Madeline Michalowski (COM’26) sticks a glowing sun to her StuVi2 suite room while her mom, Denise Michalowski, weighs in during Move-In.

Student Life

Six Tips to Help You Furnish Your Apartment or Dorm on a Budget

Here’s how to make your new crib your own—without breaking the bank

It’s that time of year again, Terriers: move-in season. 

For nearly a week, the streets of Boston fill with moving trucks, while checkout lines at Target snake through the store and parents scramble to say last-minute goodbyes. For those of you moving into your first apartment-style dorm or off-campus apartment, this busy time comes with an added struggle: furnishing your new digs. 

With input from a team of move-in veterans here at BU Today, here’s what you need to keep in mind as you scour Boston for that perfect couch or standing lamp while still sticking with a student-friendly budget.

Facebook Marketplace: The holy grail of free furniture

This one isn’t exactly a hidden gem. If you’ve ever hunted for deals online, you’ve probably found yourself on Facebook Marketplace, where users can sell, purchase, and negotiate over just about anything. The key to finding cheap furniture on this site is to check it frequently—and to negotiate. Oftentimes, sellers are urgently trying to get rid of furniture before their lease is up, so they may be willing to accept a lower price—or even give you their furniture for free—if you agree to pick it up. That said, make sure you stay safe when chatting to sellers online by verifying their identity as best you can, and by taking a friend with you to pick up furniture. To avoid scams, we recommend that you don’t complete any payments before you see the furniture in person and make sure it’s in good condition.

Don’t forget about Allston Christmas

If you haven’t heard the term Allston Christmas, don’t expect Santa and his reindeers to prance down Pratt Street as the sun rises. But what you can expect on September 1 is piles and piles of gifts littering the streets of Allston-Brighton. As is tradition, student residents of this neighborhood will leave their used furniture on the curb when they move out, where it becomes ripe for the taking. This fall, if you’re moving into an Allston apartment—or even a nearby dorm—don’t underestimate what you can find on the street, from mattresses to dressers to kitchen appliances.

Secondhand stores

You may not think to go to secondhand clothing stores like Goodwill on your hunt for furniture, but many large secondhand stores in the area also stock furniture. Head to the Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries in Roxbury (1010 Harrison Ave.), where you’ll find everything from tables to cookware to decor. Other stores we recommend include Boomerangs by More Than Words, MIT Furniture Exchange (a cheap furniture emporium just for students), and Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Just don’t forget to give your new items a good cleaning before you use them.

Buy furniture from previous tenants

If you’re renting an apartment in a neighborhood like Brookline or Allston, there’s a chance the previous tenants were students who are now looking to get rid of some of their furniture. Ask around and see if you can contact them, whether through social media or your landlord. They may hand off their furniture for cheap, eliminating the stress of lugging a bed frame up a few flights of stairs.

Keep transportation in mind

Now we’ve reached the tricky part of this operation: getting your large furniture from point A to point B. For smaller items, enlist the help of your friends and carry your furniture to your new place, or even take it on the T (large items are not permitted on MBTA vehicles). Come September 1, you’ll see many a couch rolling down Comm Ave. As for bigger items, many people opt for moving companies, but if you’re on a budget, we recommend renting a vehicle and driving it yourself. Companies like Zipcar, U-Haul, and Home Depot all offer rental vehicles for cheap, but we recommend you book them as far ahead of time as possible, as September 1 is going to be quite a busy day. Also, keep an eye out for student discounts from different moving services.

Look ahead

Though it may feel a bit early to plan for move-out, keep in mind when you purchase furniture that in nine months you will need to get that furniture back out of your apartment or dorm. You may consider buying versatile furniture to eliminate this struggle, like a pull-out couch or a foldable table.

Happy moving!