I know there's a lot of "first apartment" lists out there, but this is r/frugal. And a lot of the lists include things you don't really need. Mind, I'm going to include a few things that you don't strictly need, but I'm going to try to limit it to things that it'll cost more to not have. I'm also omitting things that are apartment-dependent. For example, some apartments I've been in had limited overhead lighting and you needed lamps. Some had perfectly good lighting.
My idea here is for people who are planning to move out, but haven't yet, it's almost certainly more frugal to build up what you need first when you can find it for a good price, rather than to have to buy a bunch of things once you move. I'm not going to include anything considered disposable here (toiletries, cleaning supplies, and so forth). I'm also omitting items someone's going to already have (mostly clothing here). The point of this list isn't to list everything you might want, but to get you in a good enough position to not have to make emergency runs for "I absolutely cannot manage without this and need it right away".
So here's my list
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Something to sleep on. Know your own tolerances here. Some people can manage a futon or mattress pad on the floor, some people can't. An air mattress is almost always a bad idea.
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Some form of storage for anything that can't go in the closet. Adapt this to your possessions and space. Dressers and shelves are traditional, but options like under-the-bed bins are good too. Just make sure you can store everything. Don't forget storing papers as well!
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A chair. How nice a chair depends on how much time you'll spend in it. If you'll spend a lot, get a good one.
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Some form of desk or table. You can use one as the other, you just need something you can eat on and do any work you need to do on.
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Bedding suitable to the climate that you are in - if you're moving long-distance, research this.
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Bathroom towels, washcloths, and kitchen towels and dishcloths
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A bath mat and shower curtain
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A vacuum
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Other supplies: a broom, a mop and bucket, some dust rags, and a plunger.
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Sufficient pots and pans. I recommend one stock pot, one small pot, and a frying pan. Also a cutting board and baking sheet.
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Utensils for cooking. A spatula, a stirrer/scraper/spoon, and some sharp knives (I'd say 1 serrated, 2 regular). Oven mitts as well.
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Measuring implements - 1 set wet, 1 set dry. Also a set of mixing bowls.
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Basic eating utensils. Silverware, plates, bowls, and mugs/cups. Don't need a huge amount here.
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Microwave. Not strictly necessary, but high enough to make the "can't live without" list for a lot of people.
Anything I'm missing?
July 13, 2017 at 08:55AM
