Just moved in? What to buy first, and what can wait

Moving in is when most people buy the most furniture in the shortest time, and it is also when they know the place least. The boxes are everywhere, the budget feels big, and every shop has a new-home offer. The result is often a flat full of things bought in a hurry that don't quite fit the rooms or each other.

A calmer way is to buy in three rounds: what you need to live, what makes the place work, and what makes it yours.

Before you buy anything: measure and photograph

One evening spent on this saves you every return later.

• Measure each room wall by wall, and mark windows, doors, radiators and sockets.
• Measure the way in: the front door, the stairs or lift, and tight corners. A sofa that doesn't fit through the door is the classic moving-in mistake.
• Photograph every room from the corners in daylight. You will use the photos when you plan and when you shop.

Round one: the first week

Only what you need to sleep, eat and get ready in the morning:

1. A good mattress and a bed frame. Sleep is the one thing not to compromise on while everything else is chaos.
2. Curtains or blinds in the bedroom, even temporary ones.
3. Warm bulbs in every fitting. New flats often come with bare, cold ceiling lights.
4. Somewhere to eat: a table and chairs, even a simple set you may later move to a study or a balcony.
5. Somewhere for clothes: a rail and hangers is fine for now.

Round two: the first month

By now you know how the light moves through the day and where you actually sit. This is the moment for the big pieces:

• The sofa, chosen to fit the room you measured and the way you use it.
• A rug big enough to hold the seating together. Here is how to choose the size.
• Proper storage: a wardrobe, a sideboard or shelving, sized to the walls.
• Light in layers: a floor lamp, a table lamp and a reading light, so evenings don't happen under the ceiling light. Here is a simple way to plan it.

Round three: when you know the place

• Art, mirrors and shelves on the walls. Wait until the furniture is in, so you hang things where they make sense.
• Plants, cushions and throws. The details that make it feel like yours.
• The one special piece you saved for: a lamp, a chair or a table you will keep for years.

Pick one look for the whole place

The fastest way to make a new home feel finished is to choose one direction before round two: one main colour, one accent, one or two wood tones and one metal. When every room follows the same short list, pieces from different shops still look like they belong together.

A rough budget

For a two-room flat in Europe, buying from mid-range shops:

• Round one: about €800–1,500.
• Round two: about €1,500–3,500.
• Round three: whatever is left, spread over the following months.

If you have just moved in and want a plan for your new home, with what to buy first and what fits where, Gaudi plans it around your rooms and your budget.