At this budget level, you can afford stuff that is worth moving to your next place and maybe the one after that, so consider the size and ease to move. Also, remember ”measure twice and buy once” with larger items. Check your doorways and stairs before you fall in in love with that queen-sized bed frame or a 3-seater couch.

Check out guest blogger Katie’s suggestions below!

Bed and Mattress- $700

It’s kinda crazy that spending $700 on a new mattress is only average, but if you don’t have any kind of mattress, alas that’s likely what’s needed if you don’t want to make any compromises ( i.e. IKEA, floor sample mattress etc). If you’re in this position, check out our detailed guide to buying a new mattress here.

If you already have a mattress and have $ to spend on a  bed frame, CB2 is one of my favorite places to get furniture because it’s relatively affordable and the design is sleek and modern – something that you likely won’t tire of after a year or two.

Bedding – $100

West Elm is my go-to for bedding – you can get some great deals and they have great options to choose from. If you have $100  – we’d suggest buying a new duvet cover but using older sheets – assuming you make your bed daily, that is! And with a nice duvet you don’t even need a bedspread, so making your bed takes about two shakes.

Dresser- $50

Target has a great closet organization system that is much cheaper than a dresser. For $49 you can get a cubical organizer and personalize it with fun colored drawers. These fit nicely in a closet.

Nightstand, end tables, coffee tables- $150

Ikea has some nice budget-friendly options for end tables. You can also get creative and use a sturdy stack of books to create end tables near your couch, for the life-long students among us!

Curtains (and curtain rods) – $60

Check overstock.com, they usually have great deals on curtains. And having solid, thick curtains will help keep your electric bill lower in the warm months. Just be sure to measure your window before you set out for the day or we predict a return in your future.

Couch – $400

Having a comfortable couch is important and Ikea has some great options for anyone on a budget.

Kitchen table and chairs – $200

Go to your local furniture warehouse – they often have sales on dinette sets and you can purchase a floor model for even less.  If your table also serves as your desk/worktable/sideboard, consider getting a sturdy unpainted solid wood table and refinishing or painting it yourself.

Dishes, silverware, pots and pans – $150

Invest in one good stainless steel pot, a good frying pan and one decent chef’s knife. If you are lucky, you can snag these at local garage sales. People often get rid of perfectly good kitchen supplies at garage/stoop sales for bargain prices.  If not, scope out the kitchenware sales at Macy’s or Target and visit Amazon.com.

If you can save elsewhere on our list, check our Fishs Eddy. They have super creative dishes as well as more affordable, but still quality options – especially if you live in New York and don’t have to pay for shipping.

Trash cans – $20

You need at least one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. Spend the money.

Shower curtain – $20

Get something that you love here – when you’re tired in the morning a bright, fun shower curtain will help you wake up.

Bath rugs – $15

Yup, necessary for safety reasons

Laundry basket – $15

You can get one of these at any major retailer. It’ll keep the peace in your bedroom.

Artwork – $120

With the extra budget, spend some money adding personal touches to your apartment. Framed pictures and paintings are a great way to add some color to your space.  Need tips on how to find great artwork for less? Check out our past post with advice from ArtHound blogger Kate Singleton.

What do you think? Did we leave anything out? If so, post a comment below!

Related posts:

1. Furnishing Your Apartment On $500 or Less
2. Furnishing Your Apartment on $1000 or Less
3. Furnishing a Small Studio Apartment

Well, not to ruin the surprise, but as you may imagine, the key difference between a $500 a $1000 apartment isn’t so much the kind of items included so much as the items themselves and how you allocate your resources. So, without further ado, let’s get to it.

The $1000 Apartment

We’ve selected 10+ items we think you shouldn’t live without, as well as how much we’d estimate you spend on them – minimally. Let us know what you think  – and if there any must have items we missed!

1) Bed $400

With a bit more cash, you should spend it on your bed. Why? Because you likely spent more time using your bed than any other piece of furniture. With $400, try either Ikea (their mattresses aren’t half bad). Alternatively, large department stores may have a $400 mattress on sale during one of their blow-outs (Labor Day, Thanksgiving, etc). Or, if you aren’t too squeamish, most mattress stores deeply discount their floor samples – which are perfectly good mattresses and easily covered with mattress pads.

2)Couch $100

You can’t find a new couch for $100 – but you can find some good deals on craigslist and/or with friends.  Consider using the Facebook Marketplace as a way to screen the people selling items, which in turn screens for bed bugs. **Or, you could just get a rad velvet daybed like the one pictured…not sure how comfortable it’d be, but it’d be pretty swanky!

3) Dining Table, Chairs $100

Yep, we suggest the same amount as in our $500 furnishing or less post. These are important apt items, but no – you shouldn’t have to spend a ton to find functional pieces. Garage sales, stoops sales should get you covered if you don’t feel like dealing with Craigslist.

4) Dresser/Hangers for Closet $50

See above:)

5) Silverware/Dishes $50-75

Ikea and Target are both good places to find cheap dishes. CB2 isn’t too shabby either, if you can spend closer to the $75 range. If you can, try to get at least six plates and four of every other item. Since plates aren’t easy to replace, you’ll be glad you did.

The thing about plates/silverware is that, you will use them multiple times a day – and feel so much better about whatever you’re eating, knowing you aren’t eating on a paper plate and/or plastic. You certainly can – I had plastic dishes the first few months of my new place – but I never felt like I got them clean.  My first meal on my real plates felt like an absolute feast.

6) Bedding $50

One word – Overstock.com.  For whatever reason, this site always has the best deals on sheets.  Splurge and get some 300+ count sheets – and keep your same comforter that you used in college (or borrow one from mom + dad).

7) Shower Curtain/Bedroom Curtains $40

Water on the bathroom floor is slippery and not ideal. Spend the twenty bucks. Bedroom Curtains equal privacy. ‘Nuff said.

8) Trash cans $20

Find the cheapest ones you can for the moment. You can always upgrade later.

9) Laundry hamper +Towels $20

Head to the college dorm aisle and get a new laundry hamper as your current one has probably seen better days by this point. While there, see what else that’s designed as “high-end” for college would look good in your new apartment.

10) Pots/Pans $80

Buy one great nonstick frying pan and one fantastic pot. You will wash them many times, but having one mega-functional item of each will be more valuable than multiple crappy Target pans. Do your research and check the reviews. Your home cooking will appreciate it!

11) Coffee Table/Bedside Table/ETC $45-80

With a bit more cash, coffee tables and bedside tables sure are nice. See if you can make your money stretch by asking friends/family if they are going to be getting rid of any furniture and if you can negotiate a decent deal. If not, here’s another great opportunity to use freecycle.com

Again, these price ranges are all just suggestions – and what I would advice based on the $1000 dollar amount, not knowing what items you might currently possess. For instance, I don’t suggest any decorative items because I’m guessing you aren’t currently living with four white walls.

If you are. . .be sure to add paint to the above list!

Related posts:

1. Furnishing Your Apartment On $500 or Less
2. Furnishing your new apartment is easy as pie…maybe less tasty though.
3. Furnishing La Casa on a Budget

We hear you. It’s always a bit of a challenge prioritizing basic necessities. So, we’re introducing a 3-part mini series designed to sort out what to do with $500, $1000 and $1500+.

The $500 Apartment

We’ve selected 10 items we think you shouldn’t live without, as well as how much we’d estimate you spend on them – minimally. Let us know what you think  – and if there any must have items we missed!

1) Bed/Couch – $200

The first item on the list has to be a bed. Without a bed, you’re just going to feel like you’re couchsurfing and won’t feel settled.   But, yikes, a bed is probably the most expensive item in any first apartment. What can you do to avoid spending your entire budget?

First, do some futon research. My cousin actually preferred sleeping on his futon even though he had the cash to get a bed. They can be truly great, especially for those living in studios – as they will, of course, double as a couch.  Try to find one from a friend or check Craigslist – but beware bed bugs. Plenty of people need to sell furniture and are bed bug free – but just FYI.

You should also be able to find beds on craigslist for $150 or less if you feel adventurous  .  .but then you’ll need to spend money for a couch separately.

2) Dining Table, chairs – $100

Try finding larger items either at Goodwill or the Salvation Army.  You can find a total gem for very little $.  The trick here, though is time – as it will likely take longer as every item is unique.

You can also check out the organization FreeCycle – which is all about free-recycling. My old roommate gave away her TV and her desk through this network, and said she’d also had successful finding dining room chairs., so def give it a go: http://www.freecycle.org/

 3) Dresser/Hangers for Closet $50

Depending on the apartment you find, you may not need a dresser as you have enough closet space. But, if you do, dressers go for pretty cheap on Craigslist – and can also be found easily in resale shops. I got mine 4 years ago for $50 – an Ikea model already put together by a guy who was moving to Iowa. His loss – totally my gain.

As for hangers – see if your local dry cleaner would have any extra to spare. Or, see if you can bring some from home.

3) Silverware/Dishes $0-50

See if your family has any older dishes that they have stored in the basement. I was surprised that my parents had two sets from my childhood that they never got rid of. . . that I quickly claimed.

If you aren’t so lucky – Ikea has some pretty reasonably priced cutlery that doesn’t look worse for the wear after use.

4) Bedding $0

Additional items to see if you can borrow from your parents. While it’d be great to get a new comforter, that’s an item that can wait for the holiday gift list.

Especially if you’re coming from college, you should already have bedding that you can re-purpose. If not, try a site like overstock.com that often has bedding sales.

5) Shower Curtain $20

Water on the bathroom floor is slippery and not ideal. Spend the twenty bucks.

6) Trash cans $20

Find the cheapest ones you can for the moment. You can always upgrade later.

7) Laundry hamper $0

Again, just bring whatever one you stuck in the closet after the last time you lived in a dorm. Or, spring for a small basket that can serve as a laundry hamper for the moment.

8) Towels: $0

Another item you should already have access to. If not, go to Target and get some cheap towels.

9) Pots/Pans $40

If you must – you can get buy on one cheap frying pan and one cheap pot to boil water. You’ll replace when you can.

10) ETC Items $20-70

When you’re at IKEA getting dishes, see what else you’d want to spruce up your apt, mixing fun with necessity. They have all sorts of little fun items like $2 candles and $5 mirrors. Also, see if they have extension cords – which are always needed. Also, try to find a cheap lamp, as light’s always important.  Another item to consider are bedroom curtains, to keep out that always pesky morning light.

Hope you found the bare bones list above helpful. You’ll note that we didn’t include a TV (as streaming computer content can suffice) or some typical items like coffee tables/nightstands.  If you can spring for these items, by all means – you will enjoy them.

Also, we *did* assume that you would have a few items to start out with, which hopefully isn’t an unfair assumption. If that’s not true, try adding items for resale shops, stoop sales, and friends who may have extras!  Using Facebook, for instance, would be super easy to ask friends to contribute their slightly used furniture items to your new pad. Someone else’s castoffs could totally be your treasure!

Well . . .  or something like that.  Just remember – what you are trying to do is give yourself the basics that you can’t live without. What you’ll do in the next few months is improve on items one at a time until you actually LOVE everything you own. It’s a longer process – but it’ll work, and won’t break the bank.

Related posts:

1. Furnishing Your Apartment on $1000 or Less
2. Furnishing your new apartment is easy as pie…maybe less tasty though.
3. Furnishing your apartment… How much will it cost you?

The NYC Department of Buildings ensures the safe and lawful use of over 975,000 buildings and properties by enforcing the City’s Building Code, Electrical Code, Zoning Resolution, New York State Labor Law and New York State Multiple Dwelling Law.

Alas, the DOB website is rather hard to navigate and their tips rarely reach the light of day. Well, DOB, let us give you a hand. Here are DOB’s ten tips on how to recognize illegally converted apartments.  While they are specific for New York City, it’s a great checklist for renters anywhere.

1. Know the market. Be wary of units that advertise significantly lower price points relative to comparable apartments in the area.
2. Beware of the words “basement” or “attic.” Advertisements that reference these words often lack adequate exits.
3. Avoid apartments that have rooms without windows or very small windows. These are often found in illegal cellar or basement apartments. Landlords will sometimes describe the ones with very small windows as “sunny” to entice renters.
4. Beware the word “flex.” “Flex” implies that the apartment can be converted into a multi-bedroom unit using pressurized walls. The installation and/or construction of a wall without the proper permits from the DOB are illegal.
5. “Utilities included” is a red flag. A landlord may not want utilities under another name connected to the property because those residents would violate the legal occupancy of the building.
6. Avoid apartments with odd layouts. They are often described as “unique” or “interesting” and are oddly situated (e.g., a shower installed in the kitchen).
7. Be cautious when a landlord refuses to disclose the exact address. Landlords advertising illegal apartments may ask to meet a potential renter before exposing the address to possible regulation or penalty.
8. Beware of apartments where you can’t have mail delivered. Landlords advertising illegal apartments will often request that tenants obtain a separate post office box.
9. Beware of no-lease apartments. Be suspicious of a landlord who declines to draw up a lease, requests a month-to-month agreement, or requires cash payment.
10. Check for adequate means of egress and look out for locked doors in the unit. A tenant should be able to access all available exits either directly from the unit or via a public hallway.

All are good tips, thought they seem to be of varying levels of importance. For example, tip #1 will save you time/money while #2 and #10 could save your life.  And check out #4, if you are planning to install a wall to carve out another bedroom.

But, unlike the DOB, I don’t have issue with apartments with odd layouts, if they let you afford living in this expensive city. A friend has a shower in her kitchen – and she sees it as an opportunity to multi-task, if ya know what I mean!

In the meantime, find out more about the DOB (and check out additional info) on its website. Or, you can follow them on Twitter (for realz!):)

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3. Major Cities with Cheapest Rents!

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* Prices from online catalogs Fall 2005.

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* Bold indicates BUY FIRST!!

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* Bold indicates BUY FIRST!!

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A good roommate agreement should cover at least the following areas:

• Money. How is the rent split? If there are joint purchases, such as appliances and furniture, how are they paid for? What happens if a roommate cannot pay his/her share?
• Private spaces and common areas. Who gets which room? How are the common areas furnished and maintained? Are there guidelines for maintaining private areas?
• Food and common household supplies. Are they shared? How are they paid for? Who is responsible for replacing items?
• Visitors. Is there a limit on number and timing of visitors? Are overnight visitors allowed, and if so can they sleep in the common area? How long can a visitor stay? Who pays costs related to visitors (use of common food/drink supplies, etc.)?
• Pets. Cats? Dogs? Snakes? What kind of pets are allowed?
• Noise. Are there guidelines for acceptable noise level? What about late at night? In private areas? In common areas?
• Moving out. How are jointly purchased items divided? If a roommate wants to move out before end of the lease, who is responsible for finding a replacement? Under what circumstances can a roommate be asked to move out?

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