So we moved from a furnished to an unfurnished apartment, and an adoption agency has scheduled us for a home inspection next month.
What furniture is absolutely necessary to have in our apartment in order to pass the adoption agency’s home inspection? Thanks for your help! Please feel free to list obvious things too, like a sofa, coffee table, etc – we are starting from scratch / zero furniture.
If you buy or rent furniture be sure it's not infested with bedbugs. They're almost impossible to get rid of and it'll definitely set you back with the agency.
It's why I never buy used upholstered furniture. I've known people who went through hell trying to get rid of them.
Good luck with adoption.
Checklist:
Functioning smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
Gates on stairs
Covered electrical outlets
Secure, locked windows with screens
A first-aid kit on hand
Any firearms out of reach and locked up
Functioning heating and cooling
No lead paint
A safe yard, with proper guardrails around any decks or pools
Safe, functioning appliances
Child-proofed corners on furniture
Great link, Isamorph!
I think the takeaway from that list is that the furniture matters far less than the safety of the environment.
Personally, I don't think whether or not you have a coffee table should matter.
Whether or not you have 'family environment' furniture, like a place to eat meals together, sit together, play together, might be more important.
If you can't accumulate everything immediately, maybe a folder with likely choices for the child's bed, dresser, a desk (for an older child, especially), and asking for input on the selection from the inspector might show that you've put serious thought into it.
Wishing you success, peterquinn!
I would agree with KentE that safety is paramount in the eyes of inspectors. Safe furniture ( no chest of drawers that could fall on someone, no unsecured or misplaced TVs that could fall and cause injury, etc.) is more important than how beautiful it is. In short, no need to spend a ton of money on furnishings.