Starting to live on your own is one of life’s major decisions. Everyone should take this leap into the unknown as soon as they feel financially capable. But, before you take the leap and find that perfect space, you need to go through the list of essentials for your first apartment. This checklist will reduce the stress of a new beginning and help you start your living-on-your-own-adventure.
Outfit your kitchen with the Essentials
The entire move to your new apartment will be stressful enough. You don’t need to increase the stress by realizing you haven’t prepared kitchen essentials. Think of those items you’ll need to prepare breakfast, cook lunch, and make dinner. Basically, you’ll need a medium fry pan you can use for breakfast and lunch. Pick multipurpose items you can use in many different ways.
Medium-sized pot, one large and a small one you can use to boil water for tea are next on the list of essential kitchen items. For starters, you can have tableware for two which you can upgrade later on so that you can host a meal for six to eight people. A few baking pans, glasses, mugs, knives and you are ready to move in.
Then, Consider the Bathroom Must-Haves
Toilet paper and cleaning products are your number one on the list of essentials. The first thing you’ll do right after you move in is scrub that bathroom and scrub it right! Anything else can basically wait. Once you feel the bathroom is clean to your standards, organize your basic toiletries. You should also get at least two sets of towels you can use interchangeably. If one set is being washed, you’ll have another one you can use. Bathroom mat, shower curtain, and a toilet lid cover serve as a personal touch and you can buy these in advance or after you settle in.
The Bedroom Checklist
The apartment bedroom is where we go to recharge and renew our energy levels so that we can take on a new day with the same vigor and zest just like any day before and after this one. Having a great mattress and a supportive bed is of equal importance as the two previous points (kitchen and bathroom essentials). Think of it like this – if buying a bed is an episode in life, you won’t get a rerun anytime soon. A supportive pillow is also a must, so get yourself the one that provides proper head and neck support.
Make sure your budget isn’t tight and you’re capable of buying the right mattress, bed frame and a pillow. For starters, get yourself two sets of bed linens you can use interchangeably. One bed lamp is good enough for now until you can buy one more.
Warm-up The Apartment By Adding Window Treatments
The first sign that you’re a grown-up and that you can handle living on your own is when you prioritize window treatments over an Xbox or a Playstation. Not only do curtains, blinds, or other types of window treatments warm up your space, but they also ensure you have enough privacy. Moreover, they will make your apartment look beautiful and finalized, even though you believe that it needs more details. Functional motorized blinds are very useful for late sleepers who wish to have uninterrupted sleep. You can schedule the exact open times so you won’t be bothered before they open up automatically.
Living Room
The living room is the last one on the list because it’s something that should be decorated over time, not a day after the move. Also, if you have a chair and a table to eat from, bed to sleep in, functional bathroom, the well-equipped living room is like the icing on the cake. But, if it’s the other way around you won’t be happy with your living arrangements. So, instead of breaking the budget, decorate with what you have.
You can buy a new sofa or even a second-hand one and make it look homey by adding accent pillows and a fluffy throw. If you get yourself a new sofa, don’t rush into buying one because you won’t be replacing it any time soon. In case you want to buy a preloved sofa, you can set your sights on one that is as close to your idea of a perfect one.
Consider these as a list of necessities you need to start living on your own as stress-free as possible. Over time you’ll manage to customize your space based on your likes and dislikes. But, first things first, invest in the essentials. This will help you overcome the stress of living on your own for the first time.
