Money saving tips for your next move

Moving supplies

Start collecting boxes early, ask family and friends to save sturdy boxes from deliveries. Use old ikea bags or a ‘bag for life.’
Use blankets and clothes to wrap delicate items instead of plastic or bubble wrap.
Get creative with containers, the wash basket and gym bag can all hold items during the move. 

Elsewhere, salvaged moving kits are available to buy at a discounted rate from Green Bubble and Adverts.ie

Clearing out

Making money on items you no longer need is simple. Furniture can be sold on adverts, local markets and Instagram stories. There’s always an audience for things like books, ornaments and clothes via apps like Vinted and Depop.
Look twice to see what else could be in good condition and given a second life with someone else. You can also donate unwanted items to your nearest charity retailer (find them here).

Finding Furniture

This is the fun bit! Buying secondhand is a great way to get quality pieces at really low prices. If you enjoy the hunt, second hand furniture stores like Habitat Restore, Oxfam Home, Second Life and many more (see our regional directories for Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht and a listing of charity retailers here) often have large ranges that refresh frequently. You can find your local flea market on our events page.
Adverts.ie and Facebook marketplace contain so many gems, you can find almost anything, from second hand ikea chairs to a midcentury teak table. Even current ranges tend to appear on second hand sites, so make sure to check there first.

DIY

Tools can be a big cost when it comes to renovation. Even seemingly simple tasks may require special equipment that may only be needed once. This is where renting tools can save you money (and storage space!)
Possibly the most wholesome option is simply asking your new neighbour for a lend of their tools. Making friends and saving money all in one go!
You can also borrow tools like these for free if you join community initiatives like the ‘libraries of things’ at Mud Island Community Garden. Often these groups will have sanders, drills, hammers and more, ready to be borrowed for your next project. Find more community initiatives in our regional directories for Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht.

Paint

An area you can make some huge savings is paint. Recycled and remixed paint costs less than half the price of a regular paint tin! Not only is it cheaper, colours can be custom mixed to match your specific paint swatch. The paint reuse network members salvage perfectly good paint, remixing and colouring it to create new paint. Check out the website to find where you can source remixed paint.

Rennovation

As with many things in life, you can usually shop second hand for home renovation supplies. Salvage yards and adverts.ie are full of boxes of tiles and floor boards that have either never been used, leftover from a build or salvaged and in good condition for reuse. You’ll be amazed at what kind of creative solutions you can find. Could old sports wooden floorboards be your new kitchen floor? Entire kitchen units, sinks and toilets can be found at places like Habitat Restores as well as online marketplaces. Sometimes all it takes is swapping a tap or painting something a different colour to refresh your space.

Plant swap

Plants can be hard to move, delicate and sometimes large (Monstera we’re looking at you), they might not always fit into your new space. On the other hand, you might be looking to fill your home with new greenery. Plant and seed swaps are great for both of these conundrums. With no money being exchanged, your cactus can have a new life down the road and you can find the perfect plant for your new space. There’s certainly money to be made on bigger, more established plants that have been well taken care of, if you need to downsize. You can find upcoming swap events on our events page.

Freecycle

Spend no money at all with freecycle platforms and groups! Need to get rid of something in a hurry? Avoid the bin and the cost of throwing it away, by giving it to someone who wants it. Share with friends or colleagues and list items on freecycle Facebook groups.