If used is acceptable, Craigslist > for sale > furniture is one resource.

This is always a tough question to answer. Yes particle board is bad and I would never want it in my furniture regardless of what the salespeople tell you. For a college student I would not spend great amounts of money to furnish the apartment. Ikea furniture may still be the solution even if it is made of particle board.

Where do you live? If you are near the Chicago area I can give you amny suggestions of stores to try to look at. Otherwise if you would like to call me I work at a custom furniture store in Illinois and would be gald to answer any question that you may have. (630-548-1600

Hope this helps,

Bob Smith

I'd think twice before I rejected the idea of furniture from IKEA. First, for the price, it's very hip. If you try to find furnishings equally as hip, you'll have to jump to at least West Elm furniture (3-4 times as much) or Room & Board (5-7 times as much), and most of those products are also made of particle board.

Second, the furniture from IKEA is basically disposable. When you daughter decides to move, renting a truck or hiring movers will cost more than what you paid for the furniture, and, in addition, she may not want the same look in a few years.

With every move, yes, this type of furniture puts some stress on its joints. I purchased some melamine bookcases at a store that predated the Ikea craze in the U.S.

These white bookcases were purchased in central Connecticut, delivered in the back of my sister's van to New York; then I moved to N.C., and the bookcases went into the moving van (I didn't disassemble them) and on to my new apt. Then I moved to Chicago, so they went into another moving van, carried up the loading dock, put in the elevator and carried into my new apartment.

That was over a time period of about 10 years. After Chicago, I decided to give them to one of my building attendants.

But I'd say 10 years is pretty good!

IKEA has solid wood too.

Its laminated furniture is MDF, not the common "particleboard" ... a lot stronger.

As a recent grad.... most of our furniture was hand me downs. ALL memebers of our family were happy for an 'excuse' to get newer items for themselves!

That said, my desk was a particle board thing from Staples. It was moved no less then 8 times in 7 years!!! It is still in one peice, but barely.... but for the $150... worth it in the long run.

And, that said, there is nothing I bought when I went to school that I wll likely want in my post grad days anyway!

I bought a particleboard-and-metal desk at Target when I was a senior in college, in 1991. I took it to graduate school with me ( moved just about every year for seven years). I am still using it today. It cost me $100; I later saw it at Crate and Barrel for $250. Exact same desk.

I'm almost ready to junk it and move on, but it's in perfect condition, so I'm going to find a college student to take it off my hands... and I bet I get $50 for it!

Today, most of the furniture in Ikea, isn't particle board, but MDF. -Which is actually stronger than most wood types. -I would call Ikea, and ask them what is under the melanin.

We purchased a coffee table from Target 4 years ago to put in our daughters dorm room. It held up so well, we've purchased a similar desk, folding bookshelves and end table for her now that she's moving into an apartment while in law school. It's Target's mission style in natural. It all needs to be assembled, but then it knocks down easily to be moved. As mentioned, lots of people are willing to part with furniture for an excuse to buy new, if they know it's going to a good cause. It's just a matter of spreading the word that you're on the lookout. A friend is giving us a used, but like new, couch. It's in excellent condition, just a more dated, floral style, but we're looking into putting a slipcover over it. Of course she's also taking some of my basement furniture, bought used about 20 years ago. But it's solid oak and in great condition.

This situation is the only time I'd ever consider IKEA. As said above, it is disposable furniture. Since it is trendy, disposable and can be low cost for what you get, it is a good fit for a college student.

If your area has a Court furniture clearance center or something like it, it can be a cheap place to get furniture. What this place does is rent furniture for transitional housing. When the furniture is no longer needed, they sell it at one of their outlets. The upholstered materials are deep cleaned and they do some type of antibacterial cleaning too. I'm kinda squeamish about buying used upholstery, but would definitely check out the wood items for a college kid or first time renter.

I vote for thrift stores, craigslist, garage sales and relatives. Or try Costco or Sams Club for a cheap bed frame and mattress. The Ikea dressers I purchased didn't last 3 months before the bottoms fell out.

I am disappointed to hear that about IKEA
I am always looking at their sofas.
Anyone have an IKEA sofa??

I must have gotten old somewhere along the line...thrift stores sure worked for my roommates and I.

While a platform bed might be quite trendy for your daughter, I see nothing wrong with a metal frame, mattress and box spring...and they don't need to match, either.

I'm just recommending what my folks did with me.

Here's another option if you're anywhere near a major college or university. Some of them have surplus stores where they sell their used furniture. I checked out the Duke University surplus store about a week ago, and saw everything from beautiful lined draperies and bedspreads, to beds, sofas, chairs, lamps, and computers in great condition. I will try to include an article from today's paper about the surplus store at UNC Chapel Hill, just to help clarify how some of these places operate. You might check with your own local college to see what's available near you. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: University surplus store