Having furniture in your apartment is a necessity, but sometimes during the process of the move, buying and moving furniture can be a stressor. Furnished apartments can alleviate this added worry, but what exactly constitutes a furnished apartment? While there is not a clear definition or standard, Michael Buzec of Rent Cafe writes, “Most rentals in this category are equipped with a bed, dresser, kitchen appliances, living room furniture, and bathroom necessities. Some pre-furnished apartments might even have curtains, carpets, or utensils.”
Moving into a furnished apartment has both its benefits and disadvantages, but if you are new to the concept you might now know where to start to find meaningful information. Here are the top five benefits of renting a furnished apartment!
The Apartment is Already Set Up
So much of the stress of moving into a new apartment is figuring out where to buy furniture, which pieces to buy, and where to set it all up. There is fun in doing so, but also a fair amount of stress as you’re multitasking and handling other responsibilities. When you move into a new place, you have to measure the amount of space in each room, doorway, hallway, etc. to figure out just the right pieces of furniture to buy so everything fits properly. With a furnished apartment, there is no worry about buying new furniture or measuring the length of the couch you want to buy to make sure it fits in your door. Everything is already set up so the only thing you have to worry about is your personal items!
No Need to Move Bulky/Heavy Furniture
Another stressor, if not the biggest stressor, when moving into an apartment is physically moving furniture. For some items, like lamps or small pieces of furniture, this is not a big deal. For others, like sofas, mattresses, large appliances like refrigerators, etc. this can difficult if you don’t have the help, the right sized car to move the items, or the time to do it all. Additionally, if you don’t have adequate help, you might result in hiring movers to assist you which can end up costing money in the long run. As a furnished apartment already has the large furniture and bulky appliances set up, you don’t have to worry about moving anything!
Greater Flexibility/Mobility
If you are a student or someone who perhaps relocated for work/personal reasons, looking for short-term rentals can feel overwhelming as so many apartment complexes have long-term leases. Another great perk of a furnished apartment is that most of the time, places like these are advertised as short-term rentals. Buzec of Rent Cafe notes, “They are perfect for people who have to relocate for business, for students who spend less than a year in their college cities, or for those who are not ready to commit to one place. Life gets crazy, and it will be much easier to move if you are not tied to a long-term contract and you don’t have to carry furniture around.”
Lower Upfront Cost
As stated earlier, a definite benefit to renting a furnished apartment is not having to worry about moving large and bulky items, as well as avoiding the need to hire movers. When renting a furnished apartment, you have a lower upfront cost meaning there is no cost for buying new or used furniture or hiring movers. While the pricing for different furniture items can vary by both store and the item, hiring movers can cost between $569 to $1,566 with an average rate of $25 to $50 per hour according to Home Advisor. Thus, the more furniture you have, the more it would cost you in the long run. Moving into a furnished apartment gives you the financial freedom in the beginning to put that saved money toward something meaningful for you, like rent money or hosting a housewarming party for family and friends!
Moving Out is a Breeze
Depending on where you move to, figuring out how to transfer your furniture from your old apartment to your new one can be a hassle. You don’t know what furniture will fit where, how to get your old furniture out, etc. If you rent a furnished apartment and decide to move in the future, you don’t have to worry about struggling to get furniture out of the apartment or even spending money to rent a moving vehicle!