Never had a kitten before, but i got her from a friend of a friend for free. She is a couple weeks shy of 3 months old and is an absolute sweetheart. No accidents outside the litter box after a week, and she has even let me trim her paws!
She was 2lbs 5ozs when i got her and she is growing well. She's way less shy than when i got her and has become super curious and playful the past week.
I placed a scratching post next to the couch and bed so that the cat can't damage the furniture. As of the carpets, they are quite robust and cheap to replace, I'm on the same boat with you. Good thinking!