How easy it is to fill your empty apartment? Which one of these comes the most help – malls, friends or eBay? I guess you are about to find out!

Most likely the first thing you want to do when moving to a new place is to get your furniture game on ASAP! For us, it didn’t work out quite like this. We really wanted to get the best deal there is and as cheap as possible. Moreover, if we know we are going to stay here temporarily. Hence we are not looking to invest at all. (Pssst! Have you heard of eBay?). Being frugal doesn’t mean that you are cheap, you are just smart. Luckily we had three chairs and a round balcony table, which we were offered from the last tenant. But other than that the apartment was completely empty.

Let the search begin!

Somebody referred us to a local eBay, where people oftentimes give things away for free. Things offered may be cable ties, t-shirts or furniture. I love that people actually do that, giving away their things without asking any compensation for it. Wherever you are, check the options in your area. If you do not speak the language of the country you are in, then translate the ad using google translate. You can reply to them using the same tool.

Competing with hordes!

I had no idea that this was going to be so time-consuming. But at the same time so energizing and actually made me pumped with adrenaline. The ads just flew in, so you may think that there are many options for you to choose. – stop there! As much as there are ads, there is triple of those who want to reply to those ads and who are looking to nail the same thing you are! eBay got some traffic!

I refreshed the page every possible second I could and constantly was google translating different ads and writing my replies. We were looking for a bed, closet, futon and some dressers, which meant that the replies had to be written for five different ads. I wrote and I translated. I wrote and I translated. Many of my letters never got a reply or I got back replies: “Sorry, it is no longer available” or “It’s gone”. Anyway, you get the idea.

Finally, luck is on our side!

It took many visits to a local library to check the ever-active eBay web site. We didn’t have the internet at home at that time, but I finally came across a wonderful ad. I remember that Saturday very well, as we were sitting on the parking lot of a closed library! I got my message out to a kind girl called Lara. She had to offer her Ikea bed, closet, two dressers, and a side table. I mean.. what?!!! Really?!?!?! It seemed like all was set. Now we finally have furniture after sleeping on two temporary Ikea mattresses. BUT how to get ALL THAT to HERE, our home in the middle of nowhere???? Obviously, we are car-free and with a bike, you can transport just a little, sooooo….

When the need is the strongest, the friends are the closest!

I contacted my friend who had a car, but too small anyway to help us with the stuff, to ask him if he has any options for us getting all this at one go to our apartment. Luckily, he had a suggestion for us – he would rent a van, drive to the location, where the furniture is and help us carry the stuff to the van and drive to our home. We would have to pay for the rent of the van. This Idea sounded more than beautiful to us, as who would offer their time to help us anyway?

The only thing with the van was that it was charging per minute and had limited drop-off spots. I mean these were way closer to the inner city than where we are living. If you are ever going to do such endeavour, find an option where you are not charged by the minute, rather by flat rate or hourly instead.

Kind people do exist!

Lara was super nice to help us in getting the stuff closer to the van. Also, her friend was there, who had some muscle, so she was a great bonus to all this. We even got a small mirror, mattress cover, and doormats from her on top of it all. Thankfully all the stuff was located on the first floor, so we didn’t have to do so much carrying.

Just a little remark here, know the size of your van when getting big items like beds and closets.  Rather than risk large furniture like the bed not fitting in the van, dismantle it and be sure to save those valuable van renting minutes. Luckily Lara had the necessary tools. So most of the time we had while waiting for our friend Zack to pick us up with the rental van, went to dismantle the bed! So many screws, hooks, nooks, and a whole lot of strength was needed! Luckily Lara’s friend had it! So blessed!

Even better if your friends are fast!

When Zack arrived it all went quite fast. In 15 minutes, the things were in the van. Shortly after we were on our 15-minute drive and then offloading for another 15 minutes. Then Zack took off and dropped the van at the closest location, as he wanted to save our money! How wonderful is that? How many people would really do that?

So we finally have a bed, closet, side table, dresser and another dresser for bathroom, plus a small mirror and two doormats. Not too shabby, right? Most importantly, it all came to us for free, via a wonderful community webpage eBay!

That still leaves us the futon and the kitchen table to find…what it is going to be this time: friends or eBay?