The Ultimate Apartment Checklist

Hey everyone! I wanted to update you all and let you know that Omar and I have found the perfect apartment. As some of you may know, after living in North Carolina together we moved back home when Omar got out of the military. We lived with our parents for a bit to save money, because as you all know Northern Virginia is very expensive. Omar has started school and has a full-time job. I graduated college and I am also working full-time. We finally saved up money and found our dream apartment in Falls Church. We have been so excited to start decorating it and looking for all of the fun new pieces to add to our new home. When my Grandma made a comment about hitting up Costco before we move-in, it dawned on me that although we’re looking for some big items, we’re realizing that we’re forgetting some of the minor and most important things too.  Like, a broom! Much needed especially when you own a husky. I decided it would be a good idea to sit down and make a checklist of everything you need when moving to a new place. For all of you who are moving soon too, I hope this helps when trying to get organized and plan your move.

I found it easier instead of just adding things, to organize it by the room. There’s a ton of little items that you won’t think of until you’re trying to set up a shower curtain and realize you need shower curtain hooks. Hopefully, this post can postpone some of that frustration. Some of these are absolute must-haves, while others are helpful, but they’re not dire to have. Just focus on your budget and decide if you want to spend $10 on a trashcan or on a picture frame.

Entry

Most of the time entryways can be kind of bare, but there are some items that you can add to make your entryway more personalized. None of these are “must-haves,” but rather secondary items you may eventually want to get.

Key Holder | Mail Holder | Coat Rack | Side Table | Welcome Mat

Kitchen

Kitchens tend to have so many little items that you forget about until you start cooking. These items don’t have to be expensive, I think our first apartment most of the kitchen necessities actually came from the dollar store!

Pots & Pans | Cake & Muffin Pans | Baking Sheets | Mixing Bowls | Cutting Board | Cooking Utensils | Knives | Measuring Cups | Plates | Bowls | Coffee Mugs | Glasses | Silverware | Silverware Organizer | Coffee Pot | Toaster | Microwave | Blender | Bottle Opener | Can Opener | Dish Drying Rack | Spice Rack | Tupperware | Water Filter Pitcher | Ice Trays | Waffle Maker | Crock Pot | Rice Maker | Dish Towels | Oven Mitts | Trashcan | Acrylic Fridge Organizers | Plastic Food Containers | Ziploc Bags | Aluminum Foil | Paper Towels | Sponges

Dinning Room

Most apartments don’t come with an actual “dinning room,” but rather an area that could potentially fit a dinning room table and some chairs. Luckily, there are a lot of options when it comes to finding the right dinning room set up for your home.

Dinning Table | Chairs | Bar Cart | Bar Stools | Wine Rack

Living Room

Living rooms are the focal point of any home. It’s first thing your guest will see so you want it to look good, but also have everything you need to make it comfortable for you. There are a lot of bigger furniture pieces that you’ll need for this room, but it’s also the place where you can show a lot of your personality.

Couch | Side Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Area Rug | Television Stand | Television | Curtains | Throw Pillows | Blankets | Storage Basket | Drink Coasters | Bookshelf | Artwork | Shelves | Candles | Plants | Décor | Electronics (Apple TV,  Amazon Alexa, etc.) | Extension Chord

Bedroom

Ah, the bedroom. It’s your go-to place when you need to unwind and relax. Depending on how big your bedroom is, depends on how much you’ll want to put into your bedroom. There are some necessities that you will need such as a bed, but other items such as a vanity may be what you get later on.

Bed Frame | Mattress | Sheets | Comforter | Pillows | Blankets | Throw Pillows | Night Stands | Desk Lamps | Dresser | Mirror | Curtains | Jewelry Organizer | Vanity | Bookshelf | Artwork | Décor | Plants | Television | Storage Containers | Hangers | Shoe Rack | Candles | Sleep Mask

Bathroom

I have never been a big believer in decorating a bathroom. I don’t like putting family pictures or cliché quotes on the bathroom wall. It’s just not my style. I like to keep it simple and let some of the bathroom accessories stand out. The bathroom is also a place where you will need certain things that you don’t really think about until the time comes.

Bath Towels & Washcloths | Hand Towels | Bath Mat | Shower Curtain | Shower Liner | Shower Curtain Hooks | Shower Storage & Shelves | Cabinet Organizers | Hair Product Organizer | Makeup Organizer | Qtip Holder | Cotton Pad Holder | Scale | Toothbrush Holder | Soap Dispenser | Candles | Air Fresheners | Wastebasket | Toilet Plunger | Toilet Brush Cleaner | Toilet Paper | Qtips | Tissues | Toothbrush | Toothpaste | Face Wash | Shampoo & Conditioner | Soap | Body Wash | Razors | Shaving Cream | Robe

Laundry Room

Laundry rooms are pretty straightforward. You need laundry detergent and what not, but there are something’s you may want to get to make life a bit easier. For instance, I’m definitely investing into a clothes steamer because I felt like I never had time to iron things and since we don’t have a full laundry room, but rather a laundry closet, I think it would be easier to store.

Laundry Basket | Iron & Ironing Board | Steamer | Lint Roller | Dryer Sheets | Laundry Detergent | Bleach | Fabric Softener | Scent Boosters | Stain Remover | Wrinkle Releaser

Cleaning Supplies

Vacuum | Broom & Dust Pan | Swifter | Swiffer Sweeper Dry | Swiffer Sweeper Wet | Duster | Cleaning Wipes | All-Purpose Cleaner | Glass Cleaner | Magic Eraser | Dish Soap | Lysol | Carpet Cleaner | Hardwood Cleaner | Toilet Bowl Cleaner | Drano | Shower Cleaner | Febreeze

Wow! What a long list. I hope that this helps when you start to get your apartment checklist together. Obviously, some of these things will vary depending on your apartment and what you may or may not need. For the most part though, this should cover a good amount of things. If you can think of anything else I need to add to the list, leave me a comment down below. Happy shopping!!

xoxo, Michele