The *real*Â âI just got my first apartmentâ post
That other post seems to be for people with money. But you donât have money. So what do you actually need for your first apartment?
A bed. Not an air mattress. Not a blanket fort. Not a mattress pad with a fitted sheet over it. An actual bed. Youâre going to try to avoid it, especially if you live in a city where bed bugs mean not buying a mattress from Craigslist. Beds cost money (unless you can take the one from your childhood bedroom, in which case, do that and use the couch when you visit home). But fuck it, you need one. If youâre desperate, you might go with a futon, but the futon you can afford will break with the quickness. You might also go with a mattress on the floor, which seems like a good idea until it suddenly seems really dirty, which is because mattresses need air flow to stay dry and sanitary. If you donât have a box spring and donât want to drop the $40 on a cheap bed frame, you can use these guys to build a platform, and if you find plastic drawers the same height, you can even build some storage in there.
A dresser. You will try to find a way around this. It will end up with your floor covered in clothes within a week. Just find a dresser on Craigslist or go to your local auction (a great place to find cheap furniture in general). And donât buy a cheap dresser to build yourself from K-Mart or Wal-Mart, because it will break and it will likely be more expensive than a Craigslist/auction dresser anyway.
A TV. It doesnât have to be new or huge or advanced. But you want a TV. Donât try to skip the TV for something more trivial. Youâll regret that quick.
A couch. Specifically, an old, comfortable couch. One you donât mind falling asleep on or letting guests sleep on. Donât spend a lot of money. Couches will find you. Donât overthink it. Itâs your first apartment. Nobody expects you to have a perfectly curated adult home. Just get a comfy fucking couch. And if you get two, you can use cinder blocks to make stadium seating in your living room!
A table. You will ruin it, so get a shitty one. Learn your lessons on something cheap and disposable.
A full(ish) kitchen set. If these things donât appear from your parents or your roommatesâ parents, you need to buy a pot and pan set, silverware, a silverware organizer, at least one sharp knife (and letâs be honest, youâre gonna want a knife block and theyâre only like $11), at least one mixing bowl, a colander, a cutting board, a couple of storage containers, plates, bowls, glasses, and mugs. Youâll figure out what else you need as you need it, based on your own kitchen habits. A lot of this can be picked up at the dollar store if you have one near you. And if you donât bake often, disposable baking pans are your friend.Â
Hand soap, dish soap, wash-your-ass soap. Nobody likes poor hygiene. You also need toothpaste and floss. And deodorant.
Flashlight and candles (nothing fancy). In case something goes wrong.
A plunger. In case something goes really wrong.
A toilet brush. Your momma probably never let the toilet form rings (or let you let that happen), so it might come as a shock how quickly and easily those shits form.
A shower curtain and liner. Or even just the liner. Donât get the floor wet.
Sponges. You have no idea how many sponges youâll need.
The rest, youâll stack over time, but these are the things you need.
