Thrifting and buying used items is a great way to furnish your home on a budget.
But while there’s no issue buying most things used, there are certain items that, if you want to protect your health, you should buy new.
So what, exactly, are those items?
A recent article from realtor.com outlined items you should never buy used, including:
- Upholstered furniture. The fabric and stuffing that makes up upholstered furniture can be host to a variety of things you don’t want in your home — particularly if past owners didn’t clean it will — including bedbugs and allergens. While you might save money by buying used, if you’re going to buy upholstered furniture, it’s best to buy it new.
- Linens. Things like bacteria, allergens, and dust mites can build up on linens when they’re not washed or maintained properly. And since you have no way of knowing how well used linens were washed and maintained, it’s best to err on the side of caution and invest in new sheets.
- Old children’s toys. You might save some money buying children’s toys used, but vintage toys weren’t subjected to today’s safety standards, which means buying older toys could present safety hazards to your children. For example, a toy may contain chemicals that have since been banned.