I'm getting ready to move into my own
place for the first time- what are the essentials I absolutely NEED to
have when I first move in? I can think of some obvious things, but I'm
sure there are things I won't think of until I need them, and I'd like
to save myself 10 separate trips to the store for all those things you forget are necessities until they're, well, necessary.
In a Dilemma
Henry Varner in St Louis
Dear Henry,
Having moved into my own place without roommates for the first time myself only this year, this list would have been GREAT for me to have had last April. As it is, my 5+ late-night last-minute trips to Walmart are still branded on my mind and I will be happy to share the spoils of my experience.
1) Toilet paper- first thing you buy, first thing you bring into your new place.
2) Plunger- depending on what you eat on move-in day, you may want to bring this in with the toilet paper, just in case.
3) Bug Killer- I recommend spending the extra cash on the "perimeter spray" and coating the perimeters, particularly the bottoms of doorways and window sills, before you move any of your stuff in. Another great tip a friend of mine recently told me is that if you take plain old rubbing alcohol, and pour it (undiluted) into a spray bottle, and shoot any bugs that cross your threshold with it, it will die ON THE SPOT. If you are blessed with having never experienced the horror and squeemishness of a gigantic wood roach scuttling off to die, hidden under your bed, after you spray it thoroughly with your expensive RAID spray, take it from me- it is WORTH it to know you can kill them right where you shoot them.
4) Hand towels, and if you don't already have them, Bath towels
5) A Shower Curtain AND LINER!- you'll realize you need that right about the time you've stripped down to take a shower, and no, they don't serve the same purpose, you DO need both. (or at the BARE MINIMUM you need the liner)
6) A Bath Mat- I confess, I waited 6 months to get one of these because I'm painfully frugal and I considered it a luxury, but now that I have one I have seen the error of my ways- they're only about $15 at the discount superstores, and really very useful.
7) Water Filter- Check the day of move-in to see if the water in your apartment/house is actually potable. Don't fool yourself, thinking that odd taste won't really bother you- I got much too dehydrated for the first few weeks because I was too cheap to buy a $10 filter pitcher and really couldn't stand the taste of my tap water.
8) Spare Blanket- At least 1, because you never know when your heat will go out in the middle of the night.
9) Toiletries- deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, conditioner, razors, shaving cream, soap, hand soap at the sink
10) Dish-Washing Detergent- it's good to buy a bottle of the hand-washing detergent to have as backup in case your dishwasher breaks.
11) Dish-scrub brush, all-purpose cleaner, cleaning cloths, sponges, broom/swiffer/vacuum
12) First Aid- kit. You can get a little one for about $2 at target with at least disinfecting cloths and band-aids of various sizes, though if you can afford it I recommend getting a little bit nicer kit, you can get a pretty nice one at most department stores for between $15 and $20 that include a thermometer, neosporine, burn treatment, tweezers, medical tape and gauze.
13) Fire Extinguisher- I believe rented places are required to be equipped with one, but make sure you know where it is! And if you are purchasing your own place, you will need to bring one on day 1.
14) Turn on the ice maker the moment you arrive, and throw out the first batch of ice, as it's made from water that's probably been sitting in the pipes for a while
15) Do a check to see what appliances come with the place, and which ones you'll need to provide- I had to bring my own microwave, some places come equipped with them.
16) A Back-Scratcher. I can't tell you how often I use mine to get at that one spot on my back I can't reach without it- an absolute MUST for people who live alone.
17) Ear Plugs. Even if you think you're in a pretty quiet neighborhood or something, you don't want to be without these when you realize the night before that big, early-morning presentation that your neighborhood has two warring feral cat-gangs fighting for territorial rights on your porch. Trust me.
18) Trash Cans and Trash Bags- at minimum you want one for the kitchen and one for each bathroom, preferably a smaller one in each room. Yes, Men, even YOU need to have a trash can in your bathroom- at least if there is ever even the most outside chance you may have a female visit you. PLEASE.
19) This is for the more obvious things, just in case they're not actually that obvious: Cups, plates, cutlery, napkins/paper towels, coasters, can-opener, groceries, socks, hangers, Back-up chocolate for emergencies, Ziplock baggies or a first-aid ice pack in the freezer.
20) Ladies- Feminine Hygiene Products! stock up! You're guaranteed to use it all, so why scrimp at the get-go and potentially leave yourself in a bind later?
21) Cheap, White vinegar, sunscreen and aloe vera lotion- if you don't already have sunscreen, you are more likely to opt not to bother with it, and if you end up sunburned, it's much better to just reach into your cabinet for the lotion you already bought than to have to get in the car at 11pm and run to CVS to buy it. The vinegar is an excellent remedy for minor burns of all kinds.
What do YOU think, readers? Have I missed anything? Leave your suggestions in the comments, as well as any humorous anecdotes about things you realized you couldn't live without. Also, 1,000 internet points to whoever can figure out what book I got my pseudonym from today!
Please send your questions to asksuzyadvice@gmail.com or click the "email us" link on the right hand side of the page. Thank you!
1) Toilet paper- first thing you buy, first thing you bring into your new place.
2) Plunger- depending on what you eat on move-in day, you may want to bring this in with the toilet paper, just in case.
3) Bug Killer- I recommend spending the extra cash on the "perimeter spray" and coating the perimeters, particularly the bottoms of doorways and window sills, before you move any of your stuff in. Another great tip a friend of mine recently told me is that if you take plain old rubbing alcohol, and pour it (undiluted) into a spray bottle, and shoot any bugs that cross your threshold with it, it will die ON THE SPOT. If you are blessed with having never experienced the horror and squeemishness of a gigantic wood roach scuttling off to die, hidden under your bed, after you spray it thoroughly with your expensive RAID spray, take it from me- it is WORTH it to know you can kill them right where you shoot them.
4) Hand towels, and if you don't already have them, Bath towels
5) A Shower Curtain AND LINER!- you'll realize you need that right about the time you've stripped down to take a shower, and no, they don't serve the same purpose, you DO need both. (or at the BARE MINIMUM you need the liner)
6) A Bath Mat- I confess, I waited 6 months to get one of these because I'm painfully frugal and I considered it a luxury, but now that I have one I have seen the error of my ways- they're only about $15 at the discount superstores, and really very useful.
7) Water Filter- Check the day of move-in to see if the water in your apartment/house is actually potable. Don't fool yourself, thinking that odd taste won't really bother you- I got much too dehydrated for the first few weeks because I was too cheap to buy a $10 filter pitcher and really couldn't stand the taste of my tap water.
8) Spare Blanket- At least 1, because you never know when your heat will go out in the middle of the night.
9) Toiletries- deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, conditioner, razors, shaving cream, soap, hand soap at the sink
10) Dish-Washing Detergent- it's good to buy a bottle of the hand-washing detergent to have as backup in case your dishwasher breaks.
11) Dish-scrub brush, all-purpose cleaner, cleaning cloths, sponges, broom/swiffer/vacuum
12) First Aid- kit. You can get a little one for about $2 at target with at least disinfecting cloths and band-aids of various sizes, though if you can afford it I recommend getting a little bit nicer kit, you can get a pretty nice one at most department stores for between $15 and $20 that include a thermometer, neosporine, burn treatment, tweezers, medical tape and gauze.
13) Fire Extinguisher- I believe rented places are required to be equipped with one, but make sure you know where it is! And if you are purchasing your own place, you will need to bring one on day 1.
14) Turn on the ice maker the moment you arrive, and throw out the first batch of ice, as it's made from water that's probably been sitting in the pipes for a while
15) Do a check to see what appliances come with the place, and which ones you'll need to provide- I had to bring my own microwave, some places come equipped with them.
16) A Back-Scratcher. I can't tell you how often I use mine to get at that one spot on my back I can't reach without it- an absolute MUST for people who live alone.
17) Ear Plugs. Even if you think you're in a pretty quiet neighborhood or something, you don't want to be without these when you realize the night before that big, early-morning presentation that your neighborhood has two warring feral cat-gangs fighting for territorial rights on your porch. Trust me.
18) Trash Cans and Trash Bags- at minimum you want one for the kitchen and one for each bathroom, preferably a smaller one in each room. Yes, Men, even YOU need to have a trash can in your bathroom- at least if there is ever even the most outside chance you may have a female visit you. PLEASE.
19) This is for the more obvious things, just in case they're not actually that obvious: Cups, plates, cutlery, napkins/paper towels, coasters, can-opener, groceries, socks, hangers, Back-up chocolate for emergencies, Ziplock baggies or a first-aid ice pack in the freezer.
20) Ladies- Feminine Hygiene Products! stock up! You're guaranteed to use it all, so why scrimp at the get-go and potentially leave yourself in a bind later?
21) Cheap, White vinegar, sunscreen and aloe vera lotion- if you don't already have sunscreen, you are more likely to opt not to bother with it, and if you end up sunburned, it's much better to just reach into your cabinet for the lotion you already bought than to have to get in the car at 11pm and run to CVS to buy it. The vinegar is an excellent remedy for minor burns of all kinds.
What do YOU think, readers? Have I missed anything? Leave your suggestions in the comments, as well as any humorous anecdotes about things you realized you couldn't live without. Also, 1,000 internet points to whoever can figure out what book I got my pseudonym from today!
Please send your questions to asksuzyadvice@gmail.com or click the "email us" link on the right hand side of the page. Thank you!
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