I'd like to ask for help regarding furniture, please.

[StoneWallandRoses]

Im curious to know how others just seem to know what kinds of furniture to purchase, especially as it relates to the saying, "a place for everything, and everything in its place"
I think I missed out on learning this skill.
We've downsized from a large 3 bed semi, to a ground floor 3 bedroom flat and moved abroad (had little choice to, pressing family matters) and moved with no furniture.
I don't know why exactly now, but I've become overwhelmed with furniture shopping. I can't make decisions and I'm flustered.
Back home I bought 2nd hand furniture (admittedly v. nice!) from FB Market, Ebay and charity shops on occasion. It was mismatched but homely and always came together.
I have to buy everything new, and money isn't in abundance. I'm dithering.
I'm looking at all the cardboard boxes, all the stuff we have in storage bags, all the moving boxes stacked against the wall and I can't remember how it was even organised before. It's really stupid.
Please talk me through.
I know I'm stressed and I can't really organise myself let alone the flat.

Everyone needs a bed and somewhere to store their clothes. You each need something to park on in the living room and something to eat off and chairs for that table.

It was a while ago, but when DH moved into a 3 bed flat abroad, you could order a "3 bed flat" pack from IKEA & they'd ship it. Then you just had to add your own decorative touches.

I'd start with the essentials - Bed, sofa, dining table.
Or it might help to draw a birds eye view of the room and decide from that what you want and where it should go.

Maybe do a bit of journaling about how overwhelmed you feel. That might help to get out out of your system. It sounds like you have had a lot to deal with in a short space of time...so it's only natural that you're feeling overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed definitely makes decision making difficult.

We have beds. But they aren't ottoman or have storage drawers underneath. So no keeping bedding under the beds.
Get this - I have no linen cupboard! My towels used to live in the cupboard at the top of the stairs at the end of the landing. It had all towels, all extra Toiletries, spare quilts, camping items, miscellaneous items. Here, All the towles are folded in a tiny wardrobe that was left over in the flat. All the bedding is in the same wardrobe on the other side. All crammed in. It is awful. There's 6 of us in total.

As FB market place isn't the same here as back home, We're buying new. I looked in IKEA and its so expensive and I am worried on what to commit to. I need so much I can't choose.

I bought a large sideboard for myself/communal area. Thats it. Not sure where to actually put it.

The children have the most things though, we made sure of that. Outside of their rooms, I'm lost and can't get it together.

Hi, I'm sorry to hear it is difficult. Might it work to buy really cheap stuff just until you get your feet down?

It might be a good idea to get in touch with the British Expat community if there is one, as the people who are about to leave to go back to the UK may be frantically trying to sell their furniture to get rid of it before they ship out.

It always takes a while in a new place to get a feel for the space you have, and how best to arrange it
Same with decor depending on the light you have
I've recently had to start again as I've had an accessible kitchen/ longe/ wet room fitted( 4 months of chaos) I had to store everything in my bedroom
Get a paper notebook, brainstorm, think about what you like vs need.
I ended up with 2 ikea Poang chairs, a small oak furniture sideboard, and drawers( all FB marketplace) which was completely different to what I thought I wanted. Plus lots of baskets!
There probably is somewhere for second hand items, someone will know.
Long post sorry

Thank you, you are helping.
I'm writen down what I want and need but somewhere between that, the flat and the store what I think I wanted gets lost.
I'm sorry for whinging.

The poster earlier I think is right in that I need to get some stress out of my system.

Can I get suggestions on what I can use as a cupboard for towels and bedding please?
My bath towels are large Dunelm Dorma sized sheets, and we have 8, loads of bulky smaller ones, flannels, hand towels ect. Then 3 lots of bedding sets to each of us. I need deep drawers/shelves for my towels. And do I have 2 cupboards or one large one for everything? I haven't even seen anything that resembles a traditional linen cupboard here, the nearest thing thats crossed my mind is to buy an ikea pax wardrobe and hash up the specifications to make up a towel cupboard. Or have I overlooked something in IKEA that would do a better job?

I’d concentrate on one room at a time - write a list and take it with you. Would a small sideboard or cupboard fit in your bathroom or just out side for towels? If you buy 2nd hand you could upcycle it. Use Ottoman seat storage for blankets. Double up as a seat if there is room in bedrooms. I wouldn’t use open shelving for storage as it needs to be kept tidy and dust free

I feel for you @StoneWallandRoses as I am having a similar dilemma. I'm moving from a four bed where I lived with a h and three kids to a three bed house with one less room downstairs, just me and only a handful of furniture items. I will need a dining table and chairs, bookcases, a bed, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. My dc are at uni / has their own flat and now ex h is living with his mother.

Not as aesthetic, but cheaper and frees up space - could you get some under-bed boxes for the towels and bedding?

Would any of these work?
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/under-bed-storage-19059/

If there are quite a few of you, then maybe you have quite a lot of under-bed space.

I really feel for you. My parents moved us abroad when I was a small child, and it was hard for my Mum definitely.

This seems to be the ikea page for low budget stuff:
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/lowest-price/?itm_content=Nav&itm_element=Top&itm_campaign=BTI

I think it would be really find to have low budget furniture if it reduces your stress levels to keep the cost down. Your kids would rather you were happy.

Is there no freecycle or Facebook marketplace in the country you are in? I think the large size PAX in a single wardrobe with a door would work well for linen - you can just put shelves

There's no underbed space.
Our beds look like Ottoman beds, where the nottom of the bed frame is right on the floor, but they aren't ottomans. So you can't get inside or underneath the mattress.

I'm really grateful for you helping me.

There is FB marketplace but it's no where near how it is in the UK. And I think that most people here buy things and it's kept forever more, especially good items of furniture. Just my observation. The suggestion for an expats site is good, but alas. I can't locate one.

Sorry to hear of your troubles BirthdayRainbow. Hope it gets easier for you.

Of you told us which country you are in, we could probably make better suggestions. I have bought a lot of stuff in France and Italy, for example.

Have you got room for a blanket chest at the end of the bed, for spare sheets, towels, etc. Chest of drawers for towels, clothes, underwear, etc. old ones are better new ones don't seem to be man enough for heavy things.

This is strangely something I really enjoy doing, planning spaces, so happy to help in any way.
I've never lived in a house with a linen closet till DH built them in, so growing up we had a bedding box (like a large hamper) and shelves over the toilet for towels. If space is a premium then going upwards is the best way to maximise it - tallest PAX wardrobes, shelves/over bed cupboards if you can, bunk beds for kids.
Not sure where you are, but what about ebay and amazon for furniture too? Have you searched for second hand furniture stores in your country - it may be a drive worth doing?
More than happy to make ikea type suggestions if you'd like to share your floor plan?

When we moved to our house, we started with basics as we'd gone from a two bed flat to a five bedroomed house. So we got the basics like beds, and then went for a day out to some antique places. Not like obscenely pricy antiques, but vintage stuff. Bought a few more things that we liked. Over the years we added extras as and when, like writing bureau, extra bookshelves, so on and so forth. Bare bones upwards.

You don't need to do everything all at once, so don't get overwhelmed. Easier said than done, but try to enjoy it. If you shopped second hand before, do the same now and see what's in your area. Maybe walk through the house and think of a few things you know you need for each room?

Thanks. I have tonnes of furniture needing a home and wish it could have helped you.

Just a thought. Overbed cabinets in your room?
Is there room in the bathroom to roll up linen and towels on a bamboo shelf( waterproof and strong)?

Which country are you in? Most places will have flea markets, auction houses, freegle etc, its just tracking them down. Let us know where you are (roughly) so that we can work it out with you.