#apartment essentials

WLCM SUMMER CAMO - Jacket

2 Store Reviews

from $68.00

Embrace the elements in style with the WELÇOME© SUMMER CAMO Jacket — a lightweight, unisex windbreaker featuring an all-season camo print and bold, multicolor WELÇOME logo detail. Designed for mobility and streetwear flair, this jacket delivers comfort without sacrificing identity.

Lightweight polyester shell

Mesh-lined hood

Water-resistant finish

Vibrant full-color logo print

Available in Forest Camo and Black Camo

Extra cleaning supplies. I know this might sound dumb but I am forever forgetting to put dish soap/sponges/trash bags on the list. It's better to have extras lol

Definitely seconding an air fryer or an instant pot (though I think the air fryer is a hundred times easier to use).

Spices! Not sure how old anon/FWB is, but there are times you will be broke af and likely needing to eat ramen/pasta/cheap foods. Spices aren't SUPER expensive anymore (of course that depends on the individual spice as some are more expensive) but can massively change the flavor of a dish. Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, cinnamon, cayenne pepper are good places to start out.

Drawer/cabinet organizers can help a TON in both kitchen and bedrooms.

Candles, flashlights, and extra batteries for said flashlights. The power will always go out at the WORST times and it's better to be stocked up on these. Going off of that, canned food that doesn't necessarily have to be heaten up to eat. Again, power outages. Extra blankets, too.

I'm sure there's more but that's what I can think of, off the top of my head.

Photo courtesy of Flickr, photo captured by Donaleen  Your pantry can be the core of your kitchen. Making sure it is consistently stocked with the core items you need can aid you in becoming a seasoned chef in no time. 

     I remember walking into my apartment the first day I got the keys and beginning to unpack. As I was putting bowls and dishes away, I realized my pantry and fridge were completely empty. I quickly started asking my mom what I needed to buy in order to not starve for the next few weeks.

     I don’t want you guys to struggle with this at any point so I would like to share what I feel are some of the best items to buy for your first time stocking your pantry. These items all can go into a variety of recipes and are very customizable. 1. Cooking oils  One of my first suggestions is to always go ahead and purchase some kind of cooking oil. Whether it is olive, canola or vegetable you can elevate your dishes with these oils. Olive oil adds a great flavor to certain plates and all of these are fantastic at making sure your food won’t burn or stick to the pan. 2. Flour The next item on my list is flour. Flour is the base of most delicious dishes, whether it be macaroni and cheese or soups! You can make a great sauce with a base of just flour and butter with additional ingredients added in.

3. Seasonings  Next is seasonings! You’ll want to have the basics such as salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder on hand. Having others such as cinnamon and nutmeg can also help you dress up sweeter dishes. 

4. Proteins Always make sure you have some kind of meat or protein on hand. I personally love to have chicken breasts on hand at all times because they are such a versatile cut of meat, and there truly is a lot you can do with them. 5. Condiments  Last but not least, condiments will play a huge role in the kitchen! You don’t want to prepare a salad and get caught without any dressing, or make homemade sushi and have no soy sauce. Stocking up on your favorite condiments can turn boring dishes into something tastier and more fun to eat.

Hey clique! Delaney and I are going to do two packing lists for you guys to reference as a last-minute checklist. She’s going to cover dorm items every first year college student must have (x), and I’m tackling the essentials for your (my) first apartment!

As a second year broke college student, my mom and I have gone garage sale and thrift store hunting pretty much all summer. If you want to try to spare your wallet, don’t be afraid of secondhand stores! One mom’s junk is another broke girl’s treasure.

I don’t want to make this post too long, so I’ll just put asterisks ( * ) to let you know where I got my stuff! * = thrift store or garage sale * * = hand-me-downs * * * = a roommate is bringing it

Most importantly: if you have roommates, split up the essentials! Don’t be like me the one that supplies practically everything because then your bank account will cry.

BATHROOM ESSENTIALS

Toilet Paper (!!!!!!)

Bath Towels

Poo-pourri - or any spray that’ll cover the scent of your excrements

Shower curtain

KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

Stainless Steel Cookware: $30 on sale online at Macy’s ( x | x ) Unfortunately the sale has ended since I got my set it’s $120 now the heck but there are cheaper options on Amazon, at Target, probably even at HomeGoods, you just gotta look around.

* * * Plates/bowls, utensils, cups/mugs/glasses, etc

Paper towels

* * Cooking knives - mine are dull, so make sure you with check with your roommates if they’re bringing some new ones! Sharp knives are better than dull.

* Blender

* Crockpot: $8 at a local church thrift shop - throw your ingredients in the crockpot in the morning, set it to cook while you go to work/class, come back home and bam! dinner’s ready.

* * * Toaster

Water Filter - just in case your fridge doesn’t come with a water dispenser. If you want one that filters fluoride, this is the one I have.

CLEANING ESSENTIALS

Dishwashing liquid or the little packets

General cleaning spray - I use doTerra because I like natural stuff. You can use this and then dilute it with some water to make a kickass, natural cleaning spray!

Toilet bowl cleaner and brush (!!!!!!!)

Toilet bowl bleach things that you put on top of the tank - they really help

Cleaning wipes (Lysol is good, or anything for babies)

Windex, or anything to clean your mirrors

Sponges and scrub brushes (at least one of each: one for your kitchen, one for your bathroom)

PERSONAL ESSENTIALS

Toothbrush, toothpaste, mouth wash, body wash (hygiene is important ya’ll)

Deodorant (!!!!!! people can smell you even if you showered that morning)

If you’ve got a uterus: pads and/or tampons

MISCELLANEOUS

Rubbing Alcohol

Hydrogen Peroxide

Band-aids and Neosporin

HOME ESSENTIALS

Vacuum, mop, broom and dustpan (!!!!!! stay clean you guys)

Lighting: $15 at Big Lots, $13 at Ikea with a LED bulb, $8 without

Fan - in case there isn’t any AC

Bed sheets and Pillows

My apartment building is supplying the following items for us (cool, right?) but don’t forget these items, too!

Bed frame, Mattress

Desk and Chair - for studying!

I hope this was helpful! I’m moving into my apartment on Friday, so if I see anything else I might’ve forgotten, I’ll make another post or add on to this one. If you have any questions, let me know! Good luck with packing!

Stay alive, friends |-/

I keep seeing that HUGE ASS post about all the ‘essentials’ for your new apartment and I call 100% bullshit on it. You don’t need all that crap. You’re on a budget. Either  a student or just graduated or its your first job and you just moved out from your parents’ house and now you’re on your own with barely any money after paying off the rent.

I’m a student in the UK. I moved into a new place literally 2 weeks ago. I know my shit about essentials right now. So here’s a list of stuff you REALLY need! Also where you can find it cheap b/c lets face it you won’t go buying at Marks&Spencer (UK peeps will get me, not sure about the rest of the world. Its basically a high end grocery shop but it also has like homeware n stuff.

Btw since I’m in the UK, I'll mention specific cheap UK shops as that’s what I know. Americans you can go to Walmart or other cheap discount stores or thrift stores for some items!! Which you probably already know.

Still, there’s a lot of this you can buy gradually and not all at once so it won’t make you feel like you’re going for broke within seconds.

SO ANYWAY

bedsheets. chances are, your mum might have like 30 spares stashed in her cupboard so if your new place has a bed that is the same size as a bed at home, you go ask your momma. if not, Primark and Wilkos has cheap ones AND they have cute designs too if youre into that

towels (have spares of each one you need!)

blanket of some sort. you can get some cheap nice one or bring your fave from home - it’s perfect for a binge watch session on the sofa or as a superhero cape

cutlery set. Wilko’s has a set of 16 for like £2 so get on that shit. Ofc you might only need it for 1 person so feel free to do that

dinner set. for one or for 4 depending on if you’re planning to have people over

Tupperware. for home made lunches and leftovers

mugs and glasses. you dont need a lot, but you might also not want to wash the only one you have every second

pots and pans

set of sharp knives. i got a nice one off amazon for £10

cutting board

wooden spoon, spatula, grater, can opener, ladle, whisk, kitchen scissors, strainer - all those little things that are super useful

baking tray - those oven bake chips have to go somewhere

kettle

toaster

microwave (chances are, it will come provided with your place if you’re in student accommodation in the UK. or you can use the oven)

kitchen foil and cling film

resealable food bags - its cheaper to buy e.g. meat in bulk and then freeze it in 1 meal portions. bags are helpful with this

kitchen roll

oven glove (safety first!!!)

tea towels, toilet paper

scourers, cloths for cleaning

mop and dustpan/brush 

clothes hangers - if your places comes with a wardrobe, i can guarantee you there’s like 2 there and that’s it

cleaning products: washing up liquid, bin bags, kitchen/oven cleaner, bathroom cleaner, white vinegar (this is optional! good for cleaning glass/mirrors, kettles (yes those need cleaning too) and refrigerators), window/glass cleaner (or white vinegar - its cheaper!), toilet bleach, laundry detergent, furniture polish

bathroom stuff: a small bin, tooth brush cup, toilet brush, shower rug

small mirror

some candles + lighter if the electricity dies on you

list of emergency contact numbers in an accessible place: so repairman, your landlord, your parents, close friends, police/ambulance/fire department (when you panic you forget the simplest things sometimes), gas and electric company, same with water. if you’re in the uk, the local council

waste bin

food: my suggestion for basics is a few  pasta sauces, large bag of pasta (like 5kg) or rice, bread, butter/spread, milk/milk alternative, eggs, vegetable oil, salt, pepper something for your sandwiches and a few ramens for when you really don’t feel like cooking. tea and coffee too, but that’s personal preference. things like chips, chicken nuggets, frozen mixed vegetables can be found cheap and are easy to make so keep those if you like them. fresh fruit and vegetables are a saviours, but they can be pricey. tap water is ‘free’ (you pay for the water so technically not but its cheaper than bottled) and if you don’t like the taste pick up a filter jug when you can.