first apartment

[jaidynfaith]

I am moving into many new things recently. I have just become single for the first time in two years and will be moving into an apartment thirty minutes from my parents mid august. this is my first time really moving from home, i have lived on campus at the university but then i had a roommate and two suite mates. i was never alone. Im nervous about this first move but also very excited. anyone have any advice?

[Willow]

Re: first apartment

The best advice I can give is to take the time to make the space your own. Paint, if you can; set up your decor the way you like it, bring in the scents and foods that make you feel at home, etc...

It helps speed up the transition. Plus it helps you to really embrace your freedom.

[DanieMarie]

Re: first apartment

If you don't have your own furniture, DO NOT waste money on new furniture! Even as a relatively established person, I'm still awestruck at how much of a waste of money furniture is. Unless you plan on keeping it for 10+ years, don't even bother. It depreciates the second you take it out of the store. People sell perfectly good, even nice and almost new, furniture all the time. You'd also be surprised with what you can make with some basic tools and supplies and a couple of Pinterest inspirational posts. For stuff like sofas and chairs, make sure everything's clean before you buy it and that all the springs are intact. Don't be afraid to refurbish/recover stuff!

The only exception I'd say is that you get a new mattress (unless you have one already!)

Dishes and other housewares are also great secondhand items.

If you're not allowed to paint (if apartments are anything like they are in Canada, you probably can't), creatively hang a few hangings on the walls. Add colour with things like curtains, area rugs, and other stuff that you can take with you later on.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: first apartment

If you don't have your own furniture, DO NOT waste money on new furniture! Even as a relatively established person, I'm still awestruck at how much of a waste of money furniture is. Unless you plan on keeping it for 10+ years, don't even bother. It depreciates the second you take it out of the store. People sell perfectly good, even nice and almost new, furniture all the time. You'd also be surprised with what you can make with some basic tools and supplies and a couple of Pinterest inspirational posts. For stuff like sofas and chairs, make sure everything's clean before you buy it and that all the springs are intact. Don't be afraid to refurbish/recover stuff!

The only exception I'd say is that you get a new mattress (unless you have one already!)

Dishes and other housewares are also great secondhand items.

If you're not allowed to paint (if apartments are anything like they are in Canada, you probably can't), creatively hang a few hangings on the walls. Add colour with things like curtains, area rugs, and other stuff that you can take with you later on.

I worked in a college town and one thing many did was Curb Side shopper as they called it. The dorms and such at the end of the year dumped tons of things to be picked up as trash. A lot of it brand new, some items like laptops and such still in their original boxing and wrappings never opened. Sometimes adds were run in the campus paper or local papers with a come get it and its yours for nothing.

Surprised the heck out of me at some of the things I saw people come back with.

Not saying to go dumpster diving but there are many places you can get things

[Roknrol]

Re: first apartment

I remember in my first apartment we had "rules" that people had to agree to before they came into the place - we actually made them sign an agreement. Of course, that depends on how social you are...if you don't tend to have a lot of company it's probably not necessary, but if you have lots of people that swing by (especially now that you have your own apartment) it'll save you a lot of headache.

What kind of rules? The common sense sort of shit that people shouldn't need to be told. Clean up after yourself, no it's not ok to raid the fridge without asking, yes you can use the bathroom...that sort of thing.

[Gleb]

Re: first apartment

I remember in my first apartment we had "rules" that people had to agree to before they came into the place - we actually made them sign an agreement. Of course, that depends on how social you are...if you don't tend to have a lot of company it's probably not necessary, but if you have lots of people that swing by (especially now that you have your own apartment) it'll save you a lot of headache.

What kind of rules? The common sense sort of shit that people shouldn't need to be told. Clean up after yourself, no it's not ok to raid the fridge without asking, yes you can use the bathroom...that sort of thing.

That's a nice idea, Rok. Of course rules are important, but everywhere they are different. So it might be useful to make a list when moving.

[Roknrol]

Re: first apartment

Like I said, they were mostly common sense things but because I had had roommates before (when I was in the Army) and because I was living close to the college my roommate and I knew we had to have our shit in order. It took us about an afternoon to draft it up...I don't think there were ever any changes either.

And we didn't have to kick a single person out, nobody ever got upset about common sense stuff...was actually one of the best living arrangements I've ever had.

[Heka]

I worked in a college town and one thing many did was Curb Side shopper as they called it. The dorms and such at the end of the year dumped tons of things to be picked up as trash. A lot of it brand new, some items like laptops and such still in their original boxing and wrappings never opened. Sometimes adds were run in the campus paper or local papers with a come get it and its yours for nothing.

Surprised the heck out of me at some of the things I saw people come back with.

Not saying to go dumpster diving but there are many places you can get things

Also check the 'buy, swap and sell' fb pages that are popping up everywhere. Our local one has been in existance for 2 months and it is thriving.

[thalassa]

Re: first apartment

Thrift stores, scratch and dent section at furniture stores, and yard sales. The only furniture we buy new is a mattress.