This is what you need to know if you get a property from the municipality and want to furnish the house

It is important to know what type of housing you are getting from the municipality so that you know what all you need to furnish your home properly. If you get a home, it may be a bare or unfurnished home. It depends on the type of home what you need to furnish.

• Unfurnished home: This is a home without furniture, carpeting or decorations. The walls are often not painted. You have to fix up the house yourself, such as painting the walls and laying a floor. You also have to furnish everything yourself, such as buying sofas, tables and beds.

• Furnished home: This home usually already has carpeting, such as laminate or carpet. Also, the walls are often painted white or wallpapered. You still need to add furniture and other items yourself.

Most municipalities allow you to get a loan to furnish your 1st home. This is called a furnishing loan. This loan helps you buy furniture and other important items. The amount of the furnishing loan varies by municipality. The furnishing loan is usually a loan, which means that you will eventually have to pay back the money you borrow to the municipality.

In some municipalities there are also options where you do not have to pay the money back, depending on your situation. Contact your municipality to ask what the options are and how to apply.

You can buy affordable furniture and other items for your home at thrift stores. These are stores where people sell their donated used items. You can often find sofas, chairs, tables, cabinets and decorations. The prices are usually much lower than in other store. In addition, thrift stores are sustainable. By buying used furniture, you help reduce wasted resources. Many thrift stores also support charities and provide work for people who are struggling in the job market.

You can also easily buy used stuff online. For example, you can do this on the Marktplaats website. This is a website where people sell stuff they no longer need themselves.

RefugeeHelp also has its own marketplace: supply and demand. Here, people offer free stuff for people who came to the Netherlands as refugees. You can find different items, such as furniture and electronics. You can also contact those offering the items here in your own language.