- How do I prepare for my first apartment?
- What do I need for a first apartment?
- How do I budget for my first apartment?
- 7 Tips for Decorating on a Budget
- First Apartment Essentials: How to Get Everything You Need
Making your home beautiful on a budget doesn’t have to be impossible and can even be fun. It’s all about figuring out your priorities and being smart about how you shop. With this guide, you’ll be ready for move-in in no time!
How do I prepare for my first apartment?
Once you’ve found a place and signed a lease, you’ll need to decide on what you want out of the space before deciding on specific items to buy. For example, you might need to identify if you need:
- A dedicated workspace
- Room to exercise/have equipment
- Bike storage
- Creative space, like room to make art or fit a keyboard
- Room for guests
While the amount of space will limit you – most people’s first apartments don’t have ample room for guests, deciding on these things can help you prioritize what to actually buy and how you’ll eventually lay out your furniture.
This is also a great time to decide if you want any particular feel or colors for your first apartment. It doesn’t have to be interior designer-level specific, but if you know that you love neutrals, or you prefer warm colors, that can be very helpful.
What do I need for a first apartment?
Once you’ve figured out the basics of how you’ll ensure that your first apartment fits your needs and preferences, you can begin putting together a list of items you need. While there are many obvious ones, like a bed and a place to eat, there are many other items that might be space or preference-dependent or are just nice to have if they’re in your budget, but not necessary.
To help you out with putting together a shopping list, we’ve created a comprehensive list of must-haves, space-dependent items, and nice-to-have items by room so that you can easily determine what you need and get shopping!
How do I budget for my first apartment?
Budgeting for your home can be very difficult because it’s often not a one-time sum. When it’s spread out over several months, it can quickly add up without you realizing it. There are a few ways you can try to curb or manage your spending:
- Always try to buy second-hand first.
- Put aside a percentage of your income to use for home purchases and subtract all your buys from that amount to keep track.
- Track your home purchases and refer to it before making a new purchase
There is no easy way to say how much you should spend on your first apartment because everyone has different preferences and incomes but it is important to at least be aware of how much you’re spending before you spend more.
7 Tips for Decorating on a Budget
1. Take your time decorating
Since this is your first apartment, it’s very likely that you don’t have a clear idea of what your decorating style is. This can make it difficult to make decisions about furniture and decorations that you’re still going to feel good about six months, a year, or two years from now.
The best way to ensure that you love every piece that you bring into your new home is to shop carefully and over time. Resist the urge to buy the first item you land on. There may be something better suited to your taste, a better price, or a unique item you can find at your local Goodwill that’s worth waiting for.
2. Consider your layout for furniture shape/size
Most apartments come in small and often strange layouts that make them hard to furnish in a functional way. The couch your best friend got for her apartment might not work at all for your space!
A few tips to consider:
- Whenever possible, pull your furniture out from the wall.
- If you have a more narrow, rectangular living room, try a sectional sofa
- Balancing rectangular furniture with round elements can help vary a rectangular space
- Hang your curtain rod higher and wider than your window to make it appear larger
- Vary the height of your decor to fill the space better
- Use strategically placed mirrors to open up the space
- Layer your lighting to avoid only using harsh overhead lights
While there are no hard and fast rules about each unique space, applying these tips to your apartment can help you make the most of your space while avoiding some of the awkward difficulties of decorating irregularly-shaped spaces.
3. Create a “nice to have” list for long-term shopping
As you start deciding what kind of furniture and decorations you want in your place, we recommend making two lists: a “must-have” list and a “nice to have” list.
We all want a perfectly curated apartment without an empty corner, but not all of our pockets are deep enough to do this right away in our first apartment. By creating two lists, you can focus on getting your must-have pieces that are within budget. Your “nice to have” list is the one where you get to take your time finding the perfect pieces and checking off items as you can afford them.
For a full list of apartment must-haves and some recommended “nice to haves,” download our first apartment checklist.
4. Choose your investment/splurge pieces
Once you’ve got a must-have list, you can start deciding which pieces from that list are most worth investing a little more money in. While you might put a coffee machine, microwave, couch, dining table and chairs on our must-have list, you probably don’t want to spend a lot of money on all of those. If you’re a coffee-feind, maybe the $250 espresso machine is worth it. However, if you love having friends over and hosting movie nights, buying a bigger, comfier couch that you plan to use for years is a much better idea.
5. Search for items with built-in storage
As you start searching for the furniture on your list, keep in mind how much storage space already exists in your apartment. The easiest way to make an apartment look small is to fill it with clutter. To avoid this, look for furniture with built-in storage.
For example, a glass coffee table might look great, but a coffee table that has drawers or opens in some way to provide storage is much more practical for a small first apartment. Similarly, you can look for entryway tables and nightstands with drawers, bookshelves with cabinets built-in, and even beds with built-in storage.
6. Shop on Facebook Marketplace first
If you are on a budget, one of the best things you can do is shop second-hand. If you have any second-hand stores with good choices and prices, that’s also a great place to look for furniture. However, Facebook Marketplace offers the convenience of browsing from anywhere and you can often find much higher quality items than you might at your local thrift shop.
Shopping on Facebook Marketplace for your first apartment is great for non-essential items and items you don’t mind buying used. A mattress wouldn’t be a good buy, but a coffee table, or even a very clean sofa can be excellent buys. If you’re patient with furnishing your apartment, you can find some unique or just very affordable, lightly used pieces to perfect your decor.
7. Subscribe to home store newsletters
If you’re not finding what you want second-hand, or you have a very specific style or piece in mind, it can be helpful to subscribe to store newsletters. This way, you can stay informed about deals they might have. Even if you can’t afford that new armchair today, you might be able to next month when they’re having a 40% off sale.
First Apartment Essentials: How to Get Everything You Need
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed about how to pick everything you need and afford it, don’t worry. Our First Apartment Essentials Checklist has everything on it so you don’t forget a thing! You can get your own free copy to kick off your apartment decorating below, as well as browse some of our Amazon apartment favorites!
