Moving into my first apartment was such an exciting experience. I’ve lived on my own in the dorms for the past two years, but am now fully independent without anyone looking after me (like residential hall staff). Shopping for my apartment was in some ways similar and some ways different than shopping for a dorm room.
First off, I had to buy kitchen supplies. I would recommend buying a cheap dinnerware set. It’s college, items are bound to get broken or lost, so I really didn’t find it necessary to invest in a super nice set of dishes. As far as cups go, I just bought a cheap set of four glasses to add to my collection of free cups I’ve gotten from campus events. Silverware is super cheap; I bought mine for $1 per set of four. When it comes to pots and pans, stick to the bare minimum. All you will need is two to three of each to get by. When shopping for these items don’t forget that thrift stores and yard sales will often be your best friend!
Luckily, I had a lot of items for my bedroom from the past two years, but I did have to go out and buy new bedding (I now have a full-sized bed as opposed to a twin extra -long). I bought a complete bed-in-a-bag set from Walmart for about $40.
As far as some general items go, I would highly recommend bringing cleaning supplies when you first move in. My apartment looked as if it had barely been cleaned prior to move in day, so a nice scrub of the place isn’t a bad idea. It’s also definitely a good idea to communicate with your roommates and see who can contribute what. Depending on how many people are in your apartment, there’s no need to have multiple dining sets. Sharing is fine and splitting the cost is even better! It’s a good idea to sit down and make a list of what you have and what you need for your home away from home. It’s tempting to buy lots of fancy new stuff, but the reality is that it’s just not necessary.
What are some items you’ve either been glad you bought or that you found you didn’t actually need?