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homeeconomics101I've been meaning to do this post for days, but I keep procrastinating because there are so many things I could blog about here. I mean, I could do a whole post on buying furniture alone! So instead, I've tried to strip it down to the five most basic tips. These are geared towards people who are moving into their first place that isn't a dormitory or similar environment, and they may be more applicable to those living alone than with roommates.
1. Ask landlords lots of questions and take notes. So far I've lived in two sublets and two regular apartments on my own. The sublets were a bit different because I had to find them from a distance online and never looked at them, but it always makes me laugh that with the apartments, I really didn't remember what they looked like and what features they had when I actually moved in. Bring a camera and take notes on the pros and cons of each place. You won't remember later. Don't forget to ask about services (lawnmowing, snow shoveling, extermination, basic maintenance) that the landlord provides. If you can, try to get a sense for how laid back the landlord seems and whether he's likely to show up at your place unexpectedly (there are usually notice laws about that, but they can still show up with notice). Write down the features an apartment has so you can compare: dishwasher? garbage disposal? laundry facilities? heat and A/C type? storage space? I like to think about energy costs when I'm comparing rents, which includes checking to see how good the windows are, knowing what type of heating and cooling you have, and paying attention to the size of the apartment and the height of the ceilings. Feel free to bring along a tape measure so you can see how your bed will fit in the bedroom, for example (this is also very helpful if you decide to get the place and then need to pick out furniture).
2. Plan the logistics of your move carefully. This is especially true if, like me, you're moving somewhere from out-of-state. I've found that with out-of-state moves, sublets are extremely wise because the apartment is furnished. Try to plan for some overlap between your move-out date and your move-in date, whether that's a dorm in the local area or a sublet. That way you don't have to do any sleeping on the floor while waiting for your bed to arrive, for example. Fortunately, since this is your first move, you don't have to deal with the pain of selling your furniture and cleaning out an apartment on the one hand, and buying new furniture and moving in on the other hand. Be thankful for this. You do want to be prepared, though. Think about the things you absolutely need, and get those in the interim period when you have the keys to both places. Those will likely include: a mattress, getting the electricity and water turned on, getting the Internet set up, a trashcan, hand and dish soap, toilet paper, the very basic kitchen stuff (utensils, dinnerware, either cookware or a microwave oven), basic foods, lamps if you don't have overhead lighting, a shower curtain, and curtains for the windows including rods (get the no-install rods at Walmart if you don't want to do the installation right away). Take it from me, don't do a huge grocery trip right after you move in. You'll be exhausted and grab everything in every aisle.
3. Plan your packing. In my two big moves, I packed in two ways. The first time, I just put everything in boxes. The second time, I got a bit more anal. Every box had a code: a number and a letter. The number corresponded to an inventory on my computer, which listed every single thing in each box by box number. (By the way, this is a good time to remind you that if you're going to need something on your desktop computer, write it down or move to a laptop/mobile device before you pack the thing up. In my last move, I wrote down the amount of the check I needed to leave for the carpet cleaners on my desktop, packed it up, and called the guy to get the amount again. When I arrived, I looked at my computer, and the second price was $15 higher than the original quote). The letter was A, B, or C, to indicate the weight and fragility of the box. This was both for packing up the car and for knowing how to stack unpacked boxes in the new apartment before unpacking them. C meant the box was heavy and could support weight. B meant it was heavy but couldn't support much weight (like china). A meant light and can't support weight. So C could have anything on top but could only go on top of another C, B could go on to bottom or on a C but couldn't have anything but an A on top, and As went on top only. This method worked really well. Nothing broke, and when I arrived I could unpack more slowly and in a more obvious way. If I needed something, I just did a find command on my inventory and looked for that box. I also could unpack essentials first.
4. Combat clutter pre-emptively. You'll need to do some big shopping trips when you move. I usually do two: one for groceries, one for miscellany at Target. I also order things online, like furniture. It's helpful when doing these trips to think carefully about what you need. You'll get better at this over time. For example, in my first apartment I had a $120 dresser. Now I have $5 large plastic boxes that live under the bed. Both store clothes perfectly well, and the latter takes up less space. Look for cheap storage, especially if you don't have much in the way of closets or cabinets, and buy a lot of it, rather than more expensive items. I love those little plastic carts. I also tend to invest heavily in bookcases, because I have a ton of books. Think too about how many people you're going to be entertaining, and plan seating accordingly. I've never had a sofa. I have a folding table and six folding chairs and two Ikea chairs and that works for me. I also highly recommend the small rolling computer desks if you have a desktop, rather than a big fancy desk. If you don't write much on paper, you really don't need more than that. Beyond furniture, it's just a matter of being practical. Buy the food staples you need, but don't go overboard. Do remember to stock up on things like cleaning supplies and medicine. Get a broom and a vacuum and a shitload of sponges. Keep in mind that unpacking inevitably creates mess. But beware of all the Target tchotchkes that you don't really need.
5. Be realistic about how big of a freaking pain moving is. Don't plan a whole lot for your move week. Give yourself time to move, to unpack, and to assemble your shiny new DIY furniture. Enlist friends if possible. Sure, you can do it yourself, but it's draining work. You can always offer to pay them in pizza and beer. You might also want to buy furniture in phases, so you don't have all this unassembled crap sitting around. You also will have a more realistic impression of your available space when it's not cluttered with boxes. Do try to do as much unpacking as you can in the first week. You'll be covered in bruises and fall into bed every night for instant sleep, but it's worth it.
1. Ask landlords lots of questions and take notes. So far I've lived in two sublets and two regular apartments on my own. The sublets were a bit different because I had to find them from a distance online and never looked at them, but it always makes me laugh that with the apartments, I really didn't remember what they looked like and what features they had when I actually moved in. Bring a camera and take notes on the pros and cons of each place. You won't remember later. Don't forget to ask about services (lawnmowing, snow shoveling, extermination, basic maintenance) that the landlord provides. If you can, try to get a sense for how laid back the landlord seems and whether he's likely to show up at your place unexpectedly (there are usually notice laws about that, but they can still show up with notice). Write down the features an apartment has so you can compare: dishwasher? garbage disposal? laundry facilities? heat and A/C type? storage space? I like to think about energy costs when I'm comparing rents, which includes checking to see how good the windows are, knowing what type of heating and cooling you have, and paying attention to the size of the apartment and the height of the ceilings. Feel free to bring along a tape measure so you can see how your bed will fit in the bedroom, for example (this is also very helpful if you decide to get the place and then need to pick out furniture).
2. Plan the logistics of your move carefully. This is especially true if, like me, you're moving somewhere from out-of-state. I've found that with out-of-state moves, sublets are extremely wise because the apartment is furnished. Try to plan for some overlap between your move-out date and your move-in date, whether that's a dorm in the local area or a sublet. That way you don't have to do any sleeping on the floor while waiting for your bed to arrive, for example. Fortunately, since this is your first move, you don't have to deal with the pain of selling your furniture and cleaning out an apartment on the one hand, and buying new furniture and moving in on the other hand. Be thankful for this. You do want to be prepared, though. Think about the things you absolutely need, and get those in the interim period when you have the keys to both places. Those will likely include: a mattress, getting the electricity and water turned on, getting the Internet set up, a trashcan, hand and dish soap, toilet paper, the very basic kitchen stuff (utensils, dinnerware, either cookware or a microwave oven), basic foods, lamps if you don't have overhead lighting, a shower curtain, and curtains for the windows including rods (get the no-install rods at Walmart if you don't want to do the installation right away). Take it from me, don't do a huge grocery trip right after you move in. You'll be exhausted and grab everything in every aisle.
3. Plan your packing. In my two big moves, I packed in two ways. The first time, I just put everything in boxes. The second time, I got a bit more anal. Every box had a code: a number and a letter. The number corresponded to an inventory on my computer, which listed every single thing in each box by box number. (By the way, this is a good time to remind you that if you're going to need something on your desktop computer, write it down or move to a laptop/mobile device before you pack the thing up. In my last move, I wrote down the amount of the check I needed to leave for the carpet cleaners on my desktop, packed it up, and called the guy to get the amount again. When I arrived, I looked at my computer, and the second price was $15 higher than the original quote). The letter was A, B, or C, to indicate the weight and fragility of the box. This was both for packing up the car and for knowing how to stack unpacked boxes in the new apartment before unpacking them. C meant the box was heavy and could support weight. B meant it was heavy but couldn't support much weight (like china). A meant light and can't support weight. So C could have anything on top but could only go on top of another C, B could go on to bottom or on a C but couldn't have anything but an A on top, and As went on top only. This method worked really well. Nothing broke, and when I arrived I could unpack more slowly and in a more obvious way. If I needed something, I just did a find command on my inventory and looked for that box. I also could unpack essentials first.
4. Combat clutter pre-emptively. You'll need to do some big shopping trips when you move. I usually do two: one for groceries, one for miscellany at Target. I also order things online, like furniture. It's helpful when doing these trips to think carefully about what you need. You'll get better at this over time. For example, in my first apartment I had a $120 dresser. Now I have $5 large plastic boxes that live under the bed. Both store clothes perfectly well, and the latter takes up less space. Look for cheap storage, especially if you don't have much in the way of closets or cabinets, and buy a lot of it, rather than more expensive items. I love those little plastic carts. I also tend to invest heavily in bookcases, because I have a ton of books. Think too about how many people you're going to be entertaining, and plan seating accordingly. I've never had a sofa. I have a folding table and six folding chairs and two Ikea chairs and that works for me. I also highly recommend the small rolling computer desks if you have a desktop, rather than a big fancy desk. If you don't write much on paper, you really don't need more than that. Beyond furniture, it's just a matter of being practical. Buy the food staples you need, but don't go overboard. Do remember to stock up on things like cleaning supplies and medicine. Get a broom and a vacuum and a shitload of sponges. Keep in mind that unpacking inevitably creates mess. But beware of all the Target tchotchkes that you don't really need.
5. Be realistic about how big of a freaking pain moving is. Don't plan a whole lot for your move week. Give yourself time to move, to unpack, and to assemble your shiny new DIY furniture. Enlist friends if possible. Sure, you can do it yourself, but it's draining work. You can always offer to pay them in pizza and beer. You might also want to buy furniture in phases, so you don't have all this unassembled crap sitting around. You also will have a more realistic impression of your available space when it's not cluttered with boxes. Do try to do as much unpacking as you can in the first week. You'll be covered in bruises and fall into bed every night for instant sleep, but it's worth it.
