Welcome to the first apartment series! Whether you are moving into your first apartment in college, graduating and living on your own for the first time, or moving in with a partner, every time you move it can feel like you are completely starting from scratch. Not anymore! This series is all about everything you need for your “first” (or best!) apartment. To start off, I’m going to take you through the only five appliances you need for your first apartment. Really! 5! That’s it!
To start off, let me give you a little bit of backstory. When I moved into my first apartment in college, I had absolutely no idea what I did and didn’t need. I bought wayyyy too much stuff that I didn’t need and made my life so much more difficult by not buying a few things that would have made my life way easier. Fast forward a few years, and I have pretty much become the queen of uprooting my life to move across the country. Seriously. I moved from Louisiana -> Arizona -> Louisiana -> Pennsylvania in the span of 6 years. When I lived in Arizona I moved *at least* once a year and accumulated plenty of stuff I didn’t need in the process.
Moving across the country a few times and knowing that I will likely have at least two more cross-country moves before I am settled has really made me pare down what I buy. Well, I still somehow accumulate a ton of stuff I don’t need wherever I go, but at least now I know what’s important!
Why There are Only 5 Appliances You Need for Your First Apartment
After my series of moves, I really strongly believe that there are only five appliances you need for your first apartment. Why only five?! Well, there are plenty of appliances that make your life easier, but it’s really a matter of what you will get the most use out of and what is the most worth it.
There are so many great appliances out there, but many of them have very niche uses that really limit what they can do for you. When you factor in the start-up and maintenance cost, storage space, and how much time it actually saves you, you will probably reconsider investing in something that you don’t use that frequently.
For example, I hate, hate, haaate dirty floors, and having my rugs be grimey really gives me the heebie-jeebies. Having a rug/carpet cleaner so I can wash my rugs weekly would be the dream. However…I’m probably not going to wash my rugs weekly even if I did have one, and I have absolutely nowhere to store it. Let’s not even consider if we move apartments again in a year or two, or if we end up making a major move sooner than expected. While the $40 to rent the Rug Doctor from Walmart might hurt every couple of months, you can consider the extra money to be paying for the storage fee!
What I mean to say is that appliances are an investment both monetarily and in terms of your space – which is a hot commodity in apartment living! Truly, if you are tight on space, funds, or just don’t want to buy something you might have to move in 6 months, there are only five appliances that you really need for your first apartment.
The Kitchen Appliances You Need
The kitchen is truly my favorite part of the home and it’s where most of my favorite appliances are housed! Though my recent UberEats habit might lead you to believe otherwise, I don’t want to not spend an entire paycheck on UberEats every month. So even when cooking isn’t “fun,” it’s frequently necessary. I mean, if I had an unlimited amount of money I would probably never cook again, but here we are.
The kitchen is probably where appliances can save you the most amount of time, but also where you can easily end up overbuying appliances. Just…take a look at my own kitchen, lol. It is super, super easy to get caught up in the latest kitchen appliance trend and end up with something that you don’t use very frequently. If you have space, I say go for it! However, if you’re on a budget or short on space, you only need a few kitchen appliances to make your life easier.
First of all, I’m going to assume you have a microwave. If not, then please consider this the list of 6 kitchen appliances you need or tell me how you manage to survive without one!
Airfryer and Toaster Oven
Besides a microwave, you need a combination air fryer and toaster oven. Truly, these are my two most frequently used kitchen appliances, and they are so worth the price. Now that sleek, space-conscious combo options are all over the market, you should pick one up! If you’re extra tight on space, there is even a mini version!
Crockpot
If you are moving into your first apartment and aren’t super comfortable in the kitchen, please, please, please get a crockpot. They are life-changing if you are busy or don’t feel confident in the kitchen. These crockpot liners are game-changers if you’re like me and consider washing dishes to be the absolute worst chore ever.
A Morning Beverage Station
Lastly, the last kitchen appliance you truly need is a convenient way to make your preferred morning beverage. I love both coffee and tea, so I have both set-ups, but that’s kind of unnecessary. If you’re an espresso kind of girl, I highly recommend this espresso machine for the best tasting, easiest espresso beverages. Is drip coffee more of your thing? This adorable coffee maker is perfect for a small space and will put a smile on your face whenever you use it! If you’re a tea drinker and you’re trying to convince yourself to microwave water instead of getting a kettle…girl…don’t do it. Get a cute kettle that will make your life so much easier.
Home Appliances You Need
Now that you’ve got all your must-have kitchen gear, let’s move into the home appliances you need! Really, there aren’t as many here as someone else might lead you to believe. There are only a few appliances that you really can’t do without!
A Strong Vacuum
The first home appliance you absolutely need is a very strong vacuum. I know everyone and their mother raves about the Dyson stick vacuum, and it is beautiful and powerful. However, unless you’re extremely tight on space, let me lead you in another direction. While it might not be as nice looking, a regular standing vacuum is going to give you way more power than a stick vacuum. Like I said if you don’t have space, absolutely go for a stick vacuum. Just try to choose a standing vacuum if you can.
A Handheld Vacuum
The last appliance I think is absolutely necessary is a smaller, handheld vacuum. I know, I know, two vacuums? Hear me out. Your larger vacuum is going to really get into your carpet, rugs, and general flooring. You can also use it to vacuum your couch, cabinets, windowsills, and everything else that collects dust or dog hair. However, It isn’t super convenient to be lugging around a giant vacuum and trying to reach your top-most kitchen cabinets.
For everyday spills, dog hair management, and just plain ole convenience, you can’t go wrong with a handheld vacuum. They are also great for cleaning out your car! As city dwellers, we have no control over how far away we might park from our apartment on a given day. It is nice to know that we can easily vacuum out our car without worrying if an extension cord will reach!
Did I miss any home appliances that are absolute must-haves for your first apartment? Let me know in the comments below!
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