6 Rules for Staying on Budget in a New City

December 6, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving is exciting. Budgeting is stressful. Moving to a new city with a higher cost of living while trying to stay within budget is a unique combination of exciting and stressful. You want to explore the new city and discover your new favorite spots, restaurants and shops, but you also have to follow the rules of…

9 Ways to Find Extra Space in Your Small Apartment

November 7, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

A major issue of apartment living is not having adequate space. When you finally get all of your belongings moved in, you may find that you can’t properly store your belongings because you simply don’t have enough space. With a little creativity and smart furniture purchases, you can find the extra space you need. If…

Neatnik vs. Slob – How to Live With A Roommate Who is Less Tidy Than You

October 16, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

Living with a roommate can be beneficial in many ways including: splitting rent and household bills, having someone nearby in case of an emergency, and having someone to hang out with. One habit that can become problematic is living with a roommate who is less tidy than you, especially when it comes to sharing and…

IKEA’s Limited Edition Sällskap Collection is a Renter’s Dream Come True

October 12, 2016 | By Audra AuthorMy First Apartment

In the renter community, IKEA is an undeniable life saver. Sure, the furniture can be a serious pain in the butt to put together and, yeah, the furniture can be kinda bland (but that can be fixed with a little creativity and craft supplies). But, overall, the design and cost leaves the Scandinavian furniture giant without competition…

7 Items You’ll Need on Your Move-In Day

September 28, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

If you’ve found your perfect apartment and you’ve signed your new lease, congratulations. Now the move-in day is fast approaching. If this is your first apartment, you most likely don’t yet have everything that you’ll eventually need for your apartment. There are, however, a seven items you should already have on hand to make your…

8 Safety Tips for Living Alone

September 9, 2016 | By Audra AuthorMy First Apartment

After years of living at home with a large, loud family or in college dorms, I was totally unprepared for living alone in my first apartment post-college. Suddenly, I heard every sound. A creak in the floor, the sound of the AC kicking on in the middle of the night, neighbors shutting doors down the hall…you name…

Apartment Living: Expectations vs. Reality

September 6, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

Before move-in day, apartment hunters have expectations about how apartment living will be, and the reality is often times very different. When we watch movies, read books, and scroll through photographs on social media, we often see the fun, nice-looking side of living in an apartment. I know I certainly did. I thought apartment living…

5 Things You Don’t Need on Move-In Day

August 30, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

If it’s move-in day at your unfurnished apartment, you may not have a lot of things like rugs, artwork, or a completely stocked kitchen to fill the apartment. Don’t worry. Our Ultimate Checklist is a great resource to help guide you on everything you may need in your apartment. If, however, you don’t have every item…

Moving Day: How to Beat the Stress

August 21, 2016 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving Day! It’s absolutely one of the most exciting days you’ll have in your new place, as you make your first apartment home and get to spend your first night there. However, moving day often brings a sense of dread, as most of us have a huge pile of stuff that has to be moved…

8 Signs It’s Time to Find a New Apartment

August 9, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

Having problems at your current apartment you can’t resolve? Or maybe you find yourself constantly dreaming of a new apartment. These may be signs that it’s time to move on and start your search for a new apartment. Here are 8 signs it’s time to find a new apartment: The crime rate in your area…