You have the keys and an empty apartment. Now you need a bed, a couch, a table and a hundred small things. Here is the cheapest sensible way to furnish a Sydney flat from scratch, especially if you are new here.
The IKEA route: what it really costs
A Saturday at IKEA feels affordable until you add it up. Priced on ikea.com/au in July 2026, a basic setup of just five core items runs to about $1,150:
- SLATTUM bed frame, Queen: $199
- ÅFJÄLL foam mattress, Queen: $249
- KLIPPAN 2-seat sofa: $329
- DANDERYD dining table: $179
- TEODORES chairs, four at $49: $196
That is before a single lamp, rug or plate, and before delivery or a weekend of assembly. New is nice, but new is what you are paying for.
The Marketplace route: cherry-picking chaos
Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree are cheaper, but furnishing a whole flat this way is weeks of work: a different seller in a different suburb for every item, messages that go quiet, no car for pickups, and a bed one week and a couch the next.
The bundle route: a whole flat in one go
Someone a few streets away is moving out as you move in, with a full flat of furniture that has to go by their lease-end. Instead of selling it piece by piece, they list it as one bundle. You match by move date to a bundle near you, pay a deposit, and collect the lot in a single trip.
One transaction, one collection, a furnished apartment. That is what Bundle does. You pay one fair price for a complete set from one person nearby, well under $1,150 of new, instead of chasing twelve sellers.
Who this suits best
- New arrivals without furniture and without a car
- International students needing a flat sorted before semester
- Working holiday makers who will likely sell it all again on the way out
If you already own half your furniture, Marketplace is fine. If you are staring at an empty flat, a bundle saves the most time and money at once.
Before you buy
Check the photos are honest, confirm the bundle covers what you need, make sure the move dates line up, and use the deposit and ID checks. Then plan the pickup: our guide to moving a bundle covers van hire and hiring a hand.
Moving into an eastern suburbs apartment? Register your move at letsbundle.online.