The Bankrupt Shop is fab, it's like a big jumble sale but without the junk. This store is quite…read morelarge ad stock all sorts of furniture like nests of tables and chairs and stools, ornaments and mirrors and photo frames as well as soft furnishings: curtains cushions, throws and of course masses of material for the haberdashers amongst us. The prices are reasonable, although "bankrupt" implies something on par with poundland, its not quite that cheap, but you'll find a bargain. I'm not sure whether a delivery servce is available as lots of the items are quite large and bulky I should think there would be.

Relax in Style on County Road is one of those little, hole-in-the-wall furniture shops that's…read moresurprisingly clean and trendy. They sell sofas, coffee tables, etc. and it's actually pretty nice stuff (not being cruel or anything, but County Road tends to be known for cheap, crappy shops.) If you're looking for something nice for your living room but you can't afford to go to one of the big name stores, this place offers some decent stuff at decent prices. They also sell a small amount of home décor items such as vases and decorative bowls.

I stumbled across this shop some time last year and they have now expanded and got a much larger…read morestore just a few doors away. I have bought several pieces of furniture from there and the prices are reasonable in comparison to some of the big stores in town. I think the furniture and mirrors are totally funky and bang up to date. My last buy was a red glass dining table that looks amazing. The two guys that run it are real gentlemen aswell and totally helpfull. I give it overall 10/10.

Taskers DIY is almost like a version of Ikea but not as grand enough if you were to spend a whole…read moreday browsing their furniture and garden sections. This branch in Long Lane is a fairly large establishment compared to the branch in Wavertree. They sell a massive variety of products for your home, no matter how big or small a job you have. Staff will be there to help choose or find your items and give you a price estimate for that new bathroom suite or laminate flooring. Prices in general for DIY essentials are not too bad, obviously depending on the brand and type of item. Most of the time, you will find what you are looking for and not have to run around in circles since they have well displayed signs for each category. Taskers is certainly a decent store and up there with the best; it sells quality products at competitive prices therefore it is always worth a gander.

This is a great place to come if you have just moved into a new place or if you fancy redecorating…read more Their range includes eighteen departments of furniture and furnishings for every room in your house and garden plus DIY equipment and tools for all the services. They have a good selection of contemporary and conventional furniture styles. I've started saving for a new Parker Knoll chair. Although the business has been around 50 years and has a few stores around Liverpool, its still independently owned. Any queries will probably be answered by John Tasker son of the founder Jack. With their own kitchen designers, paint mixing, timber cutting and delivery services, this is an excellent alternative to soulless big chain shopping.

Zara Home whose appropriate next door neighbour is Zara, appears quite camouflaged as its outer…read morecolours blend in with Zara, so most of the time I walk past this without realising. I kick myself for not noticing because this neat little home ware shop offers a whole load of items, which are ideal to make your home look pretty and shiny. Amongst their terrific variety of products, they sell everything from crockery, linen to furniture and beds. You wouldn't think for a small shop like this, that they offer such a decent selection. Whilst prices are moderate, most items appear to be of decent quality. I wouldn't be too surprised if this store attracts many housewives and mothers. This store is perfect for transforming your home, such as making your mantle piece look ten times more fabulous!

Lounge Boutique describes itself as "comfortably chic, elegantly shabby" and I have to agree with…read morethem. It's charming indeed. There is a subtle and classic look about the furniture and homeware on sale here with selections of whitewashed wooden pieces on offer and grand mirrors draped in fabric. I love the little details from the decorative storage boxes and wire mannequins laced with flowers to the cute baby gifts which are scattered across the delicate furniture. Flags and fairy lights and mini pirate hangers, teddies and baby mobiles for the crib will make you want to buy it all up in bulk for your little 'un. Selling items to make a house a home, you'll find some gorgeous treasures in Lounge Boutique to decorate your pad with.

A must for emerging and established knitters, Purlesque is a gorgeous boutique that sells beautiful…read morewool, yarn, buttons and crochet books. If you haven't got the patience or fingertips to stitch yourself, they also sell adorable hand-made bags, accessories and homeware. I love the mix of DIY jewellery, tote-bags, scarves and cushions but it's the knitted cupcakes and tea-cosies that I have my eye on. You bring the jam and scones, I'll get the kettle on...

This is a lovely little haberdashery store. The staff here are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable…read more Amongst the goodies on sale there is wool, yarn, buttons, jewellery beads, crochet kits, knitting patterns, bags, cushions, fabric and scarves. Everything is arranged neatly and the shop is a joy to browse around. This is a great little shop for when you're feeling a bit crafty :)

I am quite simply a fan of TJ Hughes, always have been and always will be because its your store in…read moreone apart from selling food. They might fall short of selling food but they do have a basic cafe/restaurant where you can have a hearty lunch for cheap prices. Its the nature of their departments that makes them so popular with people of all ages. I can't think of anything they don't sell, especially when it comes to domestic requirements. Their crockery ranges from low to high standards similarly with their electronic appliances so whatever you are seeking, there should be an item that wins you over 9 out of 10 times. Not to mention, the same goes with shoes; the place is packed with them! And clothes too, the list is endless. If you're looking to treat yourself or find a gift, then TJ's is probably your first port of call.

To me this is the archetypal nan shop. My nan doesn't go much further than the bottom of her…read morestreet for her weekly shop these days but when she does venture into the city centre it will be to hunt out a bargain at TJ's. These bargains usually end up as my birthday or christmas presents. Like the much lamented Lewis' which has closed down on Renshaw Street, TJ's is a landmark store within the city. It is a much more modest department store than Lewis' was and can be seen as more of a front runner to the now universal pound shops. The key to TJ's is the bargains. It covers all sorts of quality products and ranges - although nothing exclusive or top of the range - and at the cheapest possible prices.

Calico Skies is a very interesting shop. The shop is mainly fireplaces but also has lots of…read morebeautiful interior products to fill your home with and make it look awesome. I went in for the interiors rather than the fireplaces. Interior wise they really do have a good range, including picture frames, pictures, beautifully designed glass vases, candles, lamps, clocks, mirrors, chest of draws, candle holders, wooden baskets, glass bowls and chairs. I think my favourite was a very artistic glass vase with a green and black fired pattern on. I would definitely recommend a smooch around the shop.

Model Zone is a geek's heaven, situated within St. Johns market this is the kind of place where…read moreyour typical nerd can go and spend the day marvelling at the products within. There is nothing at all wrong with this but it just so happens that I am more of a games console man and as such I didn't really understand the fervour surrounding these types of products. This place as the name suggests sells models for war craft games and other related activities and to be fair the range of produce is quite astonishing. As well as this the quality of the products is fantastic and there is much attention to detail here. I was also very impressed with the staff who worked hard to help out each and every customer so they get much kudos for customer service. On the whole a well run establishment which does its best to draw you in to its slightly nerdy world and if we are honest there is a bit of a geek within all of us.

I've never made a model of anything before I don't think, but we used to come here a fair bit when…read moremy brother was a toddler because they had loads of cool trains and cars and he was interested in collecting them. Then, as he grew up and became interested in the RAF, the family would generally call in here if at a loss for presents at Christmas or birthdays, and get him a model aeroplane set. This is quite a fascinating shop if you like geeky things (or at least appreciate them, like me). You can get all the Thomas the Tank Engine trains from here, you can get Meccano sets and Scalextric and even Star Wars, Star Trek and Dr Who collectibles. If you're at a real loss for inspiration for presents, it may be worth while looking round here for ideas, as more often than not you'll see something that you know someone will love. The staff are eager to help and even if you ask them random ambiguous questions they eventually find out what you're talking about and sort you out. It's on the same avenue as the 99p shop so you know you're going for guilty pleasures (ie stocking up on £5 worth of sweets) if your feet take you in that direction.