Buying furnishings is an exciting moment when you've just bought your first home. The idea you're creating a haven of your very own is a chapter of life that few of us forget.

Your selection of furniture is often dictated by the available budget, of course. 

Having just achieved the milestone of owning your first home, you're unlikely to have cash to splash on an expensive couch or dining furniture. 

As a result, it's common for many young buyers to head to the discount retailer and purchase items that will not last more than a few years. 

However, there's a movement gaining in popularity among Millennials and GenZ called “Buy It For Life” – a philosophy that would suit older Americans, too.

“Buy It For Life” encourages you to invest in furnishings that will stand the test of time. 

This approach already exists in other countries. In Denmark, you're encouraged to invest in furnishings that would be a centerpiece of a room. Danes, who have their own interior design approach called hygge, will spend hundreds of dollars on a lamp.

It's also important to take care of quality furnishings. Good fabrics should be dusted or vacuumed regularly, and wooden tables should be replenished with oil or beeswax. 

If you like the sound of the “Buy It For Life” philosophy, here are five tips to set you on your way:

Construction is key – Wooden items are often the easiest to judge in terms of their construction. Cheaper pieces are glued and doweled, screwed or stapled together. Quality pieces will feature dovetail or mortise and tenon joints.

Fabric feel – Cloth quality is all-important when buying chairs and couches. Look for hand-tied upholstery, which is the most durable technique. You should also check the quality of the cushioning, favoring down-wrapped cushions over foam.

Weigh it up – Weight will often tell you whether you are buying something substantial. A couch that's easily moved is unlikely to feature durable construction. If you try to pick up a chair made 100 years ago, you'll feel the difference.

Viable vintage – There's nothing wrong with buying secondhand furniture because the quality is usually of a higher quality than the conveyor-belt assembly used in many factories today. Scouring antique dealers and flea markets can be good fun, too.

Center of attention – Don't fill your new home with vintage or high-quality furnishings. You're looking for centerpieces that give your home a touch of class and beauty beyond today's commoditized furniture. 

Don't match – Don't feel obliged to match all your furniture choices. That interior approach has faded away. Today, designers love to mix-and-match, and they'd encourage you to invest in a few quality pieces to make a room feel special.