For a short or transitional stay, a furnished apartment usually makes more sense: you skip movers, furniture rental, and setup, and you can move in with a suitcase. An unfurnished apartment costs less each month and makes more sense if you already own furniture or plan to stay a year or longer.
The right choice comes down to how long you'll be here and what you'd have to haul in. If you're ready to lease soon, contact our leasing office or call (864) 963-1000.
How do furnished and unfurnished apartments compare on cost?
Furnished apartments cost more per month, but the gap can shrink once you count what an unfurnished move really involves. At Garden District, furnished one-bedrooms are currently listed at $2,200 a month and two-bedrooms at $2,700, with all amenities included.
Unfurnished one-bedrooms currently start between $1,161 and $1,300 a month, and two-bedrooms start at $1,485. That's a real difference on paper. Now add movers, a truck, a mattress, a sofa, kitchen basics, and the time to set it all up, then do it again when you leave.
For a short stay, those one-time costs land in just a few months instead of being spread over years. That's often what tips the math toward furnished. You also avoid the risk of damaging your own furniture in two moves within a single year.
Commuting matters too. Many people on work assignments drive I-385 toward Greenville every day, and coming home to a ready-to-live-in apartment beats spending weekends assembling furniture.
What does a furnished unit at Garden District include?
Furnished units come ready to live in. A one-bedroom includes a queen bed with an upholstered headboard, a nightstand and lamp, and a six-drawer dresser with mirror. The living and dining area includes a sofa, accent chair, coffee table, TV stand, and a dining table with four chairs.
Every home also has a stainless refrigerator, a double-basin sink, a stacked washer and dryer inside the unit, and blinds on every window. Outside your door, you have a salt water pool with sundeck, a fitness center, and a private cycling room with a Peloton bike.
A young guy fresh out of college came to town on a temporary assignment. He'd priced hiring movers for his bed, sofa, and everything else. When we talked about renting a furnished place, his face lit up. All he'd have to bring were his clothes and his lucky coffee mug.
See current options and photos on our furnished units page.
Which option gives you more flexibility?
Furnished gives you more flexibility to arrive and leave quickly. Unfurnished gives you more control over how your home looks and feels. Which one matters more depends on why you're moving.
If your assignment end date might shift, or you're relocating and still deciding which part of the Upstate to buy in, furnished lets you settle in fast and leave without a moving truck. It's also a good bridge if you've sold one home and are waiting to close on the next.
If you already own furniture you love, or you're likely to stay past your first lease, unfurnished usually wins. You'll pay less each month and make the space your own, whether that's weekend concerts at Heritage Park or slow evenings at home.
Ask our leasing team about lease lengths for furnished and unfurnished homes before you decide. Terms can make a bigger difference than the rent itself on a short stay.
How do you decide which one is right for you?
Start with two questions: how long will you stay, and what furniture do you already own? Short stay and little furniture points to furnished. Longer stay and a full household points to unfurnished.
Then compare the total cost, not just the monthly rent. Add moving costs in and out, any furniture you'd need to buy or rent, and the time it takes. Weigh that against the furnished premium over the months you'll actually live here. Be honest about your timeline, since short assignments have a way of getting extended.
Still deciding? Our unfurnished homes range from a 525 square foot one-bedroom to three-bedroom layouts, all just minutes from downtown Simpsonville's Main Street. Compare every layout on our apartment rentals page.
Ready to move in with just a suitcase? Check our available furnished apartments, then call our leasing office at (864) 963-1000 or reach out online to schedule a tour.