Hi Everybody, I'm back from my lurgy (well, almost) and ready to write another blog post.
I'll keep it quick as it's pretty late. Just enjoying watching all the people that went to see the Boston Celtics in cars get pissed at each other and start honking their horns. Seriously, why get a car here?
OOOOOOOoohhh right.... In case you need to get furniture.... mmmmmm.....
Well, here's some ways to get furniture without needing a car:
- If you really think you need a car, you can use ZipCar, which has become absolutely massive since I left here in August. There are ZipCars just about everywhere, and there are a lot on T stations. This means you'll be able to go where ever you want.
- When you are looking for a place, ask about the sort of people stay in the place. If you have a lot of international people, or world travelers, you could possibly just buy furniture bit by bit as people leave, and people are always leaving things behind.
- Some places will deliver for you, which makes it very easy to get stuff back. Check out Bob's Furniture.
- Amazon.com will deliver things directly to your door, and since they deliver futons, sofa racks, and plants (maybe plastic ones) they are a reasonable way to get furniture. Usually quite cheap as well.
- IKEA will also deliver to your door, but watch out for their delivery prices! They can often go through the roof.
- If you're a sociable sort, and have friends with a car, bribe them. They can also help you move too. :D
Here's some good areas to get furniture and related goods in Boston from.
- Stoughton, MA is where all the big furniture stores and warehouses are. IKEA is out there, at One IKEA ( Oh ha ha ha ) place. Bob's furniture is out there too, and you can drop the kids off at an IMAX theatre they have next to IKEA.
- Target is also quite good for starting out, you can get stacks of cheap setting up gear, such as towels, shower curtains, mops, etc. All the stuff that people may forget when getting set up.
- "Linens and Things" and "Bed, Bath and Beyond" have stacks of useful and usually cheap things you can pick up. I got a bar set for about 20-30 bucks. (Now all I need is the money for drinks...)
- You can find a really good Bed, Bath and Beyond right next door to the Fenway Stop on the Green D line, making it easy to get furniture and such from there. They have great deals on sheets as well.
- It's pretty hard to find any good, decent priced furniture stores in Boston, as you'll most likely find small, boutique furniture stores, that will charge an arm and a leg for a coffee table. You're better off going to the suburbs to get furniture.
To be honest, the major things I used were IKEA for my desk, lights, sheets and bed and mattress (getting a good mattress isn't a big thing when starting out, you'll get a better one later. Good ones can get EXPENSIVE here!) then used Amazon.com for most other things. I used Linen's and things for plates, utensils, and cookware, and the bar set. Used Bed, bath and beyond for little things, like shower curtain holders, hangers, etc.
Anyone else have anything to add? I think I've covered most things. If not, well, you know the story, leave a comment and I'll gladly answer your question.
