Why I rent: Chioma Ubogagu, Tottenham Hotspur

We speak with Chioma Ubogagu, a Professional Women’s Footballer for Tottenham Hotspur to find out why she rented furniture for her latest move.

A footballer’s life can be hectic…

With every move to a new team comes a relocation to another city or, for some, even a brand-new country. For professional footballer Chioma Ubogagu (29), her transfer to Tottenham Hotspur from Real Madrid in 2021 meant she had to move home once again from Spain to London. After finding an unfurnished property to rent, she turned to Roomservice by CORT to furnish the entire property for her.

WHAT HELP DO YOU RECEIVE WHEN MOVING COUNTRIES AND CLUBS?

It depends on each individual situation - it might be when your contract is ending, or there may be other factors. When I went to Real Madrid for example, that all happened really quickly and within the span of four or five weeks, I was moving.

That was probably the most stressful relocation I’ve had, as it was just so quick. In Orlando for example, they supplied and furnished a flat for me, so I didn’t have to worry about it. In other situations, I’ve had to move everything from one country to another by myself. This time around, I found Roomservice which has been a lifesaver.

WHAT WAS THE MAIN TRIGGER TO DECIDING TO USE ROOMSERVICE TO RENT FURNITURE?

I liked how the website showed examples of how you could set up the rented furniture, and different packages were advertised, as it was really easy to visualise how the items would work together. There were also certain packages that other companies didn’t have, such as a cleaning package that included items such as a hoover and mop. Those things seem so simple but are really important when you’re living somewhere!

WHAT HELPS YOU ACCLIMATISE TO YOUR NEW LOCATION/HOME?

For me, I’m a huge homebody so comfort is a big thing. I like to have my family over and watch films with them, so a comfortable couch is always key. I enjoy cooking too, so a furnished kitchen and a dining table that can fit my family around are the things I look forward to. A comfortable bed is also key, as after a full day of training I need my bed!

WHAT ITEMS DO YOU ALWAYS BRING WITH YOU? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU ALWAYS DECIDE TO LEAVE BEHIND?

I always take things that help with my recovery, so items such as a foam roller and a massage gun are key to me. The things I usually end up purchasing each time are kitchen supplies. Sometimes I have been able to add furnishings into my contract with a club which has been really helpful, as it meant I didn’t have to keep spending money on the same items.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO MOVES AROUND A LOT FOR WORK?

I would definitely encourage them to ask the club, or their employer, to find great companies such as Roomservice by CORT to help them with their move.

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER ROOMSERVICE BY CORT?

Instagram and Google. I looked at lots of other competitors but when I found Roomservice, I spoke to my Mum and it turned out she had actually used them years ago when we lived in London. She recommended that they were great, so of course, I got in touch!

WHAT SORT OF ITEMS DID YOU RENT?

Everything! I rented every piece of key furniture, from my dining table and dining chairs, coffee table, entertainment unit, couch and all the bedroom furniture for both of my bedrooms.

WHY DO YOU THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE NOW CHOOSING TO RENT FURNITURE?

For me, I always wanted to travel and that’s how I used football. When I think about a new team, I think about the places I would like to live and the culture I would like to experience and go from there.

I think a lot of younger people are in a similar mindset – they don’t know where they want to settle down yet and want to try out different places for a little while, but not forever:

“I think this has been the best situation I’ve been in when relocating, and it could help a lot of footballers. My contract is for two years, so I still want to put my own stamp on the home, but it means I’m not spending a lot of money on a home I’m not going to be living in forever. One of my favourite parts of the process was the fact that you don’t have to unpack or sell anything afterwards, it’s all done for you!”

WHY DOES FURNITURE RENTAL WORK FOR YOU?

“From start to finish, it was a breath of fresh air. There was a fantastic selection of items, and the process was so quick and easy for me, which is great for someone with a busy lifestyle. All I had to do was look at the website and choose my items, then everything was really smooth.”

HOW DID YOU FIND THE PROCESS? HOW DID YOU GET INTO FOOTBALL?

I was born in London, but I grew up in Dallas, Texas in America. I have two older brothers, and when I was in London, I watched them play football as they loved it. When we moved to America, I copied what they were doing and started to play myself.

The first club I signed for was Arsenal, and then I played for a few clubs in America – Houston Dash and Orlando Pride. I then played with Real Madrid for two years, and now I’m signed with Tottenham for two years.

Why owning furniture is overrated.

UK furniture consumption and waste is growing. In 2019 the British Heart Foundation reported that over a third of households have thrown away furniture and household items which could have been reused.

We source our rental furniture very carefully – we’re constantly monitoring where our furniture is manufactured and only buy furniture using sustainable woods and recyclable components. Furniture rental can be a great alternative to purchasing for a temporary need and can prevent unwanted or unsuitable furniture from going into landfill.

RENTING EVERYTHING NEEDED TO SET UP HOME.

Roomservice by CORT offers renters a complete turn-key furnishing service, boasting 300 furniture lines ranging from large items such as sofas and beds to white goods, kitchenware, Smart TVs, home décor items and accessories, right down to the last teaspoon. With flexible rental terms from as little as one month, customers have the power to choose rather than making do with what a landlord provides or facing the expense of buying new furniture for a temporary need.