10 top tips every new home buyer needs to know

Deirdre McGettrick, CEO of ufurnish.com's story

As a child, I always dreamed of interiors and could often be found cutting up the Argos catalogue and as an adult, I quickly fell in love with Pinterest and Instagram.

Finally, the day arrived when I picked up the keys to my first home. I was filled with interior ideas and excitement, but soon became frustrated with the difficulty of making those ideas a reality. Hours and hours spent with endless tabs open on my laptop, trying to find those perfect items, looking for advice and practical tips… surely there was a better way.

I discovered my new home on Rightmove, I bought my car on Autotrader… why wasn't there one website where I could see all of the furniture and furnishings retailers in one place. Surely this would help everyone create their dream home and save time and money – meaning we could all buy more easily and with greater confidence.

Fast forward 5 years and I am now the proud founder of ufurnish.com.

ufurnish.com is an innovative, market-leading website, reinventing the way furniture and furnishings are searched for, discovered, compared and shopped for online. Bringing together over 1 million products from 110+ of Britain’s best furniture retailers, connecting our users to large and small furniture retailers alike, all on one website.

On ufurnish.com you can easily search and compare well-known retailers, such as John Lewis, Marks and Spencers, Cox & Cox and Dunelm, as well as discover exciting independents such as French Bedroom, Rockett St George and Andrew Martin, eliminating the fear of missing out on your perfect product.

Read on to discover more.

Save money: see all of the sales in one place

When you have spent so much of your budget on your dream property, it's really helpful to be able to compare prices and also find all of the retailer sales easily. On ufurnish.com you can find sales from 110+ retailers all on one page. The website also allows you to sort your search results by price, and even filter to only view those products that are on sale. We know it's one of the features users love the most.

Save money

Save time: keep all my favourite items in one list

Whether you are browsing for inspiration or searching with more intention, it can be hard to remember where you saw all of those items you love. With the My Account feature on ufurnish.com you can save all of your favourites in one place by simply clicking on the heart – it's like having your own personal wish list to refer to at any time.

Create your account

Create the dream and make it a reality

Users love to be inspired by the latest trends and to understand how they can recreate the looks they love in a practical way while in keeping with their style and budget. The blogs on ufurnish.com do exactly that, keeping you up to date on the latest interiors but making it really simple to recreate them yourself.

Read inspiration blogs

Buy with confidence with practical buying guides

Deidre often found what she calls the 'language of interiors' a little confusing when she was getting started. What was the difference between an ottoman and a divan, do you need a chaise or just a sofa, how do you use lighting to create different moods... the list went on. On ufurnish.com you can find practical buying guides to help you make the right decisions as well as lists of the top products users have already purchased, to help you make the right choice for your home.

Read buying guides

Where to invest: the perfect night's sleep

Somewhere to invest your hard-earned money is definitely in your bed. Getting the perfect night's sleep is on everyone's 'must haves', so choose a bed, mattress and bedding that makes you leap up on those weekday mornings feeling refreshed, provides a great night's slumber when you need to snuggle down and of course is the perfect place to relax with a coffee on a lazy Sunday.

Shop beds

Where to invest: the best seat in the house

Your sofa is the star of the living room and is often the place where a lot of our lives happen. So choosing one that looks great but also fits all of your needs is important. Comfort and style are the main priorities, but consider if you need it to be pet, wine or children-proof... does it need to provide storage or even transform into a bed?

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Where to invest: the perfect dining spot

Dining tables need to work really hard, so finding one that is the right size and shape for your home is worth taking time over. Love to entertain, but also need to work from you dining table on occasion? All of those needs are important when you're searching for a table. From tables that extend to accommodate guests to those that fold for maximum space efficiency, from tables with storage to those that actually store your chairs, the huge choice on ufurnish.com will ensure you find your perfect fit.

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Where to save: rugs

Rugs are the perfect and cost-effective answer to add comfort and personality to any room. From practical hardwearing ones that are ideal for hallways to rich sumptuous ones that give your feet a bit of luxury. Remember how many sets of feet will travel over your rug to help you choose the right fabric, an oversized rug will help frame your furniture perfectly and you can either coordinate or clash for added style.

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Where to save: lighting and ambiance

Lighting can really help you create different moods in your rooms, and a mix of lamps, overhead lights and wall lights can give you variety throughout the day and the seasons. There are some amazing lamps on ufurnish.com from the quirky to the traditional, all bound to light up your home whatever your style or budget.

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Where to save: the finishing touches

Cushions are the perfect way to change a room's look, be it in a bedroom, living room or even a study. All rooms can benefit from that pop of colour and comfort. They can be a very cost-effective way of adding small dashes of personality into your home which can easily be changed in line with trends or the seasons – or you can just move them between rooms to save money whilst still refreshing your look.

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