Furnishing a New Home on a Budget: Room-by-Room Checklist
Moving into a new place is exciting and expensive. The mistake many people make is trying to buy everything at once, then running out of money halfway. A better approach is to list what each room needs, rank those items and buy in phases. Here is a room-by-room checklist for Ghanaian homes, followed by a sample plan using real prices.
Start with what you cannot live without
Rank items by daily impact, not by looks. For most people the order is something like this.
- Sleep: a proper mattress. It is the item you use every single night.
- Food: a fridge, so you can store food safely in the heat.
- Cooking shortcuts: a microwave or air fryer, which are cheap and fast.
- Entertainment: a TV, which can wait if money is tight.
- Laundry: a washing machine, valuable if you wash a lot, but hand washing can bridge the gap.
- Cooling: an air conditioner, which costs the most to buy and run, so plan the power bill too.
Room-by-room checklist
Bedroom. Start with a Sensopedic mattress. A Sensopedic Firm Mattress is listed at GH₵ 3,899. Measure the bed frame first so you buy the right size.
Kitchen. A fridge comes first. The Novo 186C Refrigerator 186 Litres is listed at GH₵ 3,750. Add a microwave or air fryer later, as they are low in price.
Living room. A TV fits here. The TCL 43 inch Smart TV is GH₵ 3,500. Check the wall space and how far you will sit.
Laundry. The Novo Washing Machine 7KG is GH₵ 1,560, an entry-level option for a small household.
Cooling. The Sigma 1.0HP Split Air Conditioner is GH₵ 3,000 and suits a small bedroom. Installation and electricity costs should be in your budget.
How hire purchase helps you phase purchases
With our 4-month hire purchase, each product shows a monthly figure, so you can see what each item adds to your monthly budget. Read the details on the hire purchase page. The trick is to finish paying one phase before starting the next, so repayments never pile up beyond what your income can carry.
A sample phased plan
This is an example, not advice tailored to you. Prices and monthly figures come from our current listings and can change.
- Phase 1, the essentials. Sensopedic Firm Mattress at GH₵ 3,899 (GH₵ 1,091 a month) and Novo 186C Refrigerator at GH₵ 3,750 (GH₵ 1,050 a month). Together that is GH₵ 2,141 a month for 4 months.
- Phase 2, comfort and cooking. TCL 43 inch Smart TV at GH₵ 3,500 (GH₵ 980 a month) and Novo 20L Manual Microwave at GH₵ 960 (GH₵ 268.80 a month). Together that is GH₵ 1,248.80 a month for 4 months.
- Phase 3, laundry and cooling. Novo Washing Machine 7KG at GH₵ 1,560 (GH₵ 435 a month) and Sigma 1.0HP Split Air Conditioner at GH₵ 3,000 (GH₵ 840 a month). Together that is GH₵ 1,275 a month for 4 months.
Spread across about a year, you would furnish the essentials of a home without ever carrying more than one phase of repayments at a time. Swap items to suit you, for example a smaller fridge or an air fryer from GH₵ 600 instead of the microwave.
Budget tips
Measure doorways and rooms before ordering. Check that your power supply and sockets suit heavy appliances such as air conditioners. Buy a surge protector for fridges and TVs. Ask about delivery to your area, and check what you really need now versus later. Eligible customers can also ask about GCB Bank's Buy Now Pay Later programme, subject to GCB approval.
Common mistakes to avoid
Many first-time furnishers buy a big TV before a fridge or a mattress, then regret it. Others forget running costs: an air conditioner, a freezer and a washer all add to your electricity bill, so factor that in. Some buy sizes that do not fit the room or the doorway. Some stack many hire purchase items at once and struggle with the total monthly figure. Slow down, measure and phase it out. A home furnished carefully over a year feels better than a home furnished in a rush that leaves you stressed.
Do not forget furniture
If you also need beds or desks for a home, school or office, see our furniture range and ask us for current prices on WhatsApp.
Before you order anything, walk through the empty rooms with a tape measure and a notebook. Write down the width of each doorway, the wall space for the TV and fridge, and where the sockets are. This five-minute check saves you from buying something that cannot come through the door.
Ready to buy?
Tell us your rooms, your budget and which phase you want to start with, and we will help you put a plan together. Prices can change, so please confirm on WhatsApp.