For many of us, Amish Country is an hour or two away, but some will travel from across the country to see this region. If you come to shop for furniture, a little preparation will save you time and money. The following are ten things you should know before buying furniture in Amish Country

1. Visit multiple stores: Unless you know exactly what you want and where to get it, visiting several stores is wise. Even if you do know what you want, checking out what other stores have to offer will either help confirm what you want or guide you in a new direction.

Furniture stores in the Furniture Heartland are never more than a few miles apart. Plan your visit so that you can see multiple stores and have enough time to revisit some. If you have the time to enjoy the process, consider planning a two-day visit. After waking up to a view of the rolling countryside and a hearty breakfast, you will be energized for more.

2. Price it out ... to an extent: Products in the Furniture Heartland are often considered inexpensive. They are less expensive when compared to similar quality, but tend to be more expensive than cheap imports made of particle board, manufactured wood, veneers or plastic. The furniture made in the Furniture Heartland is solid wood and built to last for generations, so you are paying for this quality, but you are also saving on costs -- shipping and middlemen, for example -- that raise the price of most furniture.

3. Find the perfect piece: Many stores in the Furniture Heartland will create a custom piece of furniture to fit your needs. Come to the region with dimensions for the piece of furniture on your list, and you will likely be able to work with someone to find the right fit. Some stores have a greater range of custom abilities than others, but at the minimum you will be able to choose a wood species, hardware and finish color.

4. Plan ahead: You can drive home with small pieces of furniture, but the terms "warehouse surplus" or "in-stock" rarely have a spot in conversations. As soon as you make the purchase, the woodcrafters get started. Depending on the store and the complexity of the order, plan to wait between three weeks and three months before your furniture is finished. Think of it as commissioning an artist to do a painting; for it to be good, it won't be done overnight.

That said, if you need a dining room table in less than 48 hours and are flexible on the size and style, the stores will have a solution.

5. Leave the pickup truck at home: Instead of trying to tie your new, king-size sleigh bed onto your truck or SUV, know that all of the furniture stores will deliver, and most will deliver across the country or sometimes even find a way to ship anywhere in the world.

And if you even consider moving a sleigh bed by yourself, remember that a new bed is supposed to be good for your back.

6. Go outside your style: The stereotype of "honey, oak, country, Amish Furniture" has changed. Yes, most stores in the furniture heartland still offer a style similar to this, but also offer furniture in the styles of Mission, Queen Anne, Cottage, Shaker, Colonial, Contemporary and Primitive. If you visit the region with an open mind, you will uncover a completely new world of furniture.

7. Wood is the key, but don't forget about fabric: The Furniture Heartland is the largest concentration of solid wood manufacturers and retailers in the nation, and at all of the furniture stores, you will find top-level wood craftsmanship. But many of the stores also offer sofas, upholstered chairs and wonderful quilts. If you want to furnish an entire room with both wood and upholstered furniture, having everything in one place can be a great help.

8. Monday through Saturday only: If you go to the Furniture Heartland on a Sunday, expect a nice drive but no furniture shopping. Many of the store owners are Amish and don't work on Sundays.

9. Worry less about warranties: A benefit to solid wood furniture built within driving distance is that almost any scratch, ding or break is fixable. Unless your piece has gone through extensive fire or water damage, contact the store where you bought it, and explain the extent of the damage. Most often, they will be able to repair or refinish the piece so that it looks brand new at a cost that barely compares to buying another.

10. Watch out for buggies: Consider (A) that many buggies carry entire families, (B) that cars travel 40 - 50 mph faster than buggies and judging proximity at that large of a speed difference is difficult and (C) that ODOT reports over 120 car/buggy accidents each year. Slow down and give them room.