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!
I love me some household gadgets, but the one thing that (to me anyway) makes a place feel more lived in is “stuff”. What I mean by this is things that fill in empty space. A coffee table book, art on the wall, a guitar case in the corner, a hanging plant, etc. Just stuff. It doesn’t have to be nice stuff, or fancy stuff, it just has to be stuff you like looking at. Little tokens of things. Don’t go out and buy a bunch of stuff all at once but honestly go find like a flea market or a local art shop or just pick up something kitchy from a coffee shop or whatever, I don’t know what you’ve got around you. Just grab something, anything that has literally no value whatsoever except “I like to look at this thing.” And then put that thing somewhere. And then once in a while go do that again. Eventually you’ve got stuff everywhere and it’s all stuff you like looking at and other people like seeing. I’m not saying to cover your house in kitch or clutter or anything but you can always tell a lot about someone by the “stuff” they have. You see people’s homes that have nice furniture and things but plain white walls and nothing on any of the furniture and it just looks weird and empty and sterile. Not for me.
In terms of like, more practical things? Definitely a laundry key, I love mine. A cold brew coffee maker is just a jar with a spigot on the bottom and a filter…I also love mine but don’t get anything too fancy there. I also love my rice cooker if you eat a lot of rice highly recommend, again it doesn’t need to be fancy. I’d buy the space heater once you know you need it, maybe your place is well insulated and you don’t need it or maybe not.
My one major piece of advice for everyone moving in anywhere is ALWAYS BUY A PLUNGER BEFORE YOU NEED A PLUNGER. It’s much nicer to have one on hand when the toilet starts to overflow instead of needing to go out and get one after it has already made a giant fucking mess everywhere. I think this advice applies to lots of things though. It’s nice to have spares of stuff that is like critical. Have an extra towel, an extra set of sheets, things like that, just in case something goes wrong in the laundry or something like that.
Are you renting or did you buy something?
Anyway I have lots of opinions on this apparently so hopefully this was helpful.
My one major piece of advice for everyone moving in anywhere is ALWAYS BUY A PLUNGER BEFORE YOU NEED A PLUNGER.
I never get how it’s not an absolute global standard not to have a plunger sitting out next to every toilet in the house. You guests will fucking thank you lol.
Every kitchen needs a fire extinguisher and every bathroom needs a plunger
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
I fell for this meme but it neglects to account for the fact that furniture & flooring has thermal mass and gets cold as shit when it isn’t being heated. It also takes a very very long time to heat up (again because of the thermal mass). Just turning on the heater so the apartment & all its furniture was always a comfortable temp without me wearing a toque & fingerless gloves & slippers & always being covered in blankets & drinking hot water was probably the greatest possible improvement to my happiness & comfort for the money spent.
Rice cooker
Hell yeah, get a nice one like a Zojirushi if possible
Cold brew coffee maker
Loose-leaf tea equipment is very cheap if you’re into that and are looking for a more moderate caffeine hit
seltzer water thingy
Airstream is an israeli company btw
Hmm that’s a good note on the space heater.
The coffee maker I’m looking at is only like $30 and I’ll make that back in the money I save not buying premade concentrate pretty quick
I actually have a Drinkmate which isn’t connected to Israel afaik! I think the canisters are still Sodastream but I’m working on finding a local homebrew shop that will refill them for cheap compared to swapping them out at target or something
Some art on the walls is a nice touch.
Beat me to it. Nothing makes a domicile a home faster than art and photographs on the walls. Pictures of family on the mantle or on the bar, some Pier 1 cheap-ass prints, maybe a decorative plant, boom. Home.
- A nice fan
- Reusable soap dispensers (Can also save you money in the long term)
- Shower organizers
- A nicer bagged vacuum
- In sink sponge holder
- Lamps for indirect lighting
For ricr cooker, I haven’t seen any meaningful difference between the cheaoest rice cooker and a medium priced one. Either go for the zojiroshi or by the $20 one.
All good shouts. I have a dinky little stick vac I might just use for the moment as there’s no carpet
Get one of those straw brooms at the Asian market to sweep up before you vac
If you’re into it plants can make really nice cheap decorations and add a feel of life to the place.
Depends on the work you want to put and how much you travel. Jade plants, aloe and other succulents take almost nothing. Water 'em like once a month. I’m a big fan of ferns, pretty low effort and they can grow to what ever size you let them.
Really most plants are pretty easy if you have them in the right soil and pots. Most only need watered weekly, if that, and will stay healthy with no maintenance.
Others have mentioned Sansevieria and pothos, I’d add spider plants (chlorophytum comosum) are very low maintenance and you can probably get a baby for free from somebody who has a mother plant. Also ZZ plants (zamioculcas zamifolia) because they don’t require much light and can go longer without watering so their placement can be more flexible.
