# Furniture and Appliances Guide

## Overview

One of the biggest surprises for Filipinos moving to Germany: **most apartments come completely empty**. No kitchen, no lights, sometimes not even curtains. You will need to furnish and equip your apartment from scratch. The good news is Berlin has an amazing second-hand culture that can save you thousands of euros.

## What German Apartments Usually DON'T Include

- **Kitchen** — Yes, really. Most unfurnished apartments have NO kitchen at all. No cabinets, no countertop, no sink, no stove. You either buy/bring one or negotiate with the previous tenant to buy theirs (Ablöse).
- **Light fixtures** — Often just bare wires hanging from the ceiling
- **Curtains/blinds** — Usually not included

**What IS typically included:** Bathroom fixtures (toilet, sink, bathtub/shower), heating radiators, sometimes flooring.

## Second-Hand Platforms (Best Value)

<table id="bkmrk-platformbest-fortips"><thead><tr><th>Platform</th><th>Best For</th><th>Tips</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>[Kleinanzeigen](https://www.kleinanzeigen.de)</td><td>Everything — furniture, appliances, kitchens</td><td>Filter by "zu verschenken" (giving away for free). Negotiate prices. Many people sell entire kitchens for €200-500 when moving out.</td></tr><tr><td>**Facebook Marketplace**</td><td>Furniture, decor, appliances</td><td>Join "Free Your Stuff Berlin" and expat furniture groups</td></tr><tr><td>[eBay.de](https://www.ebay.de)</td><td>Appliances, electronics</td><td>Auction format can give great deals</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Second-Hand Stores in Berlin

- **BSR NochMall** (formerly Stilbruch) — Berlin's waste management company runs a second-hand store. Furniture, appliances, household items at very low prices. Havensteinstraße 40, Reinickendorf.
- **Humana** (multiple locations) — Primarily clothing but some locations have furniture and household items
- **Oxfam** — Charity shops with household items and kitchenware
- **Sozialkaufhaus** — Social department stores with discounted used furniture. Several locations (e.g., Möbel in Neukölln).
- **IKEA Fundgrube** — The "As-Is" section at IKEA stores sells returned and display items at 50-70% off

## Sperrmüll: Free Furniture on the Street

Berlin has a culture of leaving unwanted furniture on the street for others to take. This is called **Sperrmüll** (bulky waste). You will regularly see:

- Shelves, tables, chairs on sidewalks
- Sometimes perfectly good sofas and bed frames
- Often with a "Zu verschenken" (for free) sign

**Tips:**

- Best finds are on the 1st and 15th of the month (when people move)
- Check for bedbugs (Bettwanzen) before taking upholstered furniture — this is a real risk in Berlin
- Solid wood furniture is safe to take; mattresses are NOT recommended

## Budget New Furniture

<table id="bkmrk-storeprice-levelbest"><thead><tr><th>Store</th><th>Price Level</th><th>Best For</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>[IKEA](https://www.ikea.com/de/)</td><td>€-€€</td><td>Everything. 4 locations in Berlin. Delivery ~€39-69. Tip: Check the "Fundgrube" (As-Is) section first.</td></tr><tr><td>[POCO](https://www.poco.de)</td><td>€</td><td>Very cheap basics — bed frames, mattresses, shelves. Quality is basic but functional.</td></tr><tr><td>[Roller](https://www.roller.de)</td><td>€</td><td>Similar to POCO, budget furniture and ready-made kitchens</td></tr><tr><td>[Höffner](https://www.hoeffner.de)</td><td>€€-€€€</td><td>Mid-range, good for kitchens and living room furniture</td></tr><tr><td>[home24](https://www.home24.de)</td><td>€€</td><td>Online-first, free delivery and returns, modern designs</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Kitchen: Your Biggest Expense

A new fitted kitchen (Einbauküche) costs €2,000-8,000+. Ways to save:

- **Buy from the previous tenant (Ablöse)** — If the apartment has a kitchen, negotiate with the person moving out. Common practice, saves both parties money. Typical: €500-2,000.
- **IKEA METOD kitchens** — Most affordable new option (~€1,500-3,000 with appliances). Can assemble yourself or hire someone via TaskRabbit (~€200-400).
- **POCO/Roller ready-made kitchens** — Küchenzeile (kitchenette) from €300-800, basic but functional
- **Kleinanzeigen** — Search "Küche" + your Bezirk (district). People often sell entire kitchens for €200-800 before moving out.

## Appliances

### Must-Buy Appliances

- **Washing machine** (Waschmaschine) — €250-600 new. Look for A-rated energy efficiency. Used from €50-150 on Kleinanzeigen.
- **Refrigerator** (Kühlschrank) — €200-500 new. Often included if you buy an existing kitchen.
- **Stove/Oven** (Herd) — €200-500 new. Usually part of the kitchen.

### Where to Buy Appliances

- [MediaMarkt](https://www.mediamarkt.de) / [Saturn](https://www.saturn.de) — Largest electronics retailers. Watch for sales.
- [AO.de](https://www.ao.de) — Online appliance specialist, good prices, free delivery and old appliance removal
- **Kleinanzeigen** — Used appliances. Always test before buying.
- **Refurbished** — Check [Back Market](https://www.backmarket.de) for refurbished electronics at 20-40% off

## Flea Markets for Home Goods

- **Mauerpark** (Sundays 10-18h) — Vintage, kitchenware, decorative items. Fun to browse but prices can be inflated for tourists.
- **Boxhagener Platz** (Sundays 10-18h) — Books, furniture, design items. More local, better prices than Mauerpark.
- **Nowkoelln Flowmarkt** (Maybachufer) — Curated, hipster-friendly. Good for unique home decor.
- **Berliner Trödelmarkt** (Straße des 17. Juni, Saturdays &amp; Sundays) — Large, touristy but has good antique furniture finds.

## Typical Costs: Furnishing from Scratch

<table id="bkmrk-itembudget-optionmid"><thead><tr><th>Item</th><th>Budget Option</th><th>Mid-Range</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Kitchen (complete)</td><td>€300-800 (used/POCO)</td><td>€1,500-3,000 (IKEA)</td></tr><tr><td>Bed frame + mattress</td><td>€100-200 (IKEA/used)</td><td>€400-800</td></tr><tr><td>Sofa</td><td>€50-200 (used/IKEA)</td><td>€400-800</td></tr><tr><td>Washing machine</td><td>€50-150 (used)</td><td>€300-500</td></tr><tr><td>Dining table + chairs</td><td>€30-100 (used)</td><td>€150-400</td></tr><tr><td>Lights/lamps</td><td>€20-50 (IKEA)</td><td>€50-150</td></tr><tr><td>**TOTAL**</td><td>**€550-1,500**</td><td>**€2,800-5,650**</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Pro tip:** Join the Filipino in Berlin Facebook group and post what you need. Outgoing expats often sell everything at once for great prices when leaving Germany.