Perhaps you are spending a year studying out of state or perhaps your wife just kicked you out. Whatever the reason, sometimes you need furniture fast and don't have the time, resources or desire to purchase it or to move your old furniture to your new place. That's when it's time to rent furniture, and thankfully, there is stylish, comfortable furniture available on a rental basis.
Keep these tips in mind on how to rent furniture:
- Categories. Browse for furniture online by category, such as the type of furniture, i.e. beds, dressers, tables, or the room the furniture is for, i.e. home office, dining room, and so on.
- Package deals. Sometimes you can find package deals like a one-bedroom apartment package, bed and bath package, kitchen package, or entertainment package. Packages tend to save you money when renting several pieces of furniture at one time, but don't compromise your good taste for the reduction in price. After all, you'll be seeing the furniture you rent every day, and to feel comfortable in your new abode, you'll want to enjoy it.
- Variable Lease Term Options. Leases come in a variety of terms, both long and short-term. There are rent-to-own programs that allow you to own the furniture after an agreed-upon amount of time and on-time payments. Or there are short-term contracts that allow you to rent the furniture for a minimum rental period. Of course you'll need to understand these terms and read your contract closely before signing.
- You name it, you can rent it. Remember that you can rent not only furniture but also appliances, electronics, lighting, and housewares. You can rent everything from your sheets to your flatware if you so choose.
- Staging. Some furniture rental companies also offer home staging. You've probably heard of how staging is used to sell real estate, but home staging is not for appearances only. By paying attention to traffic patterns, room geometry and furnishings, a home stager can help you both to select the appropriate furniture and to place it well so that your new furniture creates the ambiance (chick magnet?) you desire.
- Delivery. There are a lot of companies out there competing for your business and they know that you want your furniture yesterday. Expect delivery to be quick, sometimes as soon as within 24 hours.
- Expand your horizons. Take this opportunity to try something that you might be hesitant to commit to buying, but are willing to try out for a few months. Enjoy the opportunity to expand your horizons and experiment. If you grew up baroque but have a modernist hiding inside, perhaps there is an Eames-alike out there that you can rent, and unleash your inner midcentury modernist. You won't know until you try.
And remember that you can always buy furniture that has been leased at huge savings once the leases are up. Most furniture rental operations have outlets where they sell previously-leased furniture at drastically reduced prices. Good luck renting your furniture.
