7 Items You Can't Move Into Your Apartment Without

By Allie Mitchell on January 31, 2017

Deciding to live on your own can be a big step in a student’s life, but it increases your feeling of independence. The fact that you will be able to make your own decisions and make your own rules is one of the various steps into adulthood.

Having an apartment that is all your own means making big decisions on the furniture, the neighborhood, whether you will have roommates, how much you plan on spending on rent, and a bunch of other things that will dictate how you live.

Because it is your apartment you will have to figure out what is important to you, as in what goes inside your apartment. What are the essentials that you need to make yourself comfortable and in a happy living situation? There are some things that need to be with you when you move into your new apartment that every student should have and then there are things that will be more custom to you.

Remember that you have multiple rooms in the apartment, so certain things may be necessary for one room that you may not think about until later, so making yourself a checklist after you’ve seen the apartment would be a good step to take in figuring out what is needed before you move in and what can wait until afterwards.

Don’t mix up what you want and what you need, because later down the road you will regret it. The idea of having your apartment isn’t meant to stress you out entirely and have you not wanting one at all because of all the work you will have to do. Once you do all the necessary work, you can sit back and relax and look at what all the time and effort you put in can accomplish.

As I said before, there are a few things that every student needs to make their apartment a little more manageable, at least in the beginning.

1. Outside Welcome Mat: This isn’t just for greeting people, so don’t worry about that, because I know that makes it sound like it’s not a necessity. What you need it for is when it is rainy outside or you track in dirt, you will need something to rub your shoes on before you come inside — especially if your apartment has pure carpet right as you come in through the door. No one likes tracking in dirt and mud, just as much as they don’t like cleaning it up, so don’t make the mistake of not getting a simple thing like an outdoor mat.

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2. Vacuum: It doesn’t have to be an expensive vacuum either, but investing in one, for the time being, is a huge adult move. If your apartment is mostly carpet that vacuum is going to be a lifesaver.

3. Lamps: And then there was light. Not all apartments have extremely good lighting and even if they do have decent lighting, you might want more. So just investing in a few lamps never hurt anyone. Small desk lamps and side table lamps can make a bit of difference if you are coming home late and walk inside your apartment and the light switch is much further than you anticipated. Believe me, a lamp as you walk into the apartment is a good thing.

4. Wall Hooks: I suggest Command Hooks actually. You don’t have to worry about the mess of filling in small and tiny nail holes. There are all different kinds of hooks for various essentials, so take your pick for what you think you need. The reason for wall hooks is just to use up your space and to hang pictures, jackets, cords, purses, and really anything else that you can get up off the floor and onto the wall. Covering up wall space can make your apartment feel fuller and more at home.

5. Oven Mitts: This seems odd, but when I moved back into my dorm one year I completely forgot my oven mitts and I couldn’t cook anything in the oven because I didn’t have anything to grab stuff out with. They may seem small and insignificant, but they are not. Doesn’t matter what kind you get, but get some! Unless you are not an avid cook or baker, but still getting some would be in your best interest, just in case.

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6. Trash Cans: For some reason, most people think these automatically come with apartments or dorms. News flash: they don’t. Plastic trash cans are cheap at the store and you can get small ones for every room that needs one. Where else do you plan to throw away your garbage? You can’t stick everything down the garbage disposal. Fingers crossed your apartment even has a disposal.

7. Kitchen Supplies: Whether your parents donate some to you or you buy a new set, you need your typical kitchen essentials. Even if it’s just one spoon, knife, and fork. You know you will use that one spoon, knife, and fork. It’s inevitable.

This is a small list from a bigger list of essentials students will need to look into before they make that big step of moving in. Make sure to look into anything else you know you will need.

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