

Also, as a side note, I have a TV and nothing to do with it so I was considering getting a game console. I'm not that into games but enjoy them occasionally. Can any of you gamers tell me if it would be worth it to buy a new console? I think I might prefer a PS3 but they are much more expensive than the XBox 360 last I checked. I am not really interested in Wii.

 

[Blenton]

Just watch a few episodes of Man vs Wild and you will learn how to fend for yourself.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Congrats!
I've had pretty good luck with Ikea. Some of my furniture from there is over 10 years old now and still going strong.
The only furniture I'm really into spending money on is my bed. A good night's rest is priceless!

 

[GeorginaS]

Yay for you, SA. Congrats. I realize we have no clue who the other is, but I've been concerned about your homelessness. A roof over one's head is good.

I know you said you don't want to have to haul stuff, but I don't know what your budget is like. Have you considered trawling Craiglist? Futon shops do exist, that make nice ones that are actual pieces of furniture, they do tend to be pricey when you're looking at better ones.

I don't know where you are and am not familiar enough with US furniture or home decorating stores to be helpful to you. Mostly, I wanted to say I'm glad to hear you have a safe place to put your head at night.

 

[lisab]

A big congrats, SA! I, too, had to live for a short time without a roof over my head, many years ago. When you finally get a place...aaaahhhhh. I know that feeling of being so happy to have a *furnace*, a *laundry room*, and most of all,...*your own toilet*.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Thank you everyone!

Living in my car was not so bad since I had a job and money and I could get hotel rooms occasionally.

My place is pretty awesome for how cheap it is. I thought I would only be able to afford a studio but this place is a one bedroom. The kitchen is pretty decent sized and has more cupboard and drawer space than I know what to do with. Not only do I have my own bathroom (which is definitely nice Lisa) but it has a nice big sink and a solid firmly fixed in place toilet. Oddly it has a window that looks out into a hole sunk into the roof of the building seemingly for no other purpose than to have a window there. And the bedroom has a smallish walk-in closet. I didn't notice that when I first looked at the place since I generally am not terribly worried about closet space.

Georgina: I would check places like craig's list but I don't have a truck and I don't currently know anyone who does. Spending half a day to go get a friend, rent a truck, and pick up the piece of furniture is a bit much especially when I work nights and day time is my sleep time. I think I would be happy to pay extra to buy something new and get it delivered, especially if they'll do free delivery. I did however get my book shelves and coffee table as found items at my work. That was nice.

 

[f95toli]

I
A friend of mine said that Ikea is good and fairly cheap but then two others told me that they are over priced and their product is crap. Any thoughts?

Well, the cheapest stuff at IKEA is just that: cheap. Although most of it will be fine for a few years (which after all is how long it is suppose to last).
However, if you stay away from the cheapest stuff you can find some nice good-value furniture there which will last for many years, I don't think the quality at IKEA is any worse than anywhere else as long as you are comparing similary prices furniture (in my experience it is better).
The furniture at IKEA is certainly not over-priced.

 

[Dadface]

It's certainly worth having a look round IKEA and whilst there you can partake of their Swedish meatballs with lingonberries, graddas cream sauce and chips(fries).Yummy.

 

[Lisa!]

Congrats!

 

[Borek]

Congrats!

No idea about what IKEA sells in US, but I don't expect it will differ much from what they sell here - and our house is 90% IKEA, I never had any serious problems with their furniture. Sure, I am not buying the cheapest stuff, but I am not going for the most pricey as well.

Note that in some cases regardless of the price you buy partially the same stuff. In some systems backs and shelves (no idea how to name these things properly in English) are always the same, it is fronts that differ in price. So the price dictates the look, but paying more you will not get more durable framework behind. Not that the basic stuff is not durable - our kitchen is 10 years old and is still OK, things that I may be interested in replacing won't cost more than 10% of what we've paid originally.

My plans for living in a car were temporarilly suspended (I have catched severe cold), now on Thursday they forecast weather change - wind, rain and all that Fall stuff. I can't make my mind, especially taking into account that autumn comes.

 

[Huckleberry]

Congratulations on your new home. Why were you living in your car? Roomate problems?

Considering that I don't even have a kitchen table and don't feel the need for one I probably won't be able to help you look for furniture. I picked up a mattress and box spring from some mom and pop furniture place. I got a couch that someone was throwing away. I saw a few things driving past some yard sales that I half considered buying. You could always just ask people who let you into their house, "Hey, how much for that chair?" or "Can I borrow you and your pick-up for an hour or two? There's gas and beer in it for you." Whatever works, right?

The PS3 is a more powerful system. It's more expensive, but you get more for that extra money. You get more capable hardware, a blue-ray player, free internet, wi-fi ready. Some features are sold seperately for the xbox and some are completely unavailable. The xbox also has hardware quality issues. Do a google search for 'xbox red ring of death'. So you'll definitely want a warranty for that one. Xbox has more games on the market currently, and I think they have better titles, but less variation in games than PS3. I also prefer the xbox controllers. I would personally go for the PS3, especially if you have a preference for that platforms games. The games will release for both platforms faster than you can play them. Most titles are not exclusive anyway.

 

[muppet]

My old landlord furnished his ~27 houses with ikea, and it did pretty well by us. It's maybe not the best place to get sofas, but their simple solid stuff is pretty decent IMO. Some friends of mine just started renting in a flat by canary wharf in london (read: $$$$$$$$$$$) and found ikea furniture that didn't look out of place.

 

[Borek]

renting in a flat by canary wharf in london (read: $$$$$$$$$$$) and found ikea furniture that didn't look out of place.

As I wrote - that's all in selection of fronts. Cheapest ones are solid, but they look... well... cheap Then you can pay twice the price for a decent look (decent in terms of IKEA style, it should be probably mentioned that not everyone likes that).

 

[GeorginaS]

IKEA might not be a bad bet, SA. I keep forgetting that they deliver these days. They didn't used to.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Well, the cheapest stuff at IKEA is just that: cheap. Although most of it will be fine for a few years (which after all is how long it is suppose to last).
:snip:
The furniture at IKEA is certainly not over-priced.

A few years should be good. And good to know that it is not over priced. My friends who said it is not so good tend to act like they know the answer to everything and often just repeat what they have heard elsewhere. I can not always tell when they are just blowing hot air.

It's certainly worth having a look round IKEA and whilst there you can partake of their Swedish meatballs with lingonberries, graddas cream sauce and chips(fries).Yummy.

That's right! I had almost forgotten about the food. I know I have heard of it before.

Why were you living in your car? Roomate problems?

Basically. Its a bit of a story but suffice it to say that my roommate screwed me over and I hadn't the money to get a new place when our lease was up. I stayed in my car mostly to save up money though I got carried away on the hotel rooms and eating out a couple times and it took longer than I expected.

Considering that I don't even have a kitchen table and don't feel the need for one I probably won't be able to help you look for furniture. I picked up a mattress and box spring from some mom and pop furniture place. I got a couch that someone was throwing away. I saw a few things driving past some yard sales that I half considered buying. You could always just ask people who let you into their house, "Hey, how much for that chair?" or "Can I borrow you and your pick-up for an hour or two? There's gas and beer in it for you." Whatever works, right?

Lol, I don't think people here in the LA area are that trusting. I did once get a disturbance call at work that turned out to be a new resident moving in with the help of a couple random guys he had met and they were getting a bit drunk and rowdy on the free beer he had offered them.

The PS3 is a more powerful system.

I had read up on the systems a while back when I was thinking of getting one for when I moved in with my 'friend'. I got the same impression that the PS3 was superior spec-wise but I was concerned about whether or not that extra bit of superiority was really worth the money. I've read that the price has come down a lot though and the xbox has that nasty red-ring-of-death issue. The games are where its at though. While I hear xbox has more games I'm not really into the sports games and kill-everything-that-moves FPSs. I prefer the adventure games like Tomb Raider and Sphinx. I figure I should browse the games and look at some of the reviews. Halo was definitely good for when friends were over, and Fight Night too.

As I wrote - that's all in selection of fronts. Cheapest ones are solid, but they look... well... cheap Then you can pay twice the price for a decent look (decent in terms of IKEA style, it should be probably mentioned that not everyone likes that).

I'm pretty sure I know what you mean. I'm not sure what to call that either. Like the back panel on a bookshelf? Two of the bookshelves I have are just cardboard on the back and the other two have some thin particle board that is a bit nicer though the little nails that hold the back in place seem to pop out pretty easily. It doesn't seem a problem though. I think that all of the 'assemble at home' type furniture I have seen have similar materials for that purpose.


It looks like IKEA is where I'll be going first. There is one right next to one of my work sites so it will be easy to just drop in and take a look.


And thank you everyone for the congrats! :-)

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

IKEA might not be a bad bet, SA. I keep forgetting that they deliver these days. They didn't used to.

I was told that they delivery anyway. I just looked them up online and it looks like I can order stuff there and have it delivered, Ha Ha!
I'll probably at least go look at it in person though. ;-)

 

[Moonbear]

Congrats on finding a place to live!

I think it's worth investing in a good bed, and then building up the rest of your furniture more slowly as you can afford it. I was never impressed with anything I saw in IKEA, but that may be because I was past the temporary furniture stage by the time I ever set foot in one. It looks serviceable. A futon can be a good first sofa too, so you also have it as the spare bed for guests. But, I wouldn't make it your primary bed if you like your back. I think IKEA might be good for stuff like that.

You also might be able to find stuff in garage sales. If you find some close enough to where you live, you can probably get it home without a truck just by strapping stuff to the roof of the car (like tables and chairs). Or, you might even get lucky and find a neighbor selling something who can either help carry it to your place, or who has a truck they can bring it over in (if they're desperate enough to sell it and get rid of old furniture cluttering their house, people can be very motivated to help move things you buy from them).

 

[physics girl phd]

You also might be able to find stuff in garage sales. If you find some close enough to where you live, you can probably get it home without a truck just by strapping stuff to the roof of the car (like tables and chairs). Or, you might even get lucky and find a neighbor selling something who can either help carry it to your place, or who has a truck they can bring it over in (if they're desperate enough to sell it and get rid of old furniture cluttering their house, people can be very motivated to help move things you buy from them).

People (especially those getting ready to move) are often so happy to get rid of something they'll help transport it. We got a washer/dryer set (via Craigslist) from a graduating student who offered help with her truck (though we were able to get them home in our Honda CRV)... and when we got rid of the W/D, we helped transport them using our handicap van, since they didn't fit in the post-doc's Subaru.

As a grad student, I often strapped things to my car (and went to garage sales armed with an extensive set of bungee cords).

 

[hypatia]

Way to go on the new digs! I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[turbo]

When I was a student, I got a lot of serviceable furniture from other students, cheap or free. End-of-semester times were great for getting bulky stuff like dressers, easy chairs, couches, etc, when people didn't want to have to rent a van to move the stuff. A decent bed is pretty much the first thing to get, then keep an eye out for the rest of the stuff, used.

There's not much point in buying cheap new furniture because it's not going to hold up well and will have little re-sale value if you need to move. Students sometimes bring used good-quality couches, recliners, etc that their parents gave them and replaced with newer stuff. If it's still solid and has a lot of life left in it, give it a home. (Warning: If you buy nice recliners or convertible couch-beds, it's going to cost you some beer and pizza to bribe enough warm bodies to get them into your place.)

PS, glad you've got a place of your own, SA. You'll get to eat healthier, with a place of your own to cook meals and store left-overs.

 

[Huckleberry]

Lol, I don't think people here in the LA area are that trusting. I did once get a disturbance call at work that turned out to be a new resident moving in with the help of a couple random guys he had met and they were getting a bit drunk and rowdy on the free beer he had offered them.

What's not to trust? They got your furniture and valuables in their hands. The beer is to keep your stuff out of their hands at the end of the day. Anyone who would consider moving a strangers furniture trusts free beer and food. Maybe some of your neighbors will help. It might be a good way to get introduced.

I had read up on the systems a while back when I was thinking of getting one for when I moved in with my 'friend'. I got the same impression that the PS3 was superior spec-wise but I was concerned about whether or not that extra bit of superiority was really worth the money. I've read that the price has come down a lot though and the xbox has that nasty red-ring-of-death issue. The games are where its at though. While I hear xbox has more games I'm not really into the sports games and kill-everything-that-moves FPSs. I prefer the adventure games like Tomb Raider and Sphinx. I figure I should browse the games and look at some of the reviews. Halo was definitely good for when friends were over, and Fight Night too.

Seems like you've already made the decision. PS3 is quite a bit more expensive, but you know you want one. Sports games and FPS seem like half the games on the xbox console. If you like the PS3 games then there really doesn't seem to be any question on what system is worth the money if either of them are at all.

 

[Math Is Hard]

"Habitation" makes me thing of something like this:

http://www.geocities.com/area51/corridor/5788/images/hcity.jpg

 

[Huckleberry]

Now that looks like a fun place to live. It looks like it would be difficult to carpet though.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

A futon can be a good first sofa too, so you also have it as the spare bed for guests. But, I wouldn't make it your primary bed if you like your back. I think IKEA might be good for stuff like that.

I've heard that good futons can be comfortable. A good mattress (err, cushion?) is key, like any bed, and then a good solid wood frame for proper support. I'll experiment with one futon first I guess and see how it is. I have rarely met a bed I truly found comfortable. I've been sleeping in my living room anyway. There are more windows for cross ventilation and it just seems odd to be here all by myself yet sleep in a separate room.

There's not much point in buying cheap new furniture because it's not going to hold up well and will have little re-sale value if you need to move.

While I like the idea of neat furniture (when I was a kid I wanted to decorate my first apartment like Sherlock Holmes' flat) I am more interested in just having things to do their job for now. I have not really stayed in anyone place for very long and have tried keeping my belongings minimal for ease of transition. Also if I have to get rid of stuff, which I have seen happen to my friends quite often, I am not going to miss something that I only spent a couple hundred on as much as something I spent five or so hundred on.

Right now all I really need is a bed, a dresser, and seating arrangements for the living room. Maybe if I can ever afford a game system I'll get a table to put the tv and such on.

PS, glad you've got a place of your own, SA. You'll get to eat healthier, with a place of your own to cook meals and store left-overs.

Thank you, and yes the food will be so much better. I have been mostly eating out for almost a year now. I just need smaller pans for my new mini-oven. When I bought a casserole dish I got a whole set so at least a couple of those should fit any way.
My friend gave me a quesadilla maker (I never knew there was such a thing) as a present for my last place so I think we will have a quesadilla making bar for my habitat warming this weekend. That should be fun if not terribly healthy.

Seems like you've already made the decision. PS3 is quite a bit more expensive, but you know you want one. Sports games and FPS seem like half the games on the xbox console. If you like the PS3 games then there really doesn't seem to be any question on what system is worth the money if either of them are at all.

More or less. I sort of want the PS3 though may break down and buy the cheaper system if I really want it as an entertainment option sooner than later. I'll likely wait.

"Habitation" makes me thing of something like this:

That rat bastard! I only have four chambers in mine. :-(

 

[Moonbear]

"Habitation" makes me thing of something like this:

http://www.geocities.com/area51/corridor/5788/images/hcity.jpg

Now that looks like a fun place to live. It looks like it would be difficult to carpet though.

LOL! If he thought he was having a hard time finding people willing to help lug furniture into an apartment, can you imagine trying to get it into a place shaped like that?! Though, yeah, it really does look rather fun, doesn't it?

 

[turbo]

That rat bastard! I only have four chambers in mine. :-(

I have only three chambers in mine, unless you count the hallway. Still, it's enough for two people. We have remodeled our kitchen, though it's really not large enough for both of us to be cooking out there at the same time, so we kind of "take turns" or put up with the "collisions". When I am making salsas, pickles, etc, I try to do them while my wife is at work (to her chagrin, since she likes doing some of these things) and let her have the place to herself if she wants to make the evening meal. We have a time-share kitchen.

 

[rootX]

congrats!

I hope you wouldn't lose keys etc. I noticed you start losing more and more things as you move into bigger house.

 

[techmologist]

Congrats on having a place to live! If you don't mind my asking, did you have any trouble with the police when you were sleeping in your car? Did you have a safe place to park? Some years back, I lived in my car for over a year. When I realized I would be living outdoors, I researched online how to live in your car and found that safety and the police are real problems, especially in an urban area. So I wasn't looking forward to it. I was lucky enough to be able to park in the parking structures of a place of higher learning that shall remain unnamed. I had recently graduated, and borrowed a friend's parking pass that he was no longer using. Amazingly, campus security never gave me a hard time. The most they ever did was to ask me if everything was okay. Otherwise, I was ignored. These were about the best conditions I can imagine for living in your car. That, and I probably dodged a few bullets. I can easily imagine someone filing a complaint about "that guy in the car."

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Congrats and have a fun quesadilla habitat warming!

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

If you don't mind my asking, did you have any trouble with the police when you were sleeping in your car?

I was only rousted once and that was after staying there quite a bit. They ran my name and asked about my employment and what have you like they were really serious and might arrest me or something. After that I slept in an out of the way parking lot at a park. I also work at night and so was sleeping during the day which is probably why I was only talked to that once.

have a fun quesadilla habitat warming!

Its maybe good I have that thing since for some reason getting my gas turned on has proved difficult.

Also I have termites. :-/
What have I gotten myself into.
No wonder the place was so cheap lol.


And I have changed my mind. The first thing I want to buy is an air conditioning unit.

Thank you everyone again.