13 Things You Should Buy Before Your First Night in Your Apartment (Or You Will Regret It)

Real talk, the first night in your apartment is either going to feel like freedom… or like you accidentally moved into a storage unit with vibes. The difference is about $80 worth of stuff nobody tells you about.

I’m gonna be so for real with you: Future You does NOT care about your throw pillows right now. Future You cares about being able to shower, eat something warm, and not sit on the floor questioning your life choices.

So here it is — the list I wish someone texted me before my first move-in. Not cute. Not aesthetic. Just survival.

1. A Shower Curtain (Yes, Before Anything Else)

If your unit doesn’t come with one (and most don’t), you’re about to flood your entire bathroom like it’s a low-budget water park.

(Also: check if you even have a rod. Landlords LOVE to forget that part.)

Get the cheapest liner + curtain combo you can find. This is not where you blow money.

2. Toilet Paper (Do Not Be That Person)

Listen up. Pack this in a separate bag labeled “OPEN FIRST OR SUFFER.”

Because nothing humbles you faster than realizing all your TP is buried under a box labeled “winter clothes.”

3. A Lamp (Because Overhead Lighting Is a Crime)

That single ceiling bulb? It’s giving interrogation room.

Grab a $10–$20 lamp and instantly make your place feel 40% less depressing.

(FB Marketplace is your best friend here. Real talk.)

4. Extension Cords & Power Strips

Outlets will never be where you need them. Ever.

Especially in older buildings where someone clearly installed them based on vibes, not logic.

Buy at least two power strips. Future You will thank you when your phone can charge somewhere other than the kitchen.

5. Basic Cleaning Supplies (Because It’s Not Actually Clean)

I don’t care what your landlord said — it’s not clean. It’s “landlord clean,” which means someone wiped the middle of the counter and called it a day.

• All-purpose spray
• Paper towels or rags
• Dish soap
• Trash bags

(Also: wipe your cabinets. I promise they’re sticky. I PROMISE.)

6. A Shower Towel You Can Actually Find

Not “somewhere in a box.” Not “probably in the bedroom stuff.”

One. Clearly visible. Towel.

This is about avoiding the post-shower panic where you drip-dry like a raccoon.

7. A Cheap Set of Dishes (Minimum Viable Kitchen)

You don’t need a 12-piece matching set. You need:

• 1 plate
• 1 bowl
• 1 cup
• 1 fork + 1 spoon

That’s it. You are not hosting Thanksgiving. Survive first, Pinterest later.

8. A Trash Can (Or You Will Create a Trash Pile)

If you don’t buy one, your apartment will slowly become a “temporary trash corner situation.”

And temporary turns into… you get the idea.

9. A Bed Setup (Even If It’s Just a Mattress)

I don’t care if it’s on the floor. I don’t care if your bed frame comes later.

You need somewhere to sleep that isn’t “curled up on a hoodie.”

(Reminder: mattress is one of the few things worth spending actual money on.)

10. Curtains or Something for Privacy

Real talk: people can see in. Yes, even on the second floor.

If you can’t afford curtains yet, grab tension rods + cheap panels or even temporary paper shades.

11. A Basic Toolkit (Because Something Will Break)

You don’t need a full workshop. Just:

• Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Tape measure

Because the second you don’t have these, something will immediately need fixing.

12. Snacks + One Easy Meal

You will be tired. Possibly emotional. Definitely hungry.

Have something ready that doesn’t require effort. Even if it’s frozen food and an air fryer (yes, still superior).

13. A Folder (Start Your Emergency Binder NOW)

I know. This sounds dramatic.

It’s not.

Put your lease, receipts, and move-in photos in one place. Day one.

Future You — the version trying to get your security deposit back — will want to hug you.

The Stuff Nobody Tells You

You don’t need a perfect apartment on day one. You need a functional one.

The aesthetic comes later. The rug, the gallery wall, the “vibe” — all of that can wait.

What can’t wait is being able to exist in your space without stress.

So if you’re standing in your new place tonight surrounded by boxes and mild panic: you’re doing it right.

Just make sure you have toilet paper.

You’ve got this. Go drink some water.