Okay, after recently finishing my freshman year of college [HOLY SHIT I FINISHED MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE?!] , I began the lovely process of moving out of my prison cell.. er I mean dorm room, and into my apartment. There are hundreds of books and blog posts and articles about how to shop for and decorate your dorm room, yet I did not come across any about your first apartment. Its scary shit man! In a dorm room, you have minimal amounts of stuff because you have minimal amounts of space. Plus there is usually a large appliances ban [expect microwaves and fridges of course]. In my residence hall, we weren't allowed to have coffee makers! Um hello cruelty, thy name is Hayes Healy Residence Hall.
Making the leap from dorm room minimalist to having an entire apartment to furnish and decorate was extraordinarily difficult... and expensive. There are so many things you need but don't realize that you need, or took for granted in your dorm. I can't even remember how many times I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond... and I'm still not even done yet. The amount of times we filled the entire car to the brim baffles me.
Here's a little list I put together of things you might need or want for your first apartment [keep in mind that I may have spaced on some things, if so, I'm sorry] :
Kitchen:
Microwave
Toaster
Coffee Maker/Tea Kettle
Mugs
Silverware
A Set of Plates, Bowls, Glasses
A Non-Stick Frying Pan
Blender
A Medium Sized Pot
Storage Containers for Leftovers [Glass is better]
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Spatula
Wooden Spoon
Tongs
Spices- Stick to Essentials Unless You Plan On Being a Gourmet Chef in Your Free Time
Living Room:
Okay, so the living room is very much up to you and your roommates' personal preferences. Think about getting some of these things--
Sofa or Love Seat or Chairs... hell, if you like bean bags, those would work too.
Standing lamp or a lamp for a table
Umbrella/ Coat Stand
Table
TV/ Multi-Media [Video Games, DVD, ETC]
Bookshelf [May also work in your bedroom]
A Wall Key Holder [Great for the entry way or by the front door. Make sure there are enough spots for all of the roommates!]
Bedroom
As with the living room, the items you pick for your room are totally up to you and your style. Here are some of the things I think are essential/smart to have in your bedroom.
Bed/Mattress [In my opinion a headboard was not as important, so I didn't get one.]
Dresser [I got a cool old fashion TV armoire type thing and turned it into a place to put clothes]
Bedside Table
Trunk [Very useful to store extra stuff and it is decretive]
Drawers [I found a stacked set of three drawers that roll from Bed, Bath, and Beyond]
LOTS OF HANGERS [Always have a crap ton of hangers!! They tend to break and you could always use some extra. I recommend the felt kind, they are visually appealing and nice on your clothes.]
Shelves [Very practical for extra storage]
Mirror [We all love to look at ourselves!]
Over the Door Hanger [Practical for thick coats or robes if you don't have room in your closet]
Furnishing an apartment can get really really expensive! So, hit the Salvation Army and GoodWill before you go to the big stores like Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target. I found some amazing pieces from my local Salvation Army!
Good look with your new place and happy decorating!
