Move in is the next few weeks. I've lived on my "own" (roommate I never interacted with) for a couple months my last semester of college, but that was a temporary setup whereas I'm hopefully moving out for good this time.

Bear in mind that the place has window/wall A/C and electric heating.

Things I'm already considering:

  • Drain guard
  • Bidet
  • Cold brew coffee maker
  • Rice cooker
  • Space heater? I'd like to keep the temp largely down during the winter to save money while warming up the part of the place I'm in
  • Key for washer/dryer

Things I already have:

  • Most furniture
  • Air fryer
  • Seltzer water thingy
  • Meal prep containers

General advice is also welcome!

  • infuziSporg [e/em/eir]
    ·
    2 hours ago

    Seconding the electric tea kettle, basic toolkit, and vacuum. Also you'll want a good mop, the tornado ones are really efficient. Sweep first, then mop. If you keep shoes on a shoe rack then you won't have to worry about cleaning as much/often

    If you don't live in an arid or semi-arid climate, a dehumidifier is a must; 60% humidity and above will mold things faster in your kitchen, promote mildew, and just feel hotter in general.

    Having plenty of chairs and table space is important. 5-gallon buckets are cheap storage and double-purpose as bottom-tier stools, but stackable chairs are better, and can be condensed to the space of just 1 or 2 chairs. If you find yourself keeping everything on the table, you probably need shelves. (In a pinch, you can use cinder blocks and 1x6 dimensional lumber for shelving, and still pull off a DIY aesthetic.)

    Make sure your bed rises far enough off the ground that you can put storage totes or shoeboxes underneath it. Bed risers can help with this but a higher frame is best.

    A space heater is a good idea to "heat people, not rooms". For yourself and for guests during the winter, put extra blankets on a couch and chairs.

    • RION [she/her]
      hexagon
      ·
      18 minutes ago

      I've already got the bed frame but it's pretty low to the ground. Might have to spring for some of them risers

  • whogivesashit@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    3 hours ago

    House plants, rugs, lamps and wall art go a long way towards making stuff look more adult-like and "complete".

    As far as amenities go, a space heater is pretty meh and they cause a fair amount of house fires. Don't recommend it. Someone said heating blanket which I will second if you're trying to save cash.

    Rice cookers are great, but honestly rice isn't that hard in a pot so I would prioritize other stuff first.

    Bidets are life changing, and they help save on toilet paper which is nice.

    The French press is a really cheap purchase for making coffee and quite versatile.

    • RION [she/her]
      hexagon
      ·
      25 minutes ago

      Idk why I didn't think of this

      Also anyone read that YA sci-fi book where the guy turns invisible because of a heated blanket

  • infuziSporg [e/em/eir]
    ·
    2 hours ago

    Oh and if you have a place to compost, use a coffee canister for food scraps. Food in the compost, rinse off anything with food residue. If you have this, plus a nearby place to recycle stuff, your trash won't stink, and you won't go through as many trash bags.

  • Weedian [he/him]
    ·
    edit-2
    3 hours ago

    Bidet definitely. I refuse to poop anywhere else now.

    Peg boards are really handy for hanging pots and pans and save you a lot of cabinet space

    Similarly installing small shelves in the kitchen area for spices frees up counter space.

    Ricer cooker with a steam tray on top, just remember you'll need more water when cooking rice and steaming something at the same time. I love cooking tamales and steam baos from in mine

  • CloutAtlas [he/him]
    ·
    4 hours ago

    Non meme answer, as a line cook:

    • Get a good kitchen knife. If a YouTuber has sponsored it, it's probably overpriced (and honestly, quality varies from bad to just above average). A Chinese caidao/vegetable cleaver is versatile and durable, although possibly a bit intimidating because it's larger than Japanese/French knives. A Shi Ba Zi Zuo will be fine for domestic use for years, very affordable, holds its edge quite well, kind of heavy but unlikely to be strenuous unless you're dicing vegetables for hours on end, and even so weight helps with cutting. Holding it is slightly different to a western pinch grip but should be easy to adjust, huge blade surface area allows for it to rest on your knuckles if you wish usage shown here. You can use it as a bench scraper as well. Get a paring knife for things that require a bit more dexterity and you're set.

    • Get a biiiig chopping board. Just as large as you can reasonably clean in your sink.

  • TraschcanOfIdeology [they/them, comrade/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    4 hours ago

    One of the main steps from "livable" to "cute" is rugs and throw blankets for your furniture. They're good for decoration, but they also keep you warm. You can thrift them.

  • ChestRockwell [comrade/them, any]
    ·
    4 hours ago

    Bidet is god-tier. Get one -- even a cheapo cold only one is good, but if you have a few hundred saved, Costco often has sales on a pretty solid Toto model that's pretty no-fuss. I had a Tushy once, and getting the hot water from the bathroom sink was a pain.

    Also, learn how to use drywall anchors for hanging shelves and shit -- you can buy a 4 dollar tube of spackle when you move out and patch any holes yourself.

    • RION [she/her]
      hexagon
      ·
      21 minutes ago

      More and more people are saying this

  • Ildsaye [they/them]
    ·
    3 hours ago

    what are those snaking showerheads, like the detachable ones? Those are nice

  • GoodGuyWithACat [he/him]
    ·
    7 hours ago

    Go to a second hand store or a yard sale or the like. Pick of some cheap pieces of art that look nice to you. Don't worry about tacky or classy, just whatever you vibe with. My wall is filled with an eclectic assortment of random pieces and if it's all random, it goes well together.

    Also an electric kettle is really useful, but if you're fresh from college you might already have one.

    • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
      ·
      5 hours ago

      Electric kettles are great. I use mine for pour over coffee (hot and iced), and even random shit where I need really hot water and don't want to wait for it.

      • MaoTheLawn [any, any]
        ·
        edit-2
        4 hours ago

        So strange to hear that an electric kettle is not a standard item....

        In the UK you'll find them in every household because tea. Back when TV was the main entertainment source, some of the power grids biggest spikes were in BBC TV advert breaks, when everyone would go flick the electric kettle on to make a tea for the next part of the show.

        • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
          ·
          1 hour ago

          We don't drink tea as often as you all do, and I think a lot of us who do use the microwave to heat their water lmao. amerikkka-clap

          I only got one since I got into Japanese-style pour over coffee, but they're definitely great.

  • tripartitegraph [comrade/them]
    ·
    3 hours ago

    I'd agree with all of your suggestions, except maybe the cold brew maker. I've found using a french press works pretty much just as well and you can make hot coffee in it too!
    The real curveball, that honestly might be unnecessary, is a new shower head. My last place had an awful one, it would push out a ton of water really haphazardly. The QoL upgrade when I finally (after 1.5 years of suffering) bought and installed my own was kind of upsetting. I got better pressure, better coverage, and the hot water lasted longer since it was using less. For $20 and a few minutes of install my life got so much better. And if you have the ceiling space, I think an extender isn't a bad idea either: you can sort of get the "waterfall" effect without splurging on a high end showerhead.

    • RION [she/her]
      hexagon
      ·
      30 minutes ago

      The shower head looked pretty new but I've yet to try it, will keep that in mind

  • chungusamonugs [he/him]
    cake
    ·
    4 hours ago

    Art is huge, but cannot recommend throw rug enough.

    Stuff that looks ugly in a thrift store comes alive when put against apartment carpet or vinyl flooring. Absorbs sounds too.

  • Adkml [he/him]
    ·
    4 hours ago

    House plants if you have any natural light.

    This is a bit more of a commitment but I really liked keeping a fishtank in my first apartment that didn't get enough natural light for pants in the living room.