Youre finally going to do it! No I dont mean tie the knot, I mean your finally ready to buy that new furniture youve been dreaming about. We adorn our bodies with fashion which makes a statement about who we are. Your furniture does exactly the same thing for your house. Its your fashion statement for your home.

Heres some helpful tips on getting the most value for your money, and choosing furniture that will work with your home and your lifestyle. Youre friends will be green with envy when they see your new look.

First you need to know the size of the rooms you are going to be furnishing, right down to windows, and walls that might not work well. You can either purchase a piece of software that will help you design a cozy room or grab a pencil and paper and start sketching. If you have any original pieces you are keeping, then make sure to work them into your room plan.

Once youve decided what would look good where, and how large of furniture you can purchase, you need to set your budget. Decide how much money you are willing to part with and stick to it.

Once you know how much your going to spend youll be able to decide on the type of furniture. Determine the type of use the furniture will get.

Are you buying furniture for a family room or a living room? If your buying for a family room youre going to want to look at furniture thats built to hold up with high use. If your buying furniture for your living room, and its more of a show room then you might look at fancier, less functional furniture.

When deciding on the type of furniture also take into consideration your lifestyle.

Do you have pets that are going to claw or chew? Do you have small children?

Is your home air conditioned? Leather is a great example of a piece of furniture that looks good, but can be downright uncomfortable in the hot weather, unless you have air.

Once youve narrowed down what youre in the market for, make a list itemizing each piece youre looking for. Include sizes that will work, color preferences, all the fine details. Youd be surprised at what youll forget once you walk into the furniture store. Its easy to get distracted because of all the choices. But with list in hand youll be prepared.

Make choices that will last you for years. Dont choose trendy furniture that youll be tired of in six months. Furniture is a big investment, so keep your tastes in check and choose furniture that will look and feel good for years to come. You can add some trendy small ticket items such as vases or wall decor. Keep your furniture colors easy to work with. That way you will be able to do a room face lift just by changing out small ticket items, like pillows, ornaments, and wall art.

Once youve found that perfect piece of furniture, get physical with it. Check the construction of it, watch for low quality assembly. If you buying a couch or bed, sit on it, move around on it, see if it fits your body well. Check to see if you can feel springs, if the buttons are attached well, if the seams are finished properly. Dont take any piece of furniture at face value, get underneath and check the entire construction of it.

Once youve made your choices, all thats left to do is pay and wait for delivery. If you have old furniture in the room, its easier to dispose of this before the new furniture arrives. Prep the room, so that when the delivery guys arrive they can place the furniture where it belongs.

Stress free furniture shopping can be accomplished with just a little bit of pre- planning. Now all thats left to do is enjoy your new room!