An apartment; a place that feels like home, freedom from public safety annoying freshman, an escape from Gander food, and the ability to light a candle again (legally). This dream that every college student stumbles upon is luckily in your reach. If you have been following along since the beginning of Moving Up, then you are already one step closer to making this dream a reality. If you don’t know what I am referring to, don’t worry! You can still catch up by reading the past articles (just remember to come back 😉). If you are ahead of the game and have been following along since the beginning, thank you! Although your journey is far from over, at least the stress of finding an apartment is. Now, a new project begins. What is it that you might ask? The task of remembering everything you now need for your new place. But before you freak out, just like finding an apartment, Moving Up is here to help you along the way!
So, what should you buy first? Before you get too excited and purchase everything on your Pinterest Board or in your Amazon cart, you need to remember this. Buy what you need, not what you want. I know, that’s not what you wanted to hear. However, it is far more important to have dishes, a bed, and a place to sit, than whatever decor is in your shopping cart. Now this doesn’t mean don’t ever buy anything deemed “unnecessary” for your apartment, but simply wait. So, what should you buy first?
- Areas to focus on:
- Bedroom
- Kitchen
- Living room
- Bathroom
- Cleaning
To start off, let’s talk about your space, the bedroom! This is the area in the entire apartment that you get to make completely yours. It is your safe space, and it is important to make it feel like home. After talking with an anonymous MU student who had just moved into their first apartment, she said, “My absolute favorite part of having my own apartment is getting my own space. It is such a nice change from the dorms and being constantly five feet from my roommate.” By far the most important item to buy is a mattress unless you like sleeping on the floor. There is no need to go out and buy an extremely fancy, over-the-top mattress. However, a bed is an investment purchase, like many items you buy for your apartment. This mattress will move with you to whatever the next stage in your life is. So, it’s important to find a comfortable, decently-priced bed that will last. Another item I recommend having in your room is a desk/vanity. Having a place to be able to sit down to work on homework in a quiet setting is crucial for success in school. It is also great for additional storage for school supplies, books, etc.
Moving on to the kitchen, my favorite part of the apartment. Luckily, in this area, and the following, you alone don’t have to purchase everything yourself (unless you are living alone, then unfortunately you do. Sorry!). If you are like me and absolutely love baking and cooking, then this area is fun for you. However, even if you want to purchase every baking accessory, please don’t. Focus on the basics: pots, pans, plates, bowls, silverware, and cups. Don’t worry; I’m not a monster. Then, AFTER you buy the basics, purchase a few extra kitchen items that you enjoy. Like a cupcake tin, or an electric mixer, etc.
Near the kitchen is the living room. The big items here are a couch and a TV. As mentioned previously, these are investment purchases. So yes, try to find a good deal, but also a product that will last you a couple of years or more. I recommend searching on Facebook for the marketplace for both or shopping around black Friday or Memorial Day to get some extra deals. For me, I purchased my TV at Walmart around Memorial Day and was able to get a decent price for a quality TV. However, I found my couch at Bob’s Discount Furniture Store. They had a wide selection and were decently priced.
In the bathroom, the main things to focus on are towels, shower curtains, bathmats, and, of course, toilet paper. Although this area of the apartment isn’t as fun as others, it is necessary. Similarly, cleaning supplies are an aspect that is easily overlooked. It is a good idea to have these handy before moving in to clean the apartment before officially putting everything away. Some items you’ll need are:
- Vacuum/broom
- toilet bowl cleaner
- toilet bowl brush
- Windex
- paper towels
- Clorox wipes
- Dusting supplies
Ok, so now that you know what you need to buy, the question arises: Where? As a college student, money isn’t something that you should be spending carelessly. Luckily, if you have a roommate, the cost of everything can be split up between you two. Money can be a challenging situation to talk about, but it is important to be open and honest with who you are living with to discuss who will pay for what or if you want to split the cost of something. No matter your financial situation, I recommend looking into multiple areas to find the best deals. Each item’s price varies throughout every store, so it is worth it to know your options. Stores to shop at:
- Thrift Stores
- Discount Furniture Stores
- Facebook Market Place
- Garage Sales
- Ask family and friends if they are selling any items they no longer use
As you are creating the list of everything that you need in your head, it might seem daunting. How are you going to get everything? What if I miss something? Does the list ever end? Stop. Before you spiral even further, take a deep breath, and hear me when I say you don’t need to get everything before you move in or even at the beginning. Feba Jameson said, “Once I realized I didn’t need to buy everything all at once, the moving situation became a lot less stressful. It also helps to spread out the cost of everything over time.” You have time. Your apartment will naturally fill with everything you need as time goes on. It is ok to live a couple of days, weeks, or months without certain things. On my first night in my apartment, I slept on the floor with a blanket because my bed hadn’t arrived yet. And my roommate and I sat on the floor for a month before we even bought a couch. Although it doesn’t seem ideal, those are the memories you will remember in the future.
Although your bank account is hurting a little bit more since starting this article, you are almost to the finish line! Yes, you read correctly; there are still more steps to come. The journey of getting an apartment is long but well-rewarding! On the bright side, after buying all the necessities and researching for the best prices, hopefully, you have some extra money to splurge on your Pinterest board!
Wanting to know more? Check back to Moving Up for more need-to-know content about life off campus and to learn about the next step!
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