First Apartment Checklist

Moving into your first apartment is a major milestone, but getting settled and making your space a home requires effort. Many of the commonly used things in your old home are easy to overlook on a daily basis, but you will quickly miss them in your new space.

Use this first apartment checklist to make sure your apartment is well-outfitted for comfort and convenience from day one.

How Do I Prepare for My First Apartment?

While you may be eager to decorate your apartment and show off your own unique sense of style, the first thing you should do is focus on the essentials. When pulling together the essentials, you likely are working on a strict budget. Your parents may be willing to part ways with a few items to get you started.

For other items, consider buying pre-owned items that are in good condition or shopping at a discount store. After taking care of the must-have items, you can slowly decorate your space to suit your style.

What Things Should I Get for My First Apartment?

Often, a first apartment is the smallest place you will live in, which means you only need to focus on outfitting a few rooms. Use this first apartment checklist to prepare for your move.

Bedroom Essentials

There are two primary components to a comfortable bedroom, and these are the bed and somewhere to put your clothes. If your parents won’t allow you to take your bedroom furniture from your current room, you’ll need to invest in a new mattress and bedframe. Of course, you don’t want to sleep only on a mattress, so you’ll need to buy sheets, a comforter and a few pillows.

For your clothes, hang up what you can to save space. Determine how much dresser space you need for your folded clothes before shopping for bedroom furniture. A nightstand and lamp aren’t absolutely necessary, but they’d likely be used nightly and help you feel more comfortable. Some apartment bedrooms don’t have an overhead light. If your new apartment doesn’t have one, a lamp is essential.

Generally, apartments come with blinds. If not, you should install blinds right away to block the sun and for privacy. Curtains are decor rather than a necessity if blinds are installed.

Bathroom Essentials

Your bathroom likely is among the easiest rooms to outfit. You can bring personal hygiene items from home. Keep these items in a separate box or bag so that they are easy to locate as soon as you move in. Make sure that you have a pack of toilet paper, soap and a waste basket immediately available.

You also need a shower curtain. The liner and rings are the absolute minimum, but you can also purchase the curtain at a very affordable price. A set of towels, including wash cloths and hand towels, are needed as well. Your parents may be able to part ways with a few towels. If you don’t have a spare towel to use on the floor when you step out of the shower, you also need at least one bathmat to cover the floor and prevent slips.

Living Space Essentials

Your living space is where you’ll kick back and relax every day. It might also serve as a dining space if your apartment doesn’t have a separate space for a table and chairs. Invest in a sofa, but make sure that it is sized appropriately for the space. If you want to cover the bases to accommodate overnight guests from day one, consider buying a sofa bed.

A side table or coffee table are equally important. You’ll need at least one table for the TV remote, beverages, plates and other items. Your TV may need its own stand, or you can purchase a wall mount. If your living room doesn’t have an overhead light, buy a lamp as well. Choose a tall, standing lamp if you won’t have a side table to place a smaller lamp on.

Kitchen Essentials

If you don’t plan or need to use your couch as a dining space, you can invest in a few bar stools or a small dining set to suit the available space. Then, focus on outfitting your kitchen. You may be inclined to use disposal plates, utensils and cups to get started. However, you’re better off buying a cheap set of these essentials from day one.

If you’re a coffee addict, you’ll need a small coffee maker and a mug or two. A trash can and trash bags are necessary from day one as well. Then, invest in a few pans and pots, cooking utensils and kitchen hand towels. You can save money by eating leftovers, so buy a few storage containers.

Home Toolkit and Essentials

Even if you’re not handy, having a few tools available is important. For example, you’ll need a hammer to hang up frames and wall decor. A screwdriver and wrench will come in handy, too. These may be needed from your first day in your new apartment, such as to mount your TV or assemble your new furniture. Stock your toolkit with a few nails and hanging hooks as well.

There are a few other essentials that are easier to overlook. For example, you could need a step stool to do things like hanging the shower curtain and putting things away on the top shelves in the kitchen. Power strips and even extension cords may be essential depending on the placement of power outlets. Other items to consider are duct tape, a measuring tape, lightbulbs and batteries.

Cleaning Essentials

Moving is a messy project, so your space may need cleaning once your boxes are unpacked. To clean the floors, you need a vacuum if you have carpet or area rugs. For hard floors, you’ll need a broom and dustpan, a mop and cleaner, or a Swiffer with cleaning pads. To tackle counters in the kitchen and bathroom, a multi-purpose cleaner is necessary. A glass cleaner and microfiber cloths are needed to wipe spatters off of the mirrors. Other items include:

• Dusting spray
• A toilet scrubber
• Toilet cleaner
• Paper towels
• Liquid dish soap
• Dishwashing detergent
• Laundry detergent and dryer sheets

First Aid Kit Essentials

There are several health essentials that you want easily accessible if certain needs arise. To handle cuts and scrapes, stock up on a box of bandaids and an antibiotic or wound cleaner. For headaches and general aches and pains, keep a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory on hand. Also, invest in a thermometer.

First Apartment Shopping Tips

While you could be fortunate enough to get a few donations from your parents, you’ll likely have to buy several items as well. Depending on your budget, it might make sense to invest in quality items rather than cheap ones that you plan to quickly replace when funds are available. For example, buying a quality mattress that you can use for several years may be a cost-saving move in the long run.

To save money, consider shopping sales. If you start buying items sooner rather than at the last minute, you can potentially save more money. Before buying anything, however, get the dimensions of your rooms. Pay attention to the placement of windows, doors and power outlets, and leave enough space to walk around comfortably. Your apartment management staff can provide a floor plan with dimensions.

For smaller spaces, think about how you can make your apartment feel bigger and more comfortable. You can use mirrors to bounce light around and make the room look larger. Choose furniture that can serve multiple purposes to save space, and stick to light, matching colors to create an open feel. These simple tricks, along with regular cleaning, can make your apartment seem bigger and more inviting.

Apartment Must Have Items That People Forget About

There are a few other must-have items that you want available right away. For example, you need a laundry hamper and clothes basket. Hangers and a shoe rack can help you maximize your closet space.

If your apartment doesn’t have a pantry, a small storage cabinet is important. This may even be essential if your kitchen only has a few small cabinets. Then, think about getting a can opener, a toaster, an entry mat, tissues, potholders and oven mitts, a cookie sheet, a microwave, a cutting board and knives, measuring cups and spoons, a silverware organizer, and an iron and ironing board.

After you get your new apartment set up, your attention shifts to keeping your space clean and inviting. Your apartment needs to be cleaned regularly, but you do not need to do all of the mopping and vacuuming yourself. Our Boston apartment cleaners can visit your apartment regularly to handle all of the cleaning for you. Call us today to schedule your first Cleanzen service.