Congratulations, you have your first apartment! You are officially an independent, grown-ass woman! This is an awesome milestone, but unfortunately, this comes with bills, cleaning, and sometimes finding your way around a new city. While having a first apartment to yourself is exciting and gives you a space to make your own, do whatever you want, and a place to invite friends to chill, it can also be hard to manage. Sometimes, we all forget a few things that we either need to survive or just want in order to make a bland apartment a little more like home. Making your first apartment feel like home will seriously eliminate some stress in your life, and can help equip you to take on life’s many challenges. So keep reading to find out 20 first apartment necessities every grown-ass woman needs in her life!
Every grown ass-woman definitely needs a cheese platter in her first apartment (unless you hate cheese, then skip to #2). When your girl squad comes over to hang out, chances are you will want to serve cheese with a bottle of wine or two and feel super classy.
If you’re like me, then every morning you groggily make yourself a cup of coffee. Having a Keurig coffee maker around not only saves you money instead of those long runs to Starbucks, but you also have an excuse to drink that second cup without brewing an entirely new pot.
A coffee maker that can also make you a mug of hot chocolate, a mocha (mix a little instant coffee into your hot chocolate and add cinnamon for a kick of flavor on cold days), or a cup of tea in one convenient spot is all you need.
If you’ve ever watched Disney’s Tangled, you know there are many unconventional uses for a frying pan, but my favorite is for scrambled eggs or a quick sauce. A frying pan is a cooking must-have and is used for tons of quick recipes.
Being able to cook a few basic meals is something everyone should learn, so a frying pan will be your best friend in the culinary arts if you aren’t ready to make anything too fancy, but need to eat like literally every other human. Cooking independently and not dashing to the corner store for fora quick meal or begging for leftovers will seriously help you out in the long run.
You probably already have your own set of bed sheets, but having extra sheets for laundry days – yes you NEED to wash your sheets every few weeks – and having some extra for unexpected guests, friends that drop by, or just a blanket to cuddle up with on the couch, leaves you that much more prepared. (Super cozy blankets can also get you through the winter without cranking the furnace to tropical temperatures.)
Let’s be real, the scent of Febreze that lingers around in a bathroom after someone sprays never actually smells pleasant (despite the scent on the bottle.) Instead, opt for this – you spray before you go to stop any odors before they begin! A must for any lady’s room.
Not all first apartments are created equal and sometimes you end up filling your bathtub ledge with all your shampoos and tripping over them constantly. I know it’s super easy to just stuff your beauty products in a pantry and then root through them frantically as needed, but having a place to store your shower stuff saves you from forgetting something mid shower and keeps your bathroom tidy so you don’t have to hide it if your parents drop by.
Shower caddies, DIY build in shelves – depending on your rental policy – or over the shower attachments are a great way to add a little storage and organization and eliminate some of the stress of quick morning showers.
If you’re just moving into an apartment, chances are you’re going to have a housewarming party or maybe have the ladies over for Friday night pregames! If so, you’re going to need a decent cocktail shaker set to be the “hostess with the mostest”!
Now that you’re going to be working in a kitchen, it’s good to stay organized. Get yourself a chic utensil holder to organize all those utensils and give your kitchen some flair.
If you remember when I said that you should try and keep on top of cleaning your apartment, then an affordable, cordless vacuum is one of the best ways to clean up little spills and avoid a dust bunny complex. A vacuum that is easy to access, easy to carry and lightweight will be worth the money spent and the time begrudgingly pushing it around.
Remember when your grandmother told you to put your drink on a coaster every time you had a drink? I won’t say I told you so, but she was right. You don’t want to stain a nice table with rings, and coasters are much cheaper and way more effective than repainting a table or getting a new one, so a package or two of cute; durable coasters will protect your furniture and can also look super luxe and grown up.
Before you make any plans to adopt a pet or take care of any living thing it is probably best to do a trial run. Getting a plant is a great way to add an inexpensive form of decoration to your apartment and adds tons of personality to your space in a totally responsible and I-know-what-I’m-doing way.
Rubber plants, cacti, and any kind of succulents are super easy to take care of and require very little watering, but with proper care, ivy and flowers can be just as easy and will give your room some color. And yes just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that you have to give up geeky stuff; you may just choose to go a more tasteful route, like using a funny cartoons-inspired planter to care for your new gardening hobby.
No matter how small, you really do need a table. Something that can separate your kitchen from your living room or separate your workspace from your TV is completely worth the investment for the peace of mind. Having a separate workspace or designated eating area can help you focus and relax, and will create a great spot for work, eating dinner, or to spread out your stuff.
A table to eat at is also great for when people come over and allows comfortable seating. You don’t necessarily need a separate kitchen table and dining table – especially in a smaller rental. Just one table with enough room for a few guests that looks presentable will go a long way.
Whether you’re into fashion, science, video games, or anything else, there will be art that suits your personality and tastes. Art is an awesome way to express your interest and make boring walls look less bland, and make a rental or new apartment feel more like home. A more grown-up way to display art is to used frames and similar colors in varying sizes, canvases, or wall hangings instead of taping posters to the wall.
Posters are an awesome option, but pasting them to a canvas or framing then will help them to last longer and look a lot more grown-up than they did in your dorm. You don’t have to give up your Legend of Zelda poster (like me) or your collection of band postcards, just display them with pride.
Do I even have to explain myself on this one? Trendy, chic drinkware is IN right now, so obviously you need to stock your cabinet with some of these badass glasses and mugs.
Your place will get dusty, and stuffy, and moist and hot and cold, especially if you have very little time or commitment to cleaning. Dehumidifiers can even help remove allergens from the air and keep you from getting sick, which is a major bonus. This 3-in-1 air condition, fan and dehumidifier is perfect to save money on a/c, as it will keep small spaces cool and remove excess moisture.
Wherever you choose to do your work, an organized workspace, preferably separate from distractions, is almost mandatory to get any work done, so finding an organizational system that works for you is key.
A desk organizer is a great way to avoid clutter and always have a pen when you need it. An organized file folder, one that collapses so you can take it with you is an ideal way to store receipts for taxes, manuals that you’re going to need later, list and paperwork that usually ends up under a pile of other lost things.
A calendar that will stick to a wall with a spot for notes is a great way to organize your scheduled appointments and make the list or notes of anything you need like groceries or a reminder to call someone back if – you’re anything like me, you need to put notes everywhere. An organized desk is the start of actually having your stuff together, and knowing where your important files are.
A Bluetooth speaker is basically a must. Whether you’re doing a day of cleaning, taking a shower or hosting a pregame, listening to a good sound system is always a plus.
It may seem financially daunting, but a legitimate bean bag chair can be an excellent investment piece for your home. It will quickly become a designated spot for relaxation, a quick meal (we all are guilty of eating on the couch), and a spot for your friends to chill instead of on your bed, the floor, or a questionable diner like you may have done pre-apartment living. Plus, it is much easier to move around than a sofa.
Rugs are an excellent way to add a bit of character to a space while keeping dirt out of your house or just keeping your feet warm, and are great for sitting on if you want to stretch out or sneak in some crunches while binge-watching Friends. Rugs come in various sizes, materials, and prices, but they elegantly add some flair to your space, or hide undesirable spots on your floor.
Last but not least is lighting. Lighting. Is. Everything. Not every apartment comes with bright, warm lights, and sometimes the lighting situation is flat-out terrible. Try keeping a standing light in a darker room, or a desk lamp for some extra light during late night study sessions, or some cute string lights that you can hang up pretty much anywhere that needs a dose of illumination.
Lights are easy to move and adjust so only buying one or two and moving them as needed is a perfectly viable option to avoid constantly squinting at papers in a dim part of a room.
*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
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