ORIGINAL POST DATE: 05-23-2019

I moved out on my own for the first time at 19. I shared a 2 bedroom apartment with a roommate in the Parkchester area of the Bronx and you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t grown. I moved with my bed, dresser, computer, clothes, and shoes. Within a week, I’d made countless trips to the local Macy’s to purchase bedding, towels, tv, and a mini fridge for my room.

Six years and COUNTLESS moves later — I was bit of a rebellious nomad in my early twenties — I would be moving into my very first grown-up apartment. My studio apartment sat 39 floors above an amazing view ofHell’s Kitchen and I couldn’t wait to start pulling together my “bachelorette pad”. I’ve only moved twice since — to Washington with a husband and kid, and once more six months into our new west coast life.

What all 3 moves had in common was a cautious excitement to furnish & decorate…

without wasting time or money.

After all these moves, I like to think I know a thing or two about apartment readiness. I’ve learned what to prioritize, what’s a necessity, and what can totally wait when it comes to making our rental feel like a home. Not to be confused with moving essentials, whether I was starting from scratch or bringing things with me, there were some things that I found myself always needing in my apartment.

So what does one need when living in an apartment — whether it’s your first or your fifteenth?

Here’s my list of apartment essentials and must-haves:

Living Room

…because first impressions are lasting impressions

Kitchen & Dining

…because the shortest way to someone’s heart is their belly

Bedroom

…because that’s where the magic happens

Bathroom

…because everyone deserves a spa-cation

Lighting

…because your home deserves to shine bright

Accents & decor

…because no look is complete without finishing touches

Storage Solutions

…because everything in the home needs a home

Smart Tech

…because it’s the 21st century and we’re millennials

Cleaning & Maintenance

…because a clean home is a happy home

Tools & Emergencies

…because life is unpredictable & shit happens

This is quite possibly the longest shopping guide I’ve done to date — 150 items!

And this isn’t to say that this list is even everything that goes into really feeling settled in your apartment. Depending on your lifestyle, your needs will vary. This is why I started offering retail therapy sessions. It’s all about prioritizing and finding a perfect balance of solution based yet stylish design through shopping with intention.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a boatload of items aren’t on here that’ll improve your quality of life — depending on said life — from a step ladder for putting away your pots and hanging your art to an air freshener for making sure your home always smells welcoming and cozy.

As comprehensive as this guide is, it’s just that — a guide.

It’s a starting point of ideas (many of which have worked for me) on how to have a comfortable, functional, and most importantly, happy apartment.

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