How to Furnish a Child’s Room Without Overspending? A Guide for Young Families 

Furnishing a child’s room can be an enjoyable and stress-free experience. Discover how to create a safe, functional, and beautiful space for your child—without breaking the bank.  

Modular and Multi-Functional Furniture – Saving Space and Money 

One of the best ways to save money is by choosing multi-functional furniture: a bed that can double as a sofa during the day, a foldable table, or a horizontal bookshelf with a seating option. Modular furniture is ideal for younger children. Since kids grow quickly and their needs change from month to month, modular designs help delay the need for new purchases. It’s especially worth investing in a bed that “grows” with the child, as well as an adjustable desk and chair. 

Second-Hand and DIY – How to Furnish a Child’s Room on a Budget 

Many pieces of furniture and accessories for a child’s room can be bought second-hand. Of course, some items should always be new—like the mattress. A used mattress may negatively affect a child’s spine due to its previous shape and usage. Plus, it’s difficult to fully remove moisture, dust mites, and microbes from the inside. For similar reasons, be cautious when buying used bedding or upholstered furniture. 

That said, items like dressers, small shelves, lamps, and various gadgets can absolutely be bought second-hand. Many of these can also be easily upgraded at home. You can repaint a dresser using child-safe paint and replace the handles with something fresh. Shelves can be decorated with cute stickers—same with the walls. Instead of buying expensive decorations, hang a simple corkboard (also second-hand), decorate it with string lights, and pin your child’s drawings on it. 

What You Don’t Need in a Child’s Room 

New parents often buy too many things for their child’s room—many of which turn out to be unnecessary. So, what’s really essential, and what can you skip, at least for now? 

A crib, a desk for an older child, and a wardrobe or dresser to keep the space tidy are definitely must-haves. Items worth reconsidering include: 

• Changing table – especially if the room is small. Replace it with a changing mat that can be laid out on a bed or dresser.
• Decorative rug – kids and rugs are a messy combination. It’s better to invest in an easy-to-clean, washable play mat that you can also use in other rooms.
• Expensive sensory toys – often unnecessary for newborns and better replaced with simple, classic toys.
• Too many decorations and stuffed animals – most kids have just one or two favorite toys. The rest collect dust and take up valuable space. 

How to Save Even More on Decorating a Child’s Room 

Beyond buying second-hand items or upgrading them yourself, you can free up extra funds for decorating your child’s room by looking at less obvious areas. For example—if you’re renting, instead of locking away your rental deposit in the landlord’s account, use a rental deposit surety service like Bingo-Rent. 

During the rental period—let’s say one year—you pay an initial and administrative fee, plus a subscription equal to 12% of the deposit amount, and Bingo-Rent provides the surety to the landlord on your behalf. That way, the deposit amount stays in your pocket and can be used however you like—including furnishing your dream kids’ room. 

You can pay the Bingo-Rent subscription upfront for the year or in monthly installments, just like your phone bill—the total cost stays the same. Rental deposit surety is a widely used system in countries like France and Switzerland, and now it’s also available in Poland. It helps you manage your finances more effectively and avoid freezing money where it’s not necessary.