If you’re a college student, you have probably experienced living on campus, possibly fighting with a roommate or learning to live and share a small spaced room. Even if your experience living in a dorm was mostly great, you definitely know that it comes with a whole different set of challenges. But moving into your very first apartment is a whole-nother level. I am here to give you some guidance on making your space feel more you, tips and tools on decor and emphasizing that no one ever gets it “right” the first time when getting their own space. You learn as you go!
- The “rookie” mistake
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This mistake would definitely relate to me if I had to move into my own apartment — OVERPACKING and UNDERESTIMATING the size of your new space. Just remember, your new place always looks bigger when you do the tour. Once you eventually bring all your stuff, it gets super messy and cramped. I suggest analyzing your stuff beforehand and start planning where you want things to go. Plus, it’s good to not keep things you do not use anymore!
- The basic services
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If you’re like me and not exactly a professional at technology or setting up WiFi, hopefully the apartment owner or company will handle most of these basic services like internet, cable, water, sewer and garbage. You should focus on getting these two things situated:
- Internet and/or cable — the go-to options are probably Comcast and AT&T
- Electricity — you’ll likely default to PG&E
- UPDATE! Update! Update!
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I can’t imagine anything worse than doing online shopping and my order arrives at the wrong address. Update your new mailing address by stopping into the post office or online. Focus on updating contact details, billing departments and subscriptions.
Okay! Now that we have the difficult boring stuff over with, let’s talk about decor and making your space feel more like YOU!
- Furnishings
Focus on the larger items such as a couch, table and chairs because these are the main focus of your space. For a college student, first apartment furniture budgets are usually pretty low. Here are my two “rules” about furnishings:
- “Hard” items like wood tables, dressers and chairs are good secondhand items.
- “Soft” items like bedding, sofas and carpets need to be purchased new.
Soft items are commonly filled with pests like bed bugs which is why you should avoid purchasing second hand items. Be sure to do a thorough inspection of these items.
Tips: Spending extra money for quality items goes a long way. It’s an investment!
- Working comfortably!
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You’ll be spending long hours studying at night which means you need to find a great, wide desk that fits all your things. Make sure it’s comfortable and spacious! A great multipurpose office space I found is here on Amazon.
- Kitchen essentials
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Not only is cooking one of the easiest ways to save money when you’re in your own space, but it’s also an easy way to entertain your friends when they are over. Here is a list of a few things you may want to purchase for your kitchen and some links for my favorite items:
- Plates and Cups (instead of creating more washing and cleaning for yourself, I opt to using paper recycled plates. This is a super easy way to clean up after yourself);
- Silverware;
- Utensils;
- Pots and Pans;
- Knife Set;
- Cutting Board;
- Aluminum Foil;
- Plastic bags;
- Trash bags;
- Paper Towels;
… you get the idea.
- Bathroom essentials
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Other than the normal essentials like toilet paper, toilet brush, shower cleaner, plunger and towels… you may want to find cute things that make this messy area look better.
- Having a cute cosmetic storage case lets you organize your personal cosmetics in a neat and aesthetic way. This case from www.dormify.com is super trendy at the moment!
- One of the easiest items I purchased to make my bathroom look neater, is this behind-the-door organizer. Not only will this “hide” your bathroom items behind the door, but it does so in the most convenient way possible while still looking aesthetic.
So there you have it, the basic essentials to transitioning from a college dorm to an apartment. I hope this guide helps you adjust to your new space! It’s extremely exciting to create your own space and call it home. But it can also be overwhelming, so I hope this guide makes life a little easier for you.