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Underrated Things for Your Apartment

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

Here’s a List of Things That you may not think of when planning for your apartment.

This year I moved into an apartment with my friends, and I have to be honest, it’s 100 times better than living in the dorms. It’s so nice to have your own space, an actual kitchen to cook in, and a living room where you can hang out and do homework. While I’m thankful for my experience, I will never go back to living in the dorms. My roommates and I thought of literally everything that we needed for our new apartment, and these are some of my favorite underrated things.

1. Broom and Dustpan

While a broom and mop seem obvious, a dustpan is the overlooked champion needed for an apartment. Within two days of moving in, I broke a plate right on the wooden floor. My roommate and I had to put on our shoes and get down on our knees to pick up the glass shards, even the little ones, because we didn’t have a broom and dustpan to easily sweep them up. These items would also be useful for small messes on countertops.

2. A family Calendar

Without a doubt, my favorite decoration in our apartment is the magnetic family calendar on the fridge. We all have different colors, and we fill out the calendar whenever we have work, a meeting, are going home for the weekend, etc. We also have one color for things that apply to all of us, like the next home football game or when the rent is due. It’s cute and gives a really homey feeling. Plus, it keeps you connected to your roommates.

3. Water filters

This is super important. Filter your water. We installed a Brita filter on our sink so we can fill up reusable water bottles instead of buying plastic ones, and wash our dishes without fear of the water residue making us sick. We also have filters on our shower heads so the water isn’t too hard and damaging to our hair and skin. I’ve seen Tik Toks where people even buy filters for their skincare, which I think could be a good idea.

4. Candle Holders

Most people think a candle by itself is enough to spice up a room. But I’d argue that a fun little holder makes the room and candle look absolutely adorable. We have a candle in our living room that we light almost every night and it’s on the most adorable butterfly stand. Crazy enough, the stand also matches our end tables.

There are many things you’ll probably want after you move into your apartment. To help speed up the process, I recommend getting these four items. A new space is really fun, especially when you get to add parts of yourself to it.

Priyal Desai

Wisconsin '25

I am a student at UW Madison studying psychology and political science, hoping to pursue a career in law! I love to meet new people and explore new things!!