Going somewhere new means leaving someplace else

February 17, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

I accepted a job offer in New York approximately two weeks ago. What I don’t think I accepted at that time, was that my life as I knew it was about to be flipped completely upside down. I know that the theme of this website is new beginning, but that cheesy song lyric about every…

Kelly M’s housewarming party and gift ideas

January 1, 2008 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

You’ve spent weeks poring over ads for apartments. You’ve hiked all over the city to meet up with shady broker after shady broker. You’ve spotted your brother and his friends while they moved your stuff into a fifth-floor walkup, and you’ve given them enough kickback cash to throw parties for a month. So don’t you…

Six ways to survive winter in your first apartment

December 25, 2007 | By Shelby AuthorMy First Apartment

The days of frosty windows and six hours of sunlight are upon us. Brrrr! Here are six tips for staying cozy, saving money and being green. Wait for a sale, then stock up on soup and hot cocoa/tea/instant cider. Also, pony up for a Netflix subscription. My plan is only about $9 a month and…

Holiday tipping basics

December 10, 2007 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

If this is your first holiday season on your own, how to handle tipping can be confusing. How much should you tip your super or your doorman? How about the letter carrier? And what to do if there is no money in your budget for tips? The gold standard in matters of etiquette, Emily Post,…

How to have a happy Thanksgiving in your new apartment – some do’s and don’t’s

November 18, 2007 | By Shelby AuthorMy First Apartment

Maybe you just moved across the country to take your dream job and you have zero vacation time. Maybe you’re not close to your family. Maybe you’re way too broke to buy a plane ticket. Whatever the reason, when the time for a Thanksgiving celebration rolls around, you’ll be on your own. Don’t do what…

When a murder happens on your block, security becomes VERY important

April 11, 2007 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Last week on my block, the city-dweller’s worst fear materialized; a woman was murdered, in what initially looked like a break-in. I came home from work to find a police car barricading the street and yellow tape slicing across the apartment in question and its surrounding lawn. It was a scene I’d only before seen…

Settling in.

April 5, 2007 | By jen t. AuthorMy First Apartment

Hey all, it’s Jason. It’s been a little over a month since we moved in, and things are going well. Still have a few boxes hanging around the living room, but a majority of our stuff is in its new home. I’ve been doing the commute to Palo Alto for a while now, and I’ve…

Flooded Toilets and Ants, Oh My!

December 20, 2006 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

When my toilet flooded for the second time in a week yesterday morning at 6:00 A.M, I wanted to argue with it. I wanted to chastise it for being so thoughtless during the holidays. Didn’t it know that I was out late the night before altruistically looking for presents for others? I did not deserve…

Why there is no such a thing as a perfect landlord

October 23, 2006 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Unless your landlord is a bear, he probably did not make a cameo in Goldilocks’ memoirs. That said, the concept of “too much, too little,” tends to pop up when you are dealing with the person who takes a large chunk of your change on a monthly basis. What do I mean? Landlords are, invariably,…

How much is that doggie in the window?

October 10, 2006 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

I wanted a dog real bad. I have, since childhood, wanted a dog real bad. When I was younger, the condition was that if I kept my room clean for 2 months straight, then I could talk to my mom about it. As on any given day there was rarely carpet showing amidst my books…