No matter what your budget, there’s a way to furnish and decorate your living space without going broke.
From retail to thrift stores, from swap meets to dumpster diving, there are ways to find everything you need for a low price or even for free, every college student’s favorite word.
Cheap
Ross: This downtown store offers plenty of houseware and decorative items including dishes, flatware, small pieces of furniture, bedroom and bathroom stuff for low prices.
Beverly’s Fabrics: Located downtown next to Ross, Beverly’s offers student discounts and all the supplies needed for make-it-yourself decorations or craft items. The store also has some small furniture, clearance offerings and storage items, perfect for the typical college student’s cramped room.
Goodwill and thrift stores:Goodwill offers two locations: one on South Higuera, and the other on Industrial Way. It provides shoppers with a variety of used items, often in good shape. The stores offer furniture ranging from book shelves, coffee tables, couches, and tables, to suite any specific need. The location on Industrial Way offers better selling prices, and other household items measured in a plastic crate, and sold by weight.
Different thrift stores around town, including Old Mission Thrift on Higuera Street, carry items donated by the public and change every week.
Bargaining allowed
Swapmeets: San Luis Obispo County has two swap meets one at the Sunset Drive In at 255 Elks Lane, every Sunday morning (it opens at 5:30 a.m.), and one in Nipomo at 263 N. Frontage Road. Venders bring items ranging from clothing, furniture, and household items to cars and vintage accessories. This is the best place to make a deal and find one of a kind items.
Garage sales: Another way to find decorations or household furnishings are at garage sales throughout the county. Check out the local listings in the newspaper under the Classifieds section for the location and date of each sale.
Craigslist: Craigslist always provides a large range of furniture, and different decorative pieces for any home space, and can be navigating easily through the web site under San Luis Obispo. Other popular ways students are shopping for their home is under the free listings, and other miscellaneous items for the cheaper price.
Free
Check Craigslist and other classified listings for free items or get proactive and look in heavily student-populated neighborhoods, especially at the end or beginning of the quarter, for free stuff on the street. And there’s always dumpster diving.
From the mouths of bargain hunters
Sort through other peoples’ old stuff
“I usually go to Target, but some of my favorite things I’ve found have been garage sale-ing with my mom,” said business senior Tiana Graham.
Stalk the sidewalks
“I buy picture frames at Ross, because they are reasonably priced,” said communications senior Steven Wolf. “Me and my roommates often find furniture around college housing, or even things are free on the side of the road. I honestly just look for giveaways.”
Snoop for sales
“I like going to Urban Outfitters because I often find items on sale, and they’re stylish, usually fitting my taste,” said business senior Ryan Lee. “San Luis Obispo is a good place to find good deals because of all the college students, and generally things aren’t that expensive at retail stores.”