First Apartment Checklist 2024 (Cute & On Budget)

Are you moving into your first apartment and looking for a checklist?

As many of you know I will be moving very soon. So I have a lot of things I need to get for the place that I am moving to. I figured today I would share everything I am getting and taking so if you are in a similar situation you have something to reference.

The list below is your ultimate solution, it can be useful if you are renting on budget, buying, or a college student looking for your first college dorm apartment checklist.

==> Tips: You will need to add more decor to transform the apartment into a HOME. Read this guide to define your preferred home aesthetic, then get cute & kawaii decorations of matching style accordingly.

Kitchen:

  • Pots and pans
  • Dishes
  • Cutlery
  • Cooking Utensils
  • Blender
  • Standing Mixer
  • Can Opener
  • Dish Towels
  • Coffee Maker
  • Broom/Dust Pan
  • Dish Soap
  • Dish Drying Rack
  • Hand Soap
  • Microwave
  • Toaster
  • Glasses/Mugs
  • Oven Mitts
  • Paper Towels
  • Garbage Bags
  • Garbage Can
  • Tupperware
  • Sponges
  • Swiffer
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Colander
  • Knife Set

==> More cute kawaii kitchen designs.

Bathroom:

  • Bath Towels
  • Hand Towels
  • Wash Cloths
  • Bath Mat
  • Shower Curtain
  • Rug
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Scale
  • Air Fresheners
  • Shower Organizer
  • Toilet Brush/Plunger
  • Toilet Paper
  • Toiletries

==> More bathroom decorating ideas.

Bedroom:

  • Bed
  • Comforter
  • Sheets
  • Pillows
  • End Table
  • Storage
  • Desk And Chair
  • Safe
  • Dresser
  • Curtains

==> More cute bedroom design aesthetic.

Living Room:

  • Couch
  • Chair
  • Coffee Table
  • TV Stand
  • Throw Blankets
  • Throw Pillows
  • Area Rug
  • Curtains

==> More cute living room inspiration.

Laundry:

  • Hamper
  • Detergent
  • Dryer Sheets
  • Bleach

Technology:

  • TV
  • DVD Player
  • Laptop
  • Chargers

==> More kawaii workspace inspo.

==> More cute kawaii desk setup.

Miscellaneous:

  • Batteries
  • Extension Cords
  • Surge Protectors
  • Adhesive Hooks/Strips

==> More outdoor space planning ideas (Think balcony, small backyard, front yard, porch, rooftop etc)

==> If you have pets, then here are more cute animal house/room ideas.

How To Save Money Designing Your First Apartment?

I wanted to give you a little more insight into how I am budgeting for and designing my first apartment. It is a bit stressful at times because there is so much going on and so many things to buy, but I have picked up a few tips on what I am going to do and how I am preparing. So I wanted to share those with you. Here is how I am decorating my new apartment on a budget.

  • Not buying everything at once.

I did pretty much buy everything I need at once, but in terms of decorations, I am not buying it all at once. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I want to actually move in and see the space I am working with before I commit to too many decorations and things that I want for my space. I don’t want to spend a ton of money on things just to decide that I don’t actually want them or that they don’t work for the space.

  • Using color as an accent.

As I mentioned in a previous post about using white as my base color, I am sticking to mostly neutral tones and using color as an accent. My reason for doing this is it makes transitioning pieces way easier. But if I were to commit to making my room all purple and later change my mind, I would have to go and switch out all of the purples with the new color I have chosen.

  • Not buying extra furniture.

The room that I am in isn’t super big, so I really don’t need any more furniture. But even if it was bigger, I would probably still leave it as is simply because I know that I don’t really need more furniture. I am comfortable with less furniture and more space. It saves money and space and ultimately I don’t want to commit to any furniture I don’t absolutely love because if I don’t love it I won’t have a place to put it.

  • Shopping at places like Walmart.

I think Walmart is super underrated when it comes to decor and things for your home. I have found so many things that I love that I hope to be able to get for my apartment. If I’m not sure it will still be around and I really love it, I will snag it. But for the most part, I just get ideas and find things that I might like to return to get. I also have a list of Amazon cute decor I hope to someday buy.

  • Keeping a budget.

When I first started shopping for my new apartment I set a budget for myself. I set a certain amount of money I would spend on things for my apartment and with what was left I could buy things I want. And so far I have not gone over that budget which is really nice. Surprisingly I am further under budget than I expected. But because most of my stuff has come from Amazon and Walmart, I was able to save quite a bit of money.


Last but not least, please give the effort to make your apartment also your home. Home is where you feel like you belong.

Everyone defines home differently. To some, it is the place you grew up, to others, it’s the place you build for yourself, and for some, it’s not a place, but a person. To me, the home will always be where I feel like I belong and a part of me is still searching for that. I don’t know if it will be a person or a place that I identify as my home. I’m not sure when I will feel like I truly belong somewhere. But to me, that is what home is.

I know that I am not alone in feeling like I haven’t found a place to belong or a place to call home. But the idea that brings me comfort is that I am still searching. The good news is I don’t have to have it all figured out. I have time to explore and try new things before I settle down. I can search and find myself and find a place that I will call home.

Nothing worth having is ever easy to find, and that is something I am constantly reminding myself. My home will always be the place where I truly know that I belong. While I may not have found it yet, I do believe that I am getting closer. I know that with every passing day and every decision I make, I am getting closer to my home.

Home to me will always be more than a house. It will be a feeling I get when I find the house I want to live in with my family. I really believe I will just know that that is my home in the town I belong in doing what I love with the people I love. That is home to me and that is something I look forward to every single day. I look forward to the day when I say I am going home and I really am going home, to the place I belong.

Home is a feeling and it’s a feeling I long to have. I look forward to those days, but I also know that I have to go through what I am going through now in order to get there. So I am being patient, but it’s nice to have something to work towards. Let us know in the comments what home means to you. Is it the same or something different? I would love to know.