Another of Bedminster's second hand furniture shops, if you're looking to fill a new abode with…read morecheap but decent furniture, Furniture Galore will save the day. Stocking wardrobes, chests, bedside cabinets, a range of beds and sofas and much more, this little store boasts a surprisingly large amount of furniture. Furthermore, goods here are pretty cheap, with single mattresses costing as little as £35 and doubles starting at £69. The shop also operate a free local delivery service.

This soft furnishing shop sells a variety of curtains ready made and has a order process for you to…read moreget exactly the right curtains for your house. The Staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. The few times I have been in, they have had a large selection of nets on the roll, which they can cut to size and they also sell all the accessories from tracks to hooks and poles. The prices are quiet high but the quality is really good so its a good stopping point!

Oskar, the furniture shop is definitely a cool place to go to deck out your abode. It's something…read moreof an expensive and better quality Ikea, and more central, which is definitely a plus point for a pedestrian like myself. I really like the style of the furniture here, it's kind of Eastern, but also modern and trendy, and I always nearly persuaded to buy something every time I go in here. The price tag is a little off putting though, but I will definitely visit again when I can afford to.

This modern furniture shop, situated towards the bottom of Whiteladies Road, is a great place to…read morecome for inspiration, even if your wallet can't quite stretch to some of the price tags. A mix of Eastern and Western design ideas, Oskar is certainly more upscale than Ikea and slightly more individual than nearby Habitat. As well as the shop, which acts as a showroom, there is a warehouse around the corner which can be seen by appointment. I found the woman in the shop to be a little distracted the last time I went in but this place is still worth a visit, particularly for the accessories, which are more affordable and a great way to jazz up a living room.

My favourite ever clothes brand (or it would be if I could afford to ship it over here) is US…read morebased ModCloth. Joy is my UK fix of something similar - vintagey, vaguely overpriced new clothes that are different from what you see in Topshop or Primark (although not so different it's not fashionable). I am a fan. Cute studded pumps share shop space with oversized key necklaces and all the lad's stuff has a sense of humour and an appealing indie edge to it (I like boys dressed that way!). I am currently in love with a cheap thing - bright tights for 6 quid, and an expensive thing, a grey lace coat for £180 they have on display. Love, life, laughter indeed (as their motto goes).

With beautifully bright and colourful window displays I never manage to walk past Joy in Clifton…read morewithout popping in. It's not a place to find a bargain, with dresses around the £45 - 60 mark, but it is the shop to pick up something bang on trend, yet unique. They seem to specialise in shiny, sparkling dresses and floral scarves, although they also stock comfy pumps, tiny clutch bags and retro jewellery. I must confess I rarely buy anything here, and tend to feel a bit anti-climatic after each visit. Even though everything Joy stocks looks fun and interesting, there's nothing so special that would cause me to pay the pricey prices. Great for the odd stocking-filler gifts, if your friends appreciate mugs with slogans and novelty shower caps - which mine do!

Rossiters in my opinion is what is good about England. This department store is a Bath institution…read moreand has been around for years. Twenty years ago I used to frequent here before I emigrated. I am pleased to see that it still exists.

I have bought a few things here in the past, including a lamp, bedside cabinet and a throw for the…read morecouch (which my girlfriend made me get, even though the infernal things always fall off and are more hassle than they're worth). However, it's not all that cheap here, as is the case with a lot of the Bath stores, I guess, but the quality is unquestionable. The staff are always on hand to show you where things are, but are pretty clueless about actually recommending anything. It's a good place to browse if you need some extra furnishing for a new place, but don't expect to be overwhelmed with desire.

Great little antique and home clearance shop on the back road between Downend and Staple Hill. You…read morecan give items here for a 30% commission but it is best to have a pootle round here to buy. They have a lot of gardening tools and fishing equipment in particular as well as bigger furniture from house clearances.

This antique shop is a little further out than some of the ones I've visited, however, not being in…read moreClifton means that the prices are lower, granted to quality of stock is probably a bit lower too but who needs a dining table with thousands! A bit of a hit and miss please really but you can get some right bargain if you check in semi-regularly.

If (God forbid) you should find yourself stranded in Brislington, and are at a loss for things to…read moredo (as you would be), I'd recommend you visit Avon Mead Retail Park if you're looking for something resembling civilisation. Here you'll find a long line of huge shops, including The Range. For those of you unfamiliar with The Range, it sells everything from musical instruments to arts and crafts, furniture, outdoor living equipment, toys and pet care items to name just a few of its many wares. Moreover, these can be purchased at trés reasonable prices (but don't expect the greatest of quality). This branch of The Range is gigantic and pretty souless. But for practical matters and rainy days, it'll suffice.

There's apparently a whole host of these shops all over the country and yet before I came to…read moreBristol, I had never heard of them. The Range is one of those wonderful mish-mash shops which sells absolutely everything, except from perhaps vital organs, although they could diversify into that in the future. Seriously, going in here is a real treat. You can buy everything from bones for your dog to every craft item under the sun. Or there's jacuzzis, huge boxes of broken biscuits, wall canvases, dried flowers and garden gnomes. It's all stacked chaotically around so actually searching for something you need is a total mission. But if you want to go in and come out with at least 15 things you absolutely don't need then I highly recommend The Range.

This store is what it says on its name. They are a store that sells second hand furniture, mostly…read moreall quite cheap and all in fair condition. Everything is very thrown together in here, and I suspect that underneath that first layer of shelves, cupboards and tables, there are more shelves, cupboards and tables.. and maybe a lamp or five. It's an alright shop if you've got a really low budget for furniture in your house (students, take note!), and maybe you won't get the best design or quality, but I suppose they are functional and good for a temporary solution. Plus, a slick of paint can do wonders.

The Sale Shop can be spotted by the constant display of mattresses that are, rain or shine, propped…read moreup outside. To be fair their prices cannot be rivaled by any nearby store. £29 for a single mattress - Bargain! It's a bit of a jumble sale in here so be prepared to be rubbing shoulders with other customers, but if you don't mind this then its definitely worth a visit for all your furniture needs. The reason why I have dropped a couple of stars is that even in the snow and heavy rain, they still leave out their mattresses which makes me a little concerned of the quality I would be receiving if I bought anything here.