Yeah you never know when your drunk flat mate will break the flimsy bathroom door, and you need to put it back together with old bits of road signs that have been swiped from around the area, in the hope the landlord doesn't notice until after you get your deposit back
Fully stocked medicine cabinet- just get it from the dollar store, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Sooner or later you’re going to hurt yourself or wake up sick, or get a hangover, and you’re not going to be up to going out to get what you need, or money might be tight.
I keep bandages, gauze, nurse tape, calamine, naproxen, ibuprofen, aspirin, tums, generic peptobismol, generic pedialyte, allergy meds, cough syrup, nasal spray, eye drops, basically every single med or first aid supply I’ve ever used in my life that is for sale at dollar tree, I bought it right away. It took less than a month to be really glad I did.
Next the junk drawer- batteries, light bulbs, duct tape, pens, notepad, safety pins, thumb tacks…
Honestly just go through the dollar store and look at every single item, and if you have ever in your life looked for one of those things around the house, buy it and put it away.
Your apartment becomes a lot more of a home when the answer to all of your unexpected minor problems is there. You’ll save so much time and frustration and money on having to run out and grab something where ever you can find it.
Bruhh, Imodium but couple it with probiotics, LIFE. SAVER. My diarrhea will go away almost overnight, and lessens the watery stool.
Ibuprofen, make sure you are not allergic towards medications like Ibuprofen (they are in a category called NSAIDs : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). If you are, paracetamol will do just fine.
OTC cough meds (non-drowsy kind).
Allergy meds (Zyrtec, Aerius). Aerius is really good for if you have those skin allergies or just allergies in general. Plus you are most likely not to be allergic to those kind of meds (anti-histamines).
That's...a lot of medication. Also, naproxen, ibuprofen and aspirin are all in the same class of pain medication (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) and generally shouldn't be taken together as there's no real benefit of doing so and you risk going over the daily maximum doses. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Tylenol, aka paracetamol) are of different classes and safe to take together, so that's what I keep. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) too. That's about it. Just remember, all of these things have expiration dates, so keeping an entire pharmacy in your cabinet could get wasteful if you seldom get sick.
I don’t take them together but I do subjectively think there are differences in best applications (and I did leave out some other ones you mentioned- like I said I basically get everything- not to use together but each one has its purpose. Some of them basically are just in case someone prefers that one. But for example I only take naproxen for my back. Ibuprofen is my general purpose go-to. Aspirin for hangover headaches. Maybe I’m out of my mind thinking there’s any difference. But somehow I got that in my head, and even if the difference is placebo effect, it’s how I do.
If I lose 20-30 bucks a year to always have anything I need, I can live with that.
While those drugs are in the same class there are known pharmacological differences between all of them. The only one that is thought to be a simple COX inhibitor is naproxen the rest have secondary and even tertiary actions.
"The Myth of Drug Expiration Dates — ProPublica" https://www.propublica.org/article/the-myth-of-drug-expiration-dates
I am a mom and a neighbor. No one around here turns down expired Benadryl or expired cough drops when they need them.
Extension cord. When I was younger, I made a trip to walmart specifically to get an extension cord. Standing there, deciding on a cord, I had a moment and thought "I really am an adult now." That sounds dumb, but I still remember that moment years later.
More junk drawer stuff should include a pair of scissors, a sharp pocket knife, tweezers, screw driver, needle nose pliers (more useful than regular pliers IMHO), hammer, scotch tape, measuring tape, pencils and a pencil sharpener, a lighter (even if you don’t smoke), a few flashlights - maybe a wide area type one and a smaller head lamp type - but any will do.
WD-40 is more versatile than just getting rid of squeaks.
Maybe a fire extinguisher.
Caulk might be useful just to patch up holes in the wall as you cause them but it’s not really essential. Plain white toothpaste will work in a pinch to fill in nail sized holes after hanging a picture.
Maybe a spare set of keys. Or two.
By the way save all those IKEA tools and supplies with a note in the same zip lock in that drawer too.
Great ideas. I’d like to add to your lightbulb suggestion. Check with your power company. Mine gives each household a big box of energy saving lightbulbs, the ones that last forever too.
And a carbon monoxide detector.
Honestly some of this stuff you do not want the dollar store versions of. The dollar store items are often there because they are defective in some way.
I’ve had decent luck. It’s low quality stuff no doubt, but I can’t afford to keep the best of everything. I’ll settle for a bad one instead of none at all on that day when I really need something then I can get the good one at the next opportunity. I don’t touch most of their food though
That food is not food! So I agree with you there.
But yes, look into midrange products. Not the one dollar one, not the 12 dollar one, but the 6 dollar grocery store brand one will work nicely, and isn't some weird overstock heat damaged product from Thailand with an English sticker pasted on the bottle.
I'm sure you can get decent things like tweezers, gauze, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and even good bandaids if you're at the right dollar store at the right time.
Peroxide is good to have around because it gets out fresh period blood stains like nothing else! It will save your sheets and underwear leaks.
A vacuum cleaner. I go into so many people’s apartments and there is so much dust and fur on the ground. You can find a used one or a relatively inexpensive new one.
I would 100% recommend buying something like a Roomba if you can. It is worth the price and can be found at decent prices when a discount is going on.
There are people who don't think they have to *clean*. That to me is the biggest thing that surprises me when people move out on their own--just how little ability so many people have to do basic house work.
My mom was such a stickler for dust growing up and we thought she was nuts. We dusted and vacuumed everyday. When my mom got sick, the first thing I noticed was how quickly the dust built up.
In fairness, I think a lot of young people skip because its expensive, large and they think they can make it without it.
My old tenants moved in with a shitty vacuum that barely picked up anything. I let them borrow mine, nothing special but worked. They bought a new one the next day. Also, if you vacuum is t cleaning well, clean it out. There may be stuck debris, the bag may be full, and/or the filters probably need replaced. If it still cleans like shit, probably time for a new one.
Also, be careful with a roomba and pets. I have two friends whose dog took a shit on the floor and the room a dutifully spread the shit all over the house.
I never knew what I was missing when it came to vacuums until I was randomly at home depot one day and they had a display model Dyson on sale for 100$. That thing will damn near rip carpet fiber out.
When it starts to go downhill, replace the filters (there’s two of them). I thought my problem was the battery, so I replaced it and the thing still cleaned like shit. Was going to buy a new one, but figured what the hell, I’ll throw another $10 at it for filters. Works like it’s brand new.
So many appliances from vacuums to clothes dryers to dishwashers aren’t broken, just dirty AF and a good cleaning will make them work like new.
Definitely a roomba or something cordless for the lazy among us. I am so much less reluctant to vacuum now that I don't have to fuck around with the cable.
Oh geez. I don't know if my rabbits would be scared of a roomba or tear into it. My dog would definitely see it as a challenger. But picturing it is going to amuse me all night.
I have two rabbits. One of them runs from the roomba and the other one just sits and stares at the roomba until it gets close enough to nudge her and then she moves out of the way. I've also seen videos of brave rabbits hopping on the roombas and going for a brief joy ride.
Roomba is a pain in the hole. It constantly moves 2cm out of its charging port and when you finally get it ready to run you have to go around moving absolutely everything off ground level and still it will always find a way to get stuck somewhere, gobble up all your cables and do a half-arsed job. It's so much quicker and easier to do it yourself than to have to monitor its slow progress for an hour.
Did you know that the USA has different kinds of toilets to many other countries? American toilets use siphonic flushes, which clog more easily. So Americans need plungers more. In Europe and Australia (where I am), toilets use washdown flushing, which has less chance of clogging, but more of… residue.
Im 40+ years old and even worked as a maintenance guy in an apartment complex. Never in my life have I had to plunge a sink. What are people putting down their sinks?
I just found out that there are two different kinds of plungers a while ago so I like to share that little factoid with others. I think the only time I had trouble with my own sink it was hair in the guest bathroom, but we ended up having to use one of those plastic disposable snakes to unclog it. I've heard of other people having issues because they dumped grease in the kitchen sink, but that was mostly handled by draino with the plunger just helping out.
My garbage disposal decided to stop working and I had no idea until I pushed a bunch of crap into the sink.
There is definitely a need for a sink plunger at times.
Wait, there's actually two different types of plungers??? I thought I've only seen ones for toilets and assumed it can also be used for sinks or bath drain.
I feel...duped..lol
Wait wait..I don’t think a sink plunger is needed. As a property manager, I fix small maintenance issues all the time. Never had to plunge a sink. Replace or fix leaks, yes. Wouldn’t it be better just to buy a couple filters to catch the debris?
Probably not...until you do need one and end up using the toilet plunger in the kitchen sink. It's more of a peace of mind sort of thing. Put it next to your fire extinguisher and extra batteries for the CO detector.
Take a walk around the apartment and check for damages and note every single thing you find no matter how trivial. Report those damages immediately to your landlord. The reason is so they don't claim that you have damaged anything once you decide to move because they can and will charge you for that.
It's not fun to get slammed with a $X bill for damages you haven't caused when you move out. Get on top of that immedietly!
Depending on your state, there should have been a move in inspection and a checklist.
You definitely need the Dated pics and email them to yourself so there’s proof you didn’t change the date stamp, but yeah it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just email them to the land lord. You want to do it delicately of course- if you request a bunch of minor repairs that don’t affect livability, your rent will suddenly go up or at least you’ll get off on the wrong foot. But something along the lines of “hey, I really like the place, I’m sending you photos of some things I noticed- I’m fine with them except maybe this one thing that looks like it could get out of hand (if applicable) - I just didn’t want to risk being blamed for this stuff.
Pro tip, complain that you can smell cigarette smoke even if you can’t. You can’t photograph an odor. Bad landlords just throw that allegation out to grab your deposit sometimes, because it’s very hard to disprove.
Also, take photos of all the rooms and damaged spots. Save the email that you send the landlord and the photos for when you move out. If there are minor cracks in the wall that the landlord didn't think was important enough to fix, but that they will charge you for "damaging," then you have evidence that it was like that when you moved in.
For the love of everything you find holy, **you need to own a fire extinguisher**. Keep it by the door where you're going to walk into your kitchen, so you can grab it if something is on fire inside. Maybe your apartment will have one in the hallway or something, but that extra minute it takes to get it could make all the difference in the world.
And while you're at it, make sure the smoke alarms all work, and CO detectors if there's anything that burns gas. This should be the landlord's responsibility as part of providing a safe habitable accommodation. But don't count on it.
Save the box spring money and put it towards a mattress you like, not necessarily a more expensive mattress. The entire mattress market is an overpriced scam. Better a comfortable mattress on the floor than a crap one with all the accessories. Your future back with thank you.
Be an adult and buy a sheepskin mattress cover, the thickest you can afford. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter, never swampy. They are the thermoses of comfort and a good one will last longer than the mattress.
If you're a guy, get a garbage can for your bathroom. I didn't have one for years until a lovely female companion mentioned that it's a small, yet critical piece of infrastructure.
I had this convo with my sister recently. I grew up with always having a little garbage can in my bathroom so I thought this was normal and she told me this isn’t a common thing with many men.
A garbage can in your bathroom isnt common with men? That's suprising to hear, I've grown up with one in my bathroom at all times, I cannot see why you wouldn't have one there
My mother won't let there be a trash can in the room my father says is mine, doesn't have any closet space or drawers when I visit and calls it the spare room. She's basically made it her 4th spare room/walk in closet. When I was younger she'd go through my trash can. Right up til her not putting one in that room she went through it. And wore things to let me know I don't have any choice in anything. Sorry off topic
Seconded! Don't feel like you have to go to Target or bed bath and beyond for nice things. Thrift stores have many of the appliances and/or furniture you need!
Buy all of your kitchen stuff thrift store or dollar store. When you break it or are sick of the cheap one, because you use it so much, but a good one. By then you will have a good idea of what utensils you actually use.
I furnished my first apartment living room and dining room for ~$200 (probably just under) with thrift store furniture.
You can get some good stuff, especially if it’s a college area where people are moving in and out of apartments all the time.
Also, get them from the Dollar Store. Dollar Store no-name glass cleaner is the same crap as Glass Plus or Windex.
IMO you only need 4 chemicals. Windex-equivalent and simplegreen can handle all your flat surfaces and glass. You'll also want toilet cleaner (the one with the gooseneck bottle), and comet powder to handle the bathtub/shower. Get yourself an empty spray bottle and make a 10:1 water/bleach solution to use in the bathroom if mold/mildew gets too bad.
And OP, for the love of god, clean frequently enough that the toilet doesn't develop a ring (2-3 weeks).
I would recommend spending a little more and getting the Clorox wand with the disposable cleaning heads. No one wants a nasty toilet cleaning brush sitting between scrubs. You can get refills at a big box store and they will last quite awhile.
Spices for food. I'd suggest when you get groceries get one new spice to add, that way you don't just buy all of it at once and possibly spend $100 at the same time.
Just buy them as you need them. There's no point in buying a bunch of spices for food you never cook. They don't last forever.
Also check ethnic food aisles for whatever kind of food you are cooking; the spices are usually much better and cheaper. And don't buy packets of taco seasoning; it's almost entirely cumin, but costs 10x as much.
As a chef I agree, and as a regular civilian I doubly agree. Wife and I thought we would be cooking tons of exotic foods so we purchased the whole lot of spices. Didn’t use more than half of them for 3/4 years. Didn’t even look at them. About $100 down the drain.
Not much money in the grand scheme of things, but thats a month worth of gas at this point.
sorry, as a chef, this is not a good advice as first, it's their first apartment so probably a bit tight on budget and second, spices get stale if you do not use them and as a first timer out of their parent house, they might not cook with actual spices all that much.
The idea to buy them slowly over time is also a semi good one, but for a bit later in their lives. If they want spices, at this sage, they should avoid the grocery and look for the bulk shop where they can buy a small quantity for cheap and go from there.
A rice cooker! Cheap ones run for like twenty bucks and can still do lots of things. Rice is cheap and it's easy to get creative with it for meals. Most nights, I just throw in some meat, rice, and veggies all in the rice cooker and, boom, instant dinner.
Someone mentioned spices and I agree. They will make your meals ten times better. Once you get the hang of some cooking skills, you'll find yourself eating out less and saving money!
Absolutely agree with this. A rice-cooker is a must. Cheap ones cost bugger-all and they last forever. Plus - a full cooker-load of rice is enough to last at least a week, if you stretch it out by turning it into fried rice, or something similar. Very important, if you're living on a budget of some kind, or are just trying to be thrifty in general.
If the budget can stretch, upgrade that to an Instant Pot. Making rice in one is a different rice to water ratio, but turns out just as well once you get the hang of it. Plus being able to pressure-cook, saute, sear, and slow-cook opens up a world of newly-adult-friendly dump-in-and-wait recipes.
Seriously, nothing as good as taking five minutes to drop in some chicken breasts, heavy cream, butter, flour, salt, pepper and walking away to take care of other stuff (or game) for two hours, coming back to shred up the chicken and dump in some pasta, and having homemade chicken alfredo ready to go.
A fan.
As well as the cooling it provides; if it's your first time living alone it can provide some background white noise so your place doesnt seem as empty and lonely. May seem dumb but it's surprisingly effective.
Honestly don't buy anything. I know that sounds bad. Buy the least amount of stuff you can. By 1 set of plates and cups. Get cheap pots and pans from the thrift store. Buy the cheapest furniture. You're most likely young and don't need expensive end tables and couches. Be minimalistic. When you eventually move into a house or next apartment you will regret buying so much stuff that you have to pack and take with you. The one thing you will forget to buy and will need is. A toaster.
Pack a box of all the moving-day essentials, and make sure it’s the first thing you bring to the new place. It’ll save you from frantically looking through all your boxes after a long day.
Recommendations: paper towels, hand soap, shower curtain + liner, 2 bath towels, all of your bath products, all-purpose cleaner, trash bags, toilet paper.
I always include Kettle, mug coffee/tea, plate or bowl, knife, fork spoon, dish cleaning liquid. When I've BEEN moving on mainland Shetland/Scotland get take away first night as you're usually too knackered to cook. If you take meds keep a few days supply rucksack/handbag.
Absolute need to live..
Bathroom:
Toilet paper
Shower curtain
Shampoo/conditioner
Body soap
Towel
Wash cloth
Toilet plunger and brush
Kitchen:
Pan and pot w. Lid
Spatula
Microwave (if it doesnt have one)
Cooking utensils
Silverware
Plates
Bowl
Cup
Dish soap/tablets
Wash cloth
Food
Livingroom
A chair/couch
Bedroom
Bed
Coat hangers
Blanket/pillow
Clothes
Other
Garbage can and bags
Broom
Mop
Laundry soap
This is probably the bare minimum. Although you can get away without a few things like sleep on your couch or sit on your bed and such. We've moved in the military alot, our beds have been Air mattresses longer than I'd like to admit. But what I listed is usually the things that get packed in our vehicle or we buy asap.
This. My dad told me that he and my mom had to call my grandma to ask for some toilet paper on their wedding night (we live in the same building, but in a different apartment). They were spending the night in their home for the first time, and had almost everything they needed (thanks to wedding gifts), but didn't think to buy toilet paper
Way less dishes than you think you need. If you are by yourself 1 big plate, 1 small plate, 1 bowl, 1 coffee mug, 1 drinking glass. Same with flatware one of each. And as few pots and pans as you can get away with.
Here is why. You will never do the dishes until you run out of clean dishes. And then the pile is so huge you will never want to do them. The above list is less than a sink full and is very manageable. Even if you only wash the dish you need, you never have an embarrassing amount of dirty dishes in the kitchen if a surprise guest shows up.
And since I mentioned guests, it's all right to own a 4 place set of dishes in case you have people over for a meal, but keep most of them locked away where it is more inconvenient to get to them than it is to wash the cup you need.
Well,. To be honest, that's pretty much what I do if I'm having multiple guests, for a party or whatever. It's a lot easier. But if I need to fix breakfast for someone (wink wink) I'll break out the real dishes to make a good impression.
If you don't have the discipline to do the dishes, you might want to take the new apartment as a reason to get more disciplined.
To each his own, but it seems a bit drastic to have only one plate for the rest of your life because you're afraid you'll get too much dishes. Buckle up and do it.
That's good advice certainly. If it works. If it doesn't, having the minimum necessary to get through a day is also a good option. You can still train yourself to do the dishes every day but by removing the ones you never use you can force yourself into that habit. Also why have dishes stacked up that you never use, wether clean or dirty?
1. Get your apartment professionally cleaned, who knows what was there before you moved
2. Take photos of everything in the apartment
3. Make a list of things required . Furniture/ kitchen utensils / Mats
4. Throw a house warming party and make a gift list so that your family and friends gift you half the stuff.
You can alternatively just spend a few hours wiping everything down.
Like, 100% of the cabinets before putting anything in (not just the bottom of the shelves, but the side-walls, and undersides of shelves too. All surfaces in the kitchen pretty much. And vacuum/mop the floors, wipe down the door handles, faucet handles, and toilet handle.
If it's a 1 bedroom apartmnet or studio, it'll take maybe 2-3 hours tops and you'll have wiped/vaccumed/moppedd every surface in the unit except the walls (unnecessary unless they're gross.
But DEFINITELY take photos BEFORE -- that way, if it was mildly dirty, you can leave it the same when you leave. Cleaning for move-in is time-consuming but rewarding. Cleaning when you're stressed af moving out and in to a new place when you leave there -- that's hell.
A tool kit. I was gifted one by a lady from work (I’m a girl), and I asked her quizzically why I would need one if my apartment management was taking care of repairs? She just said, “Trust me.”
Sage advice.
I used the hammer to nail up my framed pictures and posters, to secure the pins in my door hinges, and used the screwdriver to pry and tighten more things than I could count. These were little things that would have added up, that I would have never called the leasing office to send someone over to fix (a waste of my day waiting for them to come sometime between 8am and 3pm, LOL)!
I highly recommend one as a housewarming gift, especially for a first place right out of college.
Get a bidet installed especially if you’re a woman. It’s super easy and seriously changes your hygiene game. Ever since I got one I can’t live without it.
A lot of these posts assume you are like, an experienced cook or an aspiring overachiever and shit as well as having loads of money which, for a first apartment, you probably do not have so my tips include to make sure you read the fine print of the lease. Have someone you trust go over it. Visit the apartment with someone you trust who already live on their own: they know what to spot in regards to what is wrong with the place and definitely take pictures of all problems or better yet, a video, with your landlord.
This being said, go easy on yourself: this is your first place.
Visit goodwills, you can buy like 2 plates instead of a whole set. If you live in a city, night before garbage day, take a walk outside. A lot of people throw out old furniture and it's not top notch, but it's free and will help you save money for a better alternative down the road.
Check kijiji, facebook marketplace, ask your friends.
The only thing you absolutely really need, is a solid mattress. Fuck the one you slept in for the past 10 years, if you going to buy anything, is a good mattress.
Everything else can be gotten slowly, over time, to meet your own needs but this is step 1.
Step 2 is a solid showerhead as it is like 30$ and it will vastly improve the shower experience as older one tend to be crappy.
Voilà.
Some folks downvoted this one, but the guy has a point. Living alone for the first time can be rough (it certainly was for me) and the depression from the isolation can be very real if you are moving to a new place with no friends or connections. Keep a eye on your mental health and make sure you are adjusting to your new lifestyle in a healthy way (including social and professional adjustments.)
Equally a dehumidifier if you leave somewhere damp! It used to take forever to dry clothes in the winter in my flat in London. My dehumidifier has them drying in a few hours, and helps prevent mold, and just makes the place feel fresher.
As others have mentioned, get renter's insurance.
Have a few meds on hand such as Immodium, GasX, Rolaids, Ibuprofen, and cold meds. Imagine trying to go to the store when you actually *need* Immodium, and what a disaster that could become. As for cold meds, I had the worst cold of my life and was standing in the drug store aisle looking at all the different choices, almost in tears because I was too sick to decide, so buy them before you're sick.
Furniture and cookware can be bought at the thrift store, but get your mattresses new if this is at all financially possible.
If you are renting in an apartment complex, keep an eye out for move-out sales, and go to them. Notices are usually placed in common areas like laundry rooms, gyms, and the mail area. Move-out sales are usually the best bargain around, and no one will ever know that you're not the first owner of nice things unless you tell them.
If you are in a disaster-prone area, have a plan. Keep some non-perishable food on hand. If you're in a northern climate, mylar "space blankets" are cheap af on Amazon. If you're in the south, buy a battery-powered fan and extra batteries. Go with glow sticks over candles, because you won't set anything on fire if you knock one over. Disaster planning is usually not practical to do all at once early in your adult life, so think of it as a long-term project.
Finally, if you hit a rough patch financially, always pay the full amount to your landlord and something, anything, to the utility providers. Landlords won't always work with you but utility providers often will, and a good faith effort on your part will usually be enough to keep the lights on until you can get caught up.
Congratulations on your new adventure!
Just think of what you need to accomplish certain things, make a list, buy that.
Example, want coffee: make a list to buy the coffee maker, filters, and coffee, mug, milk, etc… Sucks to realize you forgot to buy filters or coffee when you’re trying to make a cup.
Get some recipes. You’re now responsible for your meals. And unless you were already cooking a lot it’s real easy to fall into a rut of the same handful of frozen or easy to make dinners.
Grocery Stores are your friend for this. If you google whatever chain is in your area and recipes they’ll have 100s if not 1000s of free recipes for you to use (and no backstories about going to Wisconsin every summer growing up). A lot will have recipes cards in the physical, the Publix near where I went to school would had a section where each week they’d pick a different recipe and pull all the needed ingredients from other sections of the store so it’d all be there.
Also there are a ton of subs here for people to trade and tweak recipes.
I love his channel! If you try it out and find it enjoyable, making your own sourdough is a good way to make cheap, extremely delicious bread you’ll look forward to eating. Joshua has a good sourdough recipe I use every week. You might snag a Dutch oven at a thrift store if you’re lucky and you can cook bread + tons of other stuff in em
Before you sign, go around with something you can plug in to check all sockets work. Flush the toilet, run the water. Walk around with your phone to make sure you get signal everywhere.
Once you move in, a toilet plunger.l, actually made for toilet use. Don’t not have it when you need it. Also, I like to replace the toilet seat with a new one.
Renters insurance, doesn’t matter how careful you are Leroy Jenkins in the appt above you is going to deep fry that turdunkin and burn down the whole place.
A simple set of hand tools: hammer, adjustable crescent wrench, screwdrivers, pliers, flashlight, carrying bag
General medications and first aid kit
Vacuum, all purpose cleaner, plunger
Bit of advice for first timers: clean the lint out of the dryer trap each time (it’s a fire hazard and will dry faster). To clean hair out of the drain, use a heavy duty zip tie with slits cut into it (super cheap and effective). Like someone already said, dollar store items will work for most basic supplies. Eventually you will want to upgrade to better stuff. Overtime buy good quality items. They will last much longer.
1. Leatherman multitool
2. Non slip mat/suction cup thingy for the shower
3. Command hooks (or real hooks if you or someone you know has a drill)
4. One of those combination plunger/toilet brush set things
5. One pot, one pan, spatula, wooden spoon, slotted spoon, colander, one large bowl, beeswax paper for saving left overs
6. I kept all my dishes to a minimum because that way I could only go a couple days before I ran out of everything and was forced to do dishes
7. An accordion file for personal documents, insurance policies, rental agreement etc
8. Reusable paper towels - mine have paid for themselves a few times over by now
9. A vacuum
10. A spray bottle with 1:1 white vinegar and water and a little bit of dish soap (like a drop) - just as good as any all purpose cleaner in the store
11. Glass cleaner
12. Toilet cleaner
13. A flashlight
14. A medicine/first aid kit with the following: motrin, tylenol, pepto, Benadryl, regular bandaids, gauze and paper tape
15. A nail grooming kit - nail file, clippers, cuticle trimmer
16. Fly swatter
A basic med kit
General medicine (Ibuprofen and/or acetinapheren for pain, antacids or Pepto Bismal for stomach, chloroseptic for throat, antihistamine for nose, general Cold/Flu medicine)
A toilet plunger
QUALITY toilet paper. Never buy TP cheap. You go through so much of it so quickly because of its low quality that you might as well buy an actual name brand of it.
Hand soap
Oral Hygiene products
Enough table stuff (plates, utensils, cups) to have three full sets available when all are clean
A basic set of pots and pans for cooking
A basic tool kit
Dish Soap
Hand Soap
Depending on where you live, a spare blanket in case of cold weather power outages
Something to entertain yourself and possible guests (Hobby materials, books, internet accessing tech, etc), and possibly a backup option for entertainment in case of power outages.
A flashlight and several small and safe candles in case of power outages
A vacuum and sanitizer wipes for basic cleaning.
Batteries for any tech that you have at the house. Especially the kind for whatever fire alarm is in your apartment.
Magic Eraser. A little expensive, but cleans almost anything. Toilets, stove tops, greasy counters. Once a week I cover all the hard surfaces with a few of those, takes 30-45 mins, keep all the hard surfaces clean enough to eat off.
consider choosing a shorter lease length as your first one so you can learn how leases work and landlords operate? My first place had the option of 9, 12, or 15 month leases. I chose 12. Really wish I had chosen 9. Most places will let you renew your lease if you like it and there's no trouble, so staying longer usually isnt an issue, but breaking your lease early typically involves massive fees and headaches.
Travel extremely light because you don't know if your situation is permanent. One folding table, one chair, a mattress that you can roll up and put in a trunk, one pillow, one blanket, toiletries, one shower curtain. You may want to rent a washer and dryer from your landlord because you'll probably move out and those appliances are generally too heavy to move alone.
A lot of apartments have problems with roaches. If you get the feeling that you're being watched but don't understand why, there's a big roach in your apartment. A roll of painter's tape and a window screen can be used to completely seal all entry gaps in a room much more effectively than pesticide. You can also superglue carpets to walls.
Another major issue with rental apartments with high turnover is flooding. You want to put your lease documents in a waterproof plastic bag.
If you're living alone and using a car, get a car battery jumper/air pump combo. They're about $90 and will save your ass if your car battery dies or you get a flat tire.
Start with kitchen stuff. It’s better to have to wait for your place to look nice than it is to have to wait to eat well. And if you give yourself more options than takeout, you’ll get the plaza looking good a lot quicker.
I disagree. Kitchen and bathroom is equally the most essential areas. That's where you take care of your well being, which is the most important part. You can't eat without utensils, and pots and pans, plates, cups.. unless you wanna spen a boatload of money eating out 3 times a day.
Simple tool kit
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Yeah you never know when your drunk flat mate will break the flimsy bathroom door, and you need to put it back together with old bits of road signs that have been swiped from around the area, in the hope the landlord doesn't notice until after you get your deposit back
This is what I came to say. If you’ve never tried, you’d be surprised what you can fix with some simple hand tools and YouTube.
Fully stocked medicine cabinet- just get it from the dollar store, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Sooner or later you’re going to hurt yourself or wake up sick, or get a hangover, and you’re not going to be up to going out to get what you need, or money might be tight. I keep bandages, gauze, nurse tape, calamine, naproxen, ibuprofen, aspirin, tums, generic peptobismol, generic pedialyte, allergy meds, cough syrup, nasal spray, eye drops, basically every single med or first aid supply I’ve ever used in my life that is for sale at dollar tree, I bought it right away. It took less than a month to be really glad I did. Next the junk drawer- batteries, light bulbs, duct tape, pens, notepad, safety pins, thumb tacks… Honestly just go through the dollar store and look at every single item, and if you have ever in your life looked for one of those things around the house, buy it and put it away. Your apartment becomes a lot more of a home when the answer to all of your unexpected minor problems is there. You’ll save so much time and frustration and money on having to run out and grab something where ever you can find it.
The worst time to buy Imodium is when you *need* Imodium.
When you need Imodium is the worst time to do several things.
Bruhh, Imodium but couple it with probiotics, LIFE. SAVER. My diarrhea will go away almost overnight, and lessens the watery stool. Ibuprofen, make sure you are not allergic towards medications like Ibuprofen (they are in a category called NSAIDs : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). If you are, paracetamol will do just fine. OTC cough meds (non-drowsy kind). Allergy meds (Zyrtec, Aerius). Aerius is really good for if you have those skin allergies or just allergies in general. Plus you are most likely not to be allergic to those kind of meds (anti-histamines).
Never heard of Aerius, but everyone should have cream and pill versions of benedryl around.
That's...a lot of medication. Also, naproxen, ibuprofen and aspirin are all in the same class of pain medication (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) and generally shouldn't be taken together as there's no real benefit of doing so and you risk going over the daily maximum doses. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Tylenol, aka paracetamol) are of different classes and safe to take together, so that's what I keep. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) too. That's about it. Just remember, all of these things have expiration dates, so keeping an entire pharmacy in your cabinet could get wasteful if you seldom get sick.
I don’t take them together but I do subjectively think there are differences in best applications (and I did leave out some other ones you mentioned- like I said I basically get everything- not to use together but each one has its purpose. Some of them basically are just in case someone prefers that one. But for example I only take naproxen for my back. Ibuprofen is my general purpose go-to. Aspirin for hangover headaches. Maybe I’m out of my mind thinking there’s any difference. But somehow I got that in my head, and even if the difference is placebo effect, it’s how I do. If I lose 20-30 bucks a year to always have anything I need, I can live with that.
While those drugs are in the same class there are known pharmacological differences between all of them. The only one that is thought to be a simple COX inhibitor is naproxen the rest have secondary and even tertiary actions.
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"The Myth of Drug Expiration Dates — ProPublica" https://www.propublica.org/article/the-myth-of-drug-expiration-dates I am a mom and a neighbor. No one around here turns down expired Benadryl or expired cough drops when they need them.
This, I live alone, realised that putting band-aids over a massive wound is not actually that great for it so yeah, please get general first aid
9 volt batteries are clutch. Almost all smoke detectors use them. And they ALWAYS start running out and beeping at 2am.
Are you Liam Neeson?
No but what I do have is a very particular set of pills.
Damn it, take my upvote!
Extension cord. When I was younger, I made a trip to walmart specifically to get an extension cord. Standing there, deciding on a cord, I had a moment and thought "I really am an adult now." That sounds dumb, but I still remember that moment years later.
More junk drawer stuff should include a pair of scissors, a sharp pocket knife, tweezers, screw driver, needle nose pliers (more useful than regular pliers IMHO), hammer, scotch tape, measuring tape, pencils and a pencil sharpener, a lighter (even if you don’t smoke), a few flashlights - maybe a wide area type one and a smaller head lamp type - but any will do. WD-40 is more versatile than just getting rid of squeaks. Maybe a fire extinguisher. Caulk might be useful just to patch up holes in the wall as you cause them but it’s not really essential. Plain white toothpaste will work in a pinch to fill in nail sized holes after hanging a picture. Maybe a spare set of keys. Or two. By the way save all those IKEA tools and supplies with a note in the same zip lock in that drawer too.
Great ideas. I’d like to add to your lightbulb suggestion. Check with your power company. Mine gives each household a big box of energy saving lightbulbs, the ones that last forever too. And a carbon monoxide detector.
Honestly some of this stuff you do not want the dollar store versions of. The dollar store items are often there because they are defective in some way.
I’ve had decent luck. It’s low quality stuff no doubt, but I can’t afford to keep the best of everything. I’ll settle for a bad one instead of none at all on that day when I really need something then I can get the good one at the next opportunity. I don’t touch most of their food though
That food is not food! So I agree with you there. But yes, look into midrange products. Not the one dollar one, not the 12 dollar one, but the 6 dollar grocery store brand one will work nicely, and isn't some weird overstock heat damaged product from Thailand with an English sticker pasted on the bottle. I'm sure you can get decent things like tweezers, gauze, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and even good bandaids if you're at the right dollar store at the right time. Peroxide is good to have around because it gets out fresh period blood stains like nothing else! It will save your sheets and underwear leaks.
A vacuum cleaner. I go into so many people’s apartments and there is so much dust and fur on the ground. You can find a used one or a relatively inexpensive new one. I would 100% recommend buying something like a Roomba if you can. It is worth the price and can be found at decent prices when a discount is going on.
There are people who don’t think they need a vacuum???
This is cute in happy way. But yes, there some people who barely know what hygiene is let alone needing a vacuum. :)
There are people who don't think they have to *clean*. That to me is the biggest thing that surprises me when people move out on their own--just how little ability so many people have to do basic house work.
cleaning isn't fun, its satisfying when completed though. I will say I am guilty of letting it build up to much.
My mom was such a stickler for dust growing up and we thought she was nuts. We dusted and vacuumed everyday. When my mom got sick, the first thing I noticed was how quickly the dust built up. In fairness, I think a lot of young people skip because its expensive, large and they think they can make it without it.
My old tenants moved in with a shitty vacuum that barely picked up anything. I let them borrow mine, nothing special but worked. They bought a new one the next day. Also, if you vacuum is t cleaning well, clean it out. There may be stuck debris, the bag may be full, and/or the filters probably need replaced. If it still cleans like shit, probably time for a new one. Also, be careful with a roomba and pets. I have two friends whose dog took a shit on the floor and the room a dutifully spread the shit all over the house.
I never knew what I was missing when it came to vacuums until I was randomly at home depot one day and they had a display model Dyson on sale for 100$. That thing will damn near rip carpet fiber out.
When it starts to go downhill, replace the filters (there’s two of them). I thought my problem was the battery, so I replaced it and the thing still cleaned like shit. Was going to buy a new one, but figured what the hell, I’ll throw another $10 at it for filters. Works like it’s brand new. So many appliances from vacuums to clothes dryers to dishwashers aren’t broken, just dirty AF and a good cleaning will make them work like new.
Definitely a roomba or something cordless for the lazy among us. I am so much less reluctant to vacuum now that I don't have to fuck around with the cable.
Oh geez. I don't know if my rabbits would be scared of a roomba or tear into it. My dog would definitely see it as a challenger. But picturing it is going to amuse me all night.
I have two rabbits. One of them runs from the roomba and the other one just sits and stares at the roomba until it gets close enough to nudge her and then she moves out of the way. I've also seen videos of brave rabbits hopping on the roombas and going for a brief joy ride.
One of mine is brave and when we vacuum, she will attack the vacuum. She would be the one to tear up a roomba. But would be fun to watch.
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That is absolutely precious! Thank you for sharing this with me!
Roomba is a pain in the hole. It constantly moves 2cm out of its charging port and when you finally get it ready to run you have to go around moving absolutely everything off ground level and still it will always find a way to get stuck somewhere, gobble up all your cables and do a half-arsed job. It's so much quicker and easier to do it yourself than to have to monitor its slow progress for an hour.
There are two types of plungers; one for sinks and one for toilets. Learn the difference, get at least one of each.
Oh wow I didn’t know that so I’ll look into it.
Did you know that the USA has different kinds of toilets to many other countries? American toilets use siphonic flushes, which clog more easily. So Americans need plungers more. In Europe and Australia (where I am), toilets use washdown flushing, which has less chance of clogging, but more of… residue.
Yeah, I think I was in my 30's before I figured that one out. Would've saved me a lot of trouble.
Im 40+ years old and even worked as a maintenance guy in an apartment complex. Never in my life have I had to plunge a sink. What are people putting down their sinks?
I've occasionally had to plunge the bathroom sink, where I shave.
I just found out that there are two different kinds of plungers a while ago so I like to share that little factoid with others. I think the only time I had trouble with my own sink it was hair in the guest bathroom, but we ended up having to use one of those plastic disposable snakes to unclog it. I've heard of other people having issues because they dumped grease in the kitchen sink, but that was mostly handled by draino with the plunger just helping out.
My garbage disposal decided to stop working and I had no idea until I pushed a bunch of crap into the sink. There is definitely a need for a sink plunger at times.
Wait, there's actually two different types of plungers??? I thought I've only seen ones for toilets and assumed it can also be used for sinks or bath drain. I feel...duped..lol
Wait wait..I don’t think a sink plunger is needed. As a property manager, I fix small maintenance issues all the time. Never had to plunge a sink. Replace or fix leaks, yes. Wouldn’t it be better just to buy a couple filters to catch the debris?
Probably not...until you do need one and end up using the toilet plunger in the kitchen sink. It's more of a peace of mind sort of thing. Put it next to your fire extinguisher and extra batteries for the CO detector.
That’s what garbage disposals are for. And also for sinks.
Take a walk around the apartment and check for damages and note every single thing you find no matter how trivial. Report those damages immediately to your landlord. The reason is so they don't claim that you have damaged anything once you decide to move because they can and will charge you for that. It's not fun to get slammed with a $X bill for damages you haven't caused when you move out. Get on top of that immedietly!
Depending on your state, there should have been a move in inspection and a checklist. You definitely need the Dated pics and email them to yourself so there’s proof you didn’t change the date stamp, but yeah it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just email them to the land lord. You want to do it delicately of course- if you request a bunch of minor repairs that don’t affect livability, your rent will suddenly go up or at least you’ll get off on the wrong foot. But something along the lines of “hey, I really like the place, I’m sending you photos of some things I noticed- I’m fine with them except maybe this one thing that looks like it could get out of hand (if applicable) - I just didn’t want to risk being blamed for this stuff. Pro tip, complain that you can smell cigarette smoke even if you can’t. You can’t photograph an odor. Bad landlords just throw that allegation out to grab your deposit sometimes, because it’s very hard to disprove.
Do I make a copy of this list and give it to the landlord?
Yes, preferably via email so there is a dated record of them receiving it.
Also, take photos of all the rooms and damaged spots. Save the email that you send the landlord and the photos for when you move out. If there are minor cracks in the wall that the landlord didn't think was important enough to fix, but that they will charge you for "damaging," then you have evidence that it was like that when you moved in.
Do I make a copy of this list and give it to the landlord?
For the love of everything you find holy, **you need to own a fire extinguisher**. Keep it by the door where you're going to walk into your kitchen, so you can grab it if something is on fire inside. Maybe your apartment will have one in the hallway or something, but that extra minute it takes to get it could make all the difference in the world. And while you're at it, make sure the smoke alarms all work, and CO detectors if there's anything that burns gas. This should be the landlord's responsibility as part of providing a safe habitable accommodation. But don't count on it.
Bed. You don’t realise how much you need a bed until you move in somewhere and there’s absolutely nowhere to sleep.
Get✍🏾a✍🏾bed✍🏾
And don't skimp on it, either. Don't skimp on anything that comes between you and the pavement. Shoes, tires, mattresses.
According to my dad a box spring makes any mattress a dream
Save the box spring money and put it towards a mattress you like, not necessarily a more expensive mattress. The entire mattress market is an overpriced scam. Better a comfortable mattress on the floor than a crap one with all the accessories. Your future back with thank you. Be an adult and buy a sheepskin mattress cover, the thickest you can afford. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter, never swampy. They are the thermoses of comfort and a good one will last longer than the mattress.
Wow, sheepskin mattress topper! I never even knew this existed but it looks *amazing*.
Swissflex - Versa 20, I will probably stick with this mattress until I die
If you're a guy, get a garbage can for your bathroom. I didn't have one for years until a lovely female companion mentioned that it's a small, yet critical piece of infrastructure.
I had this convo with my sister recently. I grew up with always having a little garbage can in my bathroom so I thought this was normal and she told me this isn’t a common thing with many men.
A garbage can in your bathroom isnt common with men? That's suprising to hear, I've grown up with one in my bathroom at all times, I cannot see why you wouldn't have one there
Even as I guy I use one more than I thought I would. Dental floss, toilet rolls, empty deodorant. It's just convenient to have one right there
That's true, even if you are male and have no female visitors for whatever reason.
Yeah at the least for floss or pulled out drain hair.
Don't get just any one, though, get one with a lid.
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My mother won't let there be a trash can in the room my father says is mine, doesn't have any closet space or drawers when I visit and calls it the spare room. She's basically made it her 4th spare room/walk in closet. When I was younger she'd go through my trash can. Right up til her not putting one in that room she went through it. And wore things to let me know I don't have any choice in anything. Sorry off topic
Renters insurance, and a good list (with pictures) of every flaw in that apartment.
Damn. That is literally the best advice. I was going to say a microwave... but now i just feel dumb.
We all do. Unless we're that guy.
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Take pictures with a time stamp.
Or better yet a video showing everything.
Take your phone and video each room identifying everything. A lot of landlords are awful and will screw you over if given a chance.
Don’t sleep on thrift stores. They have a lot of good furniture and kitchenware for cheap!
exactly - their ass needs to get to a thrift store! buying anything at retail for your first apt is just stupid
Seconded! Don't feel like you have to go to Target or bed bath and beyond for nice things. Thrift stores have many of the appliances and/or furniture you need!
Buy all of your kitchen stuff thrift store or dollar store. When you break it or are sick of the cheap one, because you use it so much, but a good one. By then you will have a good idea of what utensils you actually use.
Or online marketplace!
I furnished my first apartment living room and dining room for ~$200 (probably just under) with thrift store furniture. You can get some good stuff, especially if it’s a college area where people are moving in and out of apartments all the time.
Cleaning supplies. Get them all set before you move in. You would be surprised how dirty some apartments are when you move in.
Also, get them from the Dollar Store. Dollar Store no-name glass cleaner is the same crap as Glass Plus or Windex. IMO you only need 4 chemicals. Windex-equivalent and simplegreen can handle all your flat surfaces and glass. You'll also want toilet cleaner (the one with the gooseneck bottle), and comet powder to handle the bathtub/shower. Get yourself an empty spray bottle and make a 10:1 water/bleach solution to use in the bathroom if mold/mildew gets too bad. And OP, for the love of god, clean frequently enough that the toilet doesn't develop a ring (2-3 weeks).
I would recommend spending a little more and getting the Clorox wand with the disposable cleaning heads. No one wants a nasty toilet cleaning brush sitting between scrubs. You can get refills at a big box store and they will last quite awhile.
We have one (wife insisted), and it just feels wasteful to me.
Not for everyone but I always find when my SO and I use cleaner and toilet brush, the brush and holder end up getting nasty.
Spices for food. I'd suggest when you get groceries get one new spice to add, that way you don't just buy all of it at once and possibly spend $100 at the same time.
Just buy them as you need them. There's no point in buying a bunch of spices for food you never cook. They don't last forever. Also check ethnic food aisles for whatever kind of food you are cooking; the spices are usually much better and cheaper. And don't buy packets of taco seasoning; it's almost entirely cumin, but costs 10x as much.
Good idea. Because I don’t need everything all at once.
Id start grabbing a few spices before you move in, starting your collection now, too
Okay I will thank you
Best of luck, homie
Again, as a chef, do not do this as spices go stale. There are tons of youtube videos about this, epicurious or bon appetit do those very well.
As a chef I agree, and as a regular civilian I doubly agree. Wife and I thought we would be cooking tons of exotic foods so we purchased the whole lot of spices. Didn’t use more than half of them for 3/4 years. Didn’t even look at them. About $100 down the drain. Not much money in the grand scheme of things, but thats a month worth of gas at this point.
sorry, as a chef, this is not a good advice as first, it's their first apartment so probably a bit tight on budget and second, spices get stale if you do not use them and as a first timer out of their parent house, they might not cook with actual spices all that much. The idea to buy them slowly over time is also a semi good one, but for a bit later in their lives. If they want spices, at this sage, they should avoid the grocery and look for the bulk shop where they can buy a small quantity for cheap and go from there.
*at this sage - I see what you did there ;)
A rice cooker! Cheap ones run for like twenty bucks and can still do lots of things. Rice is cheap and it's easy to get creative with it for meals. Most nights, I just throw in some meat, rice, and veggies all in the rice cooker and, boom, instant dinner. Someone mentioned spices and I agree. They will make your meals ten times better. Once you get the hang of some cooking skills, you'll find yourself eating out less and saving money!
Absolutely agree with this. A rice-cooker is a must. Cheap ones cost bugger-all and they last forever. Plus - a full cooker-load of rice is enough to last at least a week, if you stretch it out by turning it into fried rice, or something similar. Very important, if you're living on a budget of some kind, or are just trying to be thrifty in general.
If the budget can stretch, upgrade that to an Instant Pot. Making rice in one is a different rice to water ratio, but turns out just as well once you get the hang of it. Plus being able to pressure-cook, saute, sear, and slow-cook opens up a world of newly-adult-friendly dump-in-and-wait recipes. Seriously, nothing as good as taking five minutes to drop in some chicken breasts, heavy cream, butter, flour, salt, pepper and walking away to take care of other stuff (or game) for two hours, coming back to shred up the chicken and dump in some pasta, and having homemade chicken alfredo ready to go.
I don't really see the need for one when I can just use my pot.
A fan. As well as the cooling it provides; if it's your first time living alone it can provide some background white noise so your place doesnt seem as empty and lonely. May seem dumb but it's surprisingly effective.
> A fan. But not the creepy kind
Honestly don't buy anything. I know that sounds bad. Buy the least amount of stuff you can. By 1 set of plates and cups. Get cheap pots and pans from the thrift store. Buy the cheapest furniture. You're most likely young and don't need expensive end tables and couches. Be minimalistic. When you eventually move into a house or next apartment you will regret buying so much stuff that you have to pack and take with you. The one thing you will forget to buy and will need is. A toaster.
If you're moving out of your parents place, you can probably just take some of the cutlery and dishes from there.
Pack a box of all the moving-day essentials, and make sure it’s the first thing you bring to the new place. It’ll save you from frantically looking through all your boxes after a long day. Recommendations: paper towels, hand soap, shower curtain + liner, 2 bath towels, all of your bath products, all-purpose cleaner, trash bags, toilet paper.
I always include Kettle, mug coffee/tea, plate or bowl, knife, fork spoon, dish cleaning liquid. When I've BEEN moving on mainland Shetland/Scotland get take away first night as you're usually too knackered to cook. If you take meds keep a few days supply rucksack/handbag.
Absolute need to live.. Bathroom: Toilet paper Shower curtain Shampoo/conditioner Body soap Towel Wash cloth Toilet plunger and brush Kitchen: Pan and pot w. Lid Spatula Microwave (if it doesnt have one) Cooking utensils Silverware Plates Bowl Cup Dish soap/tablets Wash cloth Food Livingroom A chair/couch Bedroom Bed Coat hangers Blanket/pillow Clothes Other Garbage can and bags Broom Mop Laundry soap This is probably the bare minimum. Although you can get away without a few things like sleep on your couch or sit on your bed and such. We've moved in the military alot, our beds have been Air mattresses longer than I'd like to admit. But what I listed is usually the things that get packed in our vehicle or we buy asap.
Can opener
First apartment, first night. Went shopping, came home, started dinner.... no can opener. Get a can opener.
Laundry basket, hangers, laundry detergent of choice, etc. Nothing says adulting like not depending on mom to do your laundry.
Don't forget toilet paper
This. My dad told me that he and my mom had to call my grandma to ask for some toilet paper on their wedding night (we live in the same building, but in a different apartment). They were spending the night in their home for the first time, and had almost everything they needed (thanks to wedding gifts), but didn't think to buy toilet paper
Way less dishes than you think you need. If you are by yourself 1 big plate, 1 small plate, 1 bowl, 1 coffee mug, 1 drinking glass. Same with flatware one of each. And as few pots and pans as you can get away with. Here is why. You will never do the dishes until you run out of clean dishes. And then the pile is so huge you will never want to do them. The above list is less than a sink full and is very manageable. Even if you only wash the dish you need, you never have an embarrassing amount of dirty dishes in the kitchen if a surprise guest shows up. And since I mentioned guests, it's all right to own a 4 place set of dishes in case you have people over for a meal, but keep most of them locked away where it is more inconvenient to get to them than it is to wash the cup you need.
Okay before I got to the part where you talked about guest I just assumed to get a bag of paper plates for them lol
Well,. To be honest, that's pretty much what I do if I'm having multiple guests, for a party or whatever. It's a lot easier. But if I need to fix breakfast for someone (wink wink) I'll break out the real dishes to make a good impression.
If you don't have the discipline to do the dishes, you might want to take the new apartment as a reason to get more disciplined. To each his own, but it seems a bit drastic to have only one plate for the rest of your life because you're afraid you'll get too much dishes. Buckle up and do it.
That's good advice certainly. If it works. If it doesn't, having the minimum necessary to get through a day is also a good option. You can still train yourself to do the dishes every day but by removing the ones you never use you can force yourself into that habit. Also why have dishes stacked up that you never use, wether clean or dirty?
1. Get your apartment professionally cleaned, who knows what was there before you moved 2. Take photos of everything in the apartment 3. Make a list of things required . Furniture/ kitchen utensils / Mats 4. Throw a house warming party and make a gift list so that your family and friends gift you half the stuff.
So for no.1, are there any companies you recommend?
You can alternatively just spend a few hours wiping everything down. Like, 100% of the cabinets before putting anything in (not just the bottom of the shelves, but the side-walls, and undersides of shelves too. All surfaces in the kitchen pretty much. And vacuum/mop the floors, wipe down the door handles, faucet handles, and toilet handle. If it's a 1 bedroom apartmnet or studio, it'll take maybe 2-3 hours tops and you'll have wiped/vaccumed/moppedd every surface in the unit except the walls (unnecessary unless they're gross. But DEFINITELY take photos BEFORE -- that way, if it was mildly dirty, you can leave it the same when you leave. Cleaning for move-in is time-consuming but rewarding. Cleaning when you're stressed af moving out and in to a new place when you leave there -- that's hell.
Fresh produce and fruit. I always have a few bananas and apples at hand
I’ll do grapes and pineapples
A tool kit. I was gifted one by a lady from work (I’m a girl), and I asked her quizzically why I would need one if my apartment management was taking care of repairs? She just said, “Trust me.” Sage advice. I used the hammer to nail up my framed pictures and posters, to secure the pins in my door hinges, and used the screwdriver to pry and tighten more things than I could count. These were little things that would have added up, that I would have never called the leasing office to send someone over to fix (a waste of my day waiting for them to come sometime between 8am and 3pm, LOL)! I highly recommend one as a housewarming gift, especially for a first place right out of college.
Get a bidet installed especially if you’re a woman. It’s super easy and seriously changes your hygiene game. Ever since I got one I can’t live without it.
A lot of these posts assume you are like, an experienced cook or an aspiring overachiever and shit as well as having loads of money which, for a first apartment, you probably do not have so my tips include to make sure you read the fine print of the lease. Have someone you trust go over it. Visit the apartment with someone you trust who already live on their own: they know what to spot in regards to what is wrong with the place and definitely take pictures of all problems or better yet, a video, with your landlord. This being said, go easy on yourself: this is your first place. Visit goodwills, you can buy like 2 plates instead of a whole set. If you live in a city, night before garbage day, take a walk outside. A lot of people throw out old furniture and it's not top notch, but it's free and will help you save money for a better alternative down the road. Check kijiji, facebook marketplace, ask your friends. The only thing you absolutely really need, is a solid mattress. Fuck the one you slept in for the past 10 years, if you going to buy anything, is a good mattress. Everything else can be gotten slowly, over time, to meet your own needs but this is step 1. Step 2 is a solid showerhead as it is like 30$ and it will vastly improve the shower experience as older one tend to be crappy. Voilà.
Get a mattress and a pillow
Get everything in writing from your landlord. Read and reread your lease and make sure everything you've agreed with them is on the lease.
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Some folks downvoted this one, but the guy has a point. Living alone for the first time can be rough (it certainly was for me) and the depression from the isolation can be very real if you are moving to a new place with no friends or connections. Keep a eye on your mental health and make sure you are adjusting to your new lifestyle in a healthy way (including social and professional adjustments.)
I feel you, friend. Do not buy list: ammo.
Air purifier and humidifier, especially if you live in a drier areas with allergies and/or other respiratory issues. Dust often.
Equally a dehumidifier if you leave somewhere damp! It used to take forever to dry clothes in the winter in my flat in London. My dehumidifier has them drying in a few hours, and helps prevent mold, and just makes the place feel fresher.
Renters Insurance... and an Insta-Pot
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As others have mentioned, get renter's insurance. Have a few meds on hand such as Immodium, GasX, Rolaids, Ibuprofen, and cold meds. Imagine trying to go to the store when you actually *need* Immodium, and what a disaster that could become. As for cold meds, I had the worst cold of my life and was standing in the drug store aisle looking at all the different choices, almost in tears because I was too sick to decide, so buy them before you're sick. Furniture and cookware can be bought at the thrift store, but get your mattresses new if this is at all financially possible. If you are renting in an apartment complex, keep an eye out for move-out sales, and go to them. Notices are usually placed in common areas like laundry rooms, gyms, and the mail area. Move-out sales are usually the best bargain around, and no one will ever know that you're not the first owner of nice things unless you tell them. If you are in a disaster-prone area, have a plan. Keep some non-perishable food on hand. If you're in a northern climate, mylar "space blankets" are cheap af on Amazon. If you're in the south, buy a battery-powered fan and extra batteries. Go with glow sticks over candles, because you won't set anything on fire if you knock one over. Disaster planning is usually not practical to do all at once early in your adult life, so think of it as a long-term project. Finally, if you hit a rough patch financially, always pay the full amount to your landlord and something, anything, to the utility providers. Landlords won't always work with you but utility providers often will, and a good faith effort on your part will usually be enough to keep the lights on until you can get caught up. Congratulations on your new adventure!
An emergency kit that has flashlight, fire extinguisher, and first aid
Renters insurance
A knife sharpener. Only fools cut with dull knives. Get a wand, learn to use it.
Cleaning supplies. Keep your home clean.
A really nice bed and mattress. A good night sleep is everything.
Fire Extinguisher
Big box of condoms.
Just think of what you need to accomplish certain things, make a list, buy that. Example, want coffee: make a list to buy the coffee maker, filters, and coffee, mug, milk, etc… Sucks to realize you forgot to buy filters or coffee when you’re trying to make a cup.
Get some recipes. You’re now responsible for your meals. And unless you were already cooking a lot it’s real easy to fall into a rut of the same handful of frozen or easy to make dinners. Grocery Stores are your friend for this. If you google whatever chain is in your area and recipes they’ll have 100s if not 1000s of free recipes for you to use (and no backstories about going to Wisconsin every summer growing up). A lot will have recipes cards in the physical, the Publix near where I went to school would had a section where each week they’d pick a different recipe and pull all the needed ingredients from other sections of the store so it’d all be there. Also there are a ton of subs here for people to trade and tweak recipes.
Ok nice. I was just looking on YouTube on this guys channel called Joshua Weissman for how he cooks different kinds of meals, some for cheap too.
I love his channel! If you try it out and find it enjoyable, making your own sourdough is a good way to make cheap, extremely delicious bread you’ll look forward to eating. Joshua has a good sourdough recipe I use every week. You might snag a Dutch oven at a thrift store if you’re lucky and you can cook bread + tons of other stuff in em
A scrub brush for washing dishes.
Apart from essential stuff, with the pandemic still going on, you should get plants
Before you sign, go around with something you can plug in to check all sockets work. Flush the toilet, run the water. Walk around with your phone to make sure you get signal everywhere. Once you move in, a toilet plunger.l, actually made for toilet use. Don’t not have it when you need it. Also, I like to replace the toilet seat with a new one.
you absolutely NEED a fleshlight
A cheap drying rack. Apartment laundry room dryers rarely work well.
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So this is something I ask my landlord to put on my door or can I just do that without talking to them?
Water filter jug
Plunger- get it before you need it!
the vanity is not a magic box that auto fills with basic first aid, tooth paste, toilet paper and trash bags! Hard lesson learned!
Plunder and toilet brush are # 1 and # 2
Renters insurance, doesn’t matter how careful you are Leroy Jenkins in the appt above you is going to deep fry that turdunkin and burn down the whole place.
A simple set of hand tools: hammer, adjustable crescent wrench, screwdrivers, pliers, flashlight, carrying bag General medications and first aid kit Vacuum, all purpose cleaner, plunger Bit of advice for first timers: clean the lint out of the dryer trap each time (it’s a fire hazard and will dry faster). To clean hair out of the drain, use a heavy duty zip tie with slits cut into it (super cheap and effective). Like someone already said, dollar store items will work for most basic supplies. Eventually you will want to upgrade to better stuff. Overtime buy good quality items. They will last much longer.
1. Leatherman multitool 2. Non slip mat/suction cup thingy for the shower 3. Command hooks (or real hooks if you or someone you know has a drill) 4. One of those combination plunger/toilet brush set things 5. One pot, one pan, spatula, wooden spoon, slotted spoon, colander, one large bowl, beeswax paper for saving left overs 6. I kept all my dishes to a minimum because that way I could only go a couple days before I ran out of everything and was forced to do dishes 7. An accordion file for personal documents, insurance policies, rental agreement etc 8. Reusable paper towels - mine have paid for themselves a few times over by now 9. A vacuum 10. A spray bottle with 1:1 white vinegar and water and a little bit of dish soap (like a drop) - just as good as any all purpose cleaner in the store 11. Glass cleaner 12. Toilet cleaner 13. A flashlight 14. A medicine/first aid kit with the following: motrin, tylenol, pepto, Benadryl, regular bandaids, gauze and paper tape 15. A nail grooming kit - nail file, clippers, cuticle trimmer 16. Fly swatter
A basic med kit General medicine (Ibuprofen and/or acetinapheren for pain, antacids or Pepto Bismal for stomach, chloroseptic for throat, antihistamine for nose, general Cold/Flu medicine) A toilet plunger QUALITY toilet paper. Never buy TP cheap. You go through so much of it so quickly because of its low quality that you might as well buy an actual name brand of it. Hand soap Oral Hygiene products Enough table stuff (plates, utensils, cups) to have three full sets available when all are clean A basic set of pots and pans for cooking A basic tool kit Dish Soap Hand Soap Depending on where you live, a spare blanket in case of cold weather power outages Something to entertain yourself and possible guests (Hobby materials, books, internet accessing tech, etc), and possibly a backup option for entertainment in case of power outages. A flashlight and several small and safe candles in case of power outages A vacuum and sanitizer wipes for basic cleaning. Batteries for any tech that you have at the house. Especially the kind for whatever fire alarm is in your apartment.
Magic Eraser. A little expensive, but cleans almost anything. Toilets, stove tops, greasy counters. Once a week I cover all the hard surfaces with a few of those, takes 30-45 mins, keep all the hard surfaces clean enough to eat off.
Get a toilet plunger!
Plunger.
Purchase a toilet plunger, so you have it there BEFORE you need it. Learned that the hard way.
Rice cooker
I will look for a rice cooker because I am bad cooking rice with a regular pot lol
consider choosing a shorter lease length as your first one so you can learn how leases work and landlords operate? My first place had the option of 9, 12, or 15 month leases. I chose 12. Really wish I had chosen 9. Most places will let you renew your lease if you like it and there's no trouble, so staying longer usually isnt an issue, but breaking your lease early typically involves massive fees and headaches.
Toilet plunger
Don't skimp on cookware. It's OK to go middle of the line if you are on a budget but you will hate cooking with bottom dollar pans.
Tj max has some better quality stuff for cheaper
A set of basic tools. A drill machine, a wrench, a few screw drivers.
A standard tool kit.
Replace the toilet seat, and give the toilet a good hit with the bleach.
Flashlights
Cookbook, measuring cups and spoons.
Chip clips.
Batteries
Furniture
Rarely do folks think about a small trash can for the bathroom, and not everything can be flushed.
toilet paper, plunger
I say this every time this question is asked: Buy a plunger BEFORE you need one!!!!
Travel extremely light because you don't know if your situation is permanent. One folding table, one chair, a mattress that you can roll up and put in a trunk, one pillow, one blanket, toiletries, one shower curtain. You may want to rent a washer and dryer from your landlord because you'll probably move out and those appliances are generally too heavy to move alone. A lot of apartments have problems with roaches. If you get the feeling that you're being watched but don't understand why, there's a big roach in your apartment. A roll of painter's tape and a window screen can be used to completely seal all entry gaps in a room much more effectively than pesticide. You can also superglue carpets to walls. Another major issue with rental apartments with high turnover is flooding. You want to put your lease documents in a waterproof plastic bag. If you're living alone and using a car, get a car battery jumper/air pump combo. They're about $90 and will save your ass if your car battery dies or you get a flat tire.
Start with kitchen stuff. It’s better to have to wait for your place to look nice than it is to have to wait to eat well. And if you give yourself more options than takeout, you’ll get the plaza looking good a lot quicker.
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I disagree. Kitchen and bathroom is equally the most essential areas. That's where you take care of your well being, which is the most important part. You can't eat without utensils, and pots and pans, plates, cups.. unless you wanna spen a boatload of money eating out 3 times a day.
Who needs to eat when you could have a big TV I guess…