Living On Campus At College Or University
If you live in college or university housing on or near your campus, this is called living in residence.
If you come to Canada for 1 or 2 semesters only, living in residence can be easier than finding your own housing off campus. A room in residence will be furnished with a bed, shelves and a desk. The cost of living in residence often includes the option of adding a meal plan, so you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on campus.
Home Toolkit And Essentials
Whether its to take apart a bookshelf or put it back together, you wont regret having tools like a screwdriver and a hammer on moving day. Once you start unpacking, youll also want to have wall hooks and nails on hand. Theres nothing as frustrating as being in an unpacking and decorating groove, only to find you have to stop and buy these items. And whether youre short or your new apartment has high ceilings, a step stool will be extremely valuable during the early phases of unpacking and is a must-have for your first apartment.
Plus, who cant find a use for duct tape?
- Screwdrivers
- Hammer
- Duct tape
Television And Entertainment System
For some, having a television and entertainment system to enjoy from is a must. You can check out Craigslist and other second hand vendors before purchasing something from the store. There are also plenty of online streaming options like Netflix, Youtube TV, Hulu, and if youre okay with using your computer or phone for entertainment.
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College Apartment Essentials You Will Actually Need
Looking for the college apartment essentials you will need this year? Heres the ultimate checklist of college apartment essentials youll actually need.
Moving into your college apartment is such an exciting experience. You get to decorate your entire space, live on your own terms and be independent, but this also comes with a lot of work you need to do.
Before getting to the good stuff, you need to find a place, move in and get all your college apartment essentials. After living in a college apartment during most of my college experience, I know first hand exactly what youll need.
This post is all about the ultimate college apartment essentials list youll actually need.
Renter Beware: Identifying Rental Scams
Online classifieds have created a perfect staging ground for rental scams, easily targeting inexperienced renters, such as college students. A 2010 public service announcement posted by the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a project supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, warns prospective renters and homeowners against scammers who advertise fraudulent property listings online. These criminals hope to steal funds directly through fraudulently collected security deposits and rent, or they wish to steal identities with information gathered from fake applications. This section covers methods of identifying a scam and protecting yourself.
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Our Experts Favorite Mini Refrigerator
Varying storage options and a cool design make the Magic Chef mini fridge a winner.
Whether youre flying solo in your apartment or sharing your space, one thing remains the same: youll want unfettered access to all your snacks and drinkswithout having to venture to the main fridge to get them. A personal fridge in your room is a great way to prevent handsy roommates from getting to your food , and theyre small enough to fit seamlessly into your rooms design.Out of all the best mini fridges our experts tested, they found the Magic Chefs top freezer hovered at an ideal 37°F, whereas others tended to lean on the warmer side. It includes a variety of storage options that support a two-liter bottle and eight-ounce cans along with adjustable shelves. The retro aesthetic makes this mini fridge so much more than a utilitarian appliance, but a work of art.
Gallery Wall Frames & Art
I am a huge fan of gallery walls, and I decided to make one in my college apartment since I had a lot of wall space. I used all of my travel photos and some artwork I bought abroad to create a travel gallery wall. I also like the sleek design of using a white theme and these frames caught my eye for a great gallery in your college apartment.
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Kitchen Essentials And Tips For Your First Apartment
by catalystadmin | Jan 22, 2019 | News & Events
Moving into your first apartment in college can be an exciting yet challenging time. We at Tobin Lofts Student Housing came up with the perfect list of Kitchen Essentials and Tips for Your First Apartment. This guide is sure to help you gather and learn everything you need to live at your first apartment. Get ready, because you might have to do a little shopping and preparation!
Things You Should Not Bring To College
Kay asked her college friends what students should pack for school. What you should bring varies from person to person, but what not to bring is fairly consistent across the board. Here’s what she found!
There are dozens of lists all over the internet of dorm room essentials, the best school supplies on the market, and anything and everything you could possibly need once youve entered the glittering gates of your college of choice. As an incoming freshman, I have probably read more of these lists than is healthy, but they are all so different from one another that the lists only managed to make my head spin faster than it already spins on its own .
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After thinking about what I really wanted to learn, I contacted several friends with years of college experience under their belts to see what they had to say. After reading their responses, I saw that what you should bring to college varies significantly from person to person, but what not to bring to college is fairly consistent across the board. Here are my findings.
Things you should not bring to college:
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What Can You Afford
According to Business Insider, the median cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment in 15 major American cities ranges from $1,171 per month in Phoenix to $3,600 per month in San Francisco. The data from Business Insider doesn’t factor in other costs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average expenditures per consumer for 2018 were $61,224. This includes costs such as housing, utilities, food, healthcare, and entertainment. Of the $61,224 identified as average annual expenditures, $20,091, or 32.8%, went towards housing, making it the largest expenditure.
Given that rent can be the most significant expenditure for a student, outside of tuition, establishing a monthly budget with a comfortable rent is crucial. Ideally, your monthly rent and utilities bill should be no more than 30% of your monthly net income. Most students will want to pay well below city averages, given that your income as a student will likely be limited. Once you’ve established your monthly rental budget, you need to think about any upfront costs. These costs can include:
- First and Last Month’s Rent
- Security Deposit
- Pet Deposits
- Holding Fees
These lump sums, sometimes refundable at the end of a lease, may set you back so far that you can no longer make rent. This can be especially true of places that ask for the first and last month’s rent and a deposit all at once. This could indicate that a property manager is pricing their units in such a way as to keep their student-tenant population low.
Tip #: Buy In Bundles
When you buy furniture by room, you can uncover significant savings! Rent-A-Center often offers deals on living room bundles and bedroom sets !
When you shop at Rent-A-Center, you can find mattresses for rent and bedroom/living room sets for rent with affordable weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly payments. For example, a sofa and 65 smart TV can be cheaper when bundled than when rented separately! That kind of payment plan leaves room in your budget to purchase study essentials, like a laptop for class.
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Prioritize The Length Of The Lease
Even if a place seems perfect for you, the lease term can make or break a great apartment. Year-long leases are the most common for a rental agreement, but before you get ready to sign, you have to consider exactly what a long-term lease entails.
Long-term leases require a security deposit that youll have to forfeit if you decide to move out of your unit before the lease term is up. Youll also be responsible for paying rent until a new tenant moves in. For that reason, choosing an apartment with flexible leasings, such as a month-to-month option, is a safer decision.
The Ultimate College Apartment Checklist
With all the unpredictability surrounding the pandemic, you never know when a dorm will be open or if you can even stay on campus. Living in an off-campus apartment has always been a luxury option, but this year it may be a necessary option. Many are moving into neighborhood apartments at the beginning of the fall semester and many are deciding to do it for the spring. These days, it’s not unreasonable to even move to an apartment mid-semester.
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Iron And Ironing Board
Think very hard about how much you currently iron your clothing. Do you think youll be ironing more in college than you are right now? Somehow, I doubt it. If you have a wardrobe crisis and need a shirt to be wrinkle-free, hang it in your bathroom while you take a hot shower, or throw it in the dryer with a couple of ice cubes. Dont psych yourself out about the small stuff. If its something youll only use once a month, its not worth the space it will take up in your dorm.
Land Somewhere That Feels Like Home
Forget about lengthy checklists, expensive purchases, and stressful moving by choosing a Landing location. With locations in major cities across the country including furnished apartments in San Francisco to furnished apartments in Nashville, theres a perfect move-in ready unit for you.
Land somewhere that feels like home immediatelywith Landing.
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Want A Free College Apartment Packing List
Simplify your apartment move with our amazing FREE College Apartment Packing List. Simply click the button below to get your College Apartment Packing List delivered straight to your inbox!
4. Candles
The best thing about being in an apartment is that CANDLES ARE ALLOWED!
So go crazy ahhh, go stupid ahh buy all the candles in the world! No really, they’re the essential I can’t live without so I highly doubt you can either. Treat yourself and keep your apartment smelling heavenly with candles!
5. Pillows
Pillows are a must for any college apartment!
You can put them on a couch or on your bed. In a chair, too! Because they can go so many places, they’re a college apartment essential for sure.
And pro tip: get pillow covers that match the season and just switch them from season to season to keep your apartment up with the times! Pillow covers are SO cheap on Amazon.
6. Silverware Set
Let’s be real, silverware is just not something you want to spend your money on. This gold set comes with 20 pieces for less than $30!!
That is unheard of…run!
7. Charging Stand
I am a total clean-freak and am obsessed when everything has a place to go.
THIS is such a great item to have regardless of where you live, but I discovered it while living in my apartment so I’m labeling it a college apartment essential.
8. Desk Lamp
Many college apartments come furnished with a desk in your bedroom. But what that desk does not come with is proper lighting.
9. Mirror
10. Blankets
11. Dinnerware Set
Kitchen / Dining Room
How you set up your kitchen and dining area is going to depend on how much cooking you’re going to do. But even if you Uber Eats every night or have a campus meal plan, the odds are that you’ll spend more time cooking than you thought you would. That’s why you need to have a kitchen at least minimally stocked with both ingredient and utensil college essentials and appliances, even if you don’t know a colander from a potato ricer.
Give yourself enough equipment to at least reheat leftovers and mix up some study food better than a bag of ramen. Exploring how to cook is an important skill to learn. But if you’re already an apartment chef extraordinaire, you’re going to want to make sure you’re well stocked with all the stuff you’ll need to wow your roommates and neighbors.
And like in any other room, storage is at a premium. Be sure to coordinate with roommates so you each have enough pantry, fridge and freezer space for all the take-out containers, ice cream and bags of chips for everyone, as well as only one slow cooker and Instapot. And don’t forget to pack up any local foods from home you can’t get at school.
Dining supplies
- Aluminum foil, plastic wrap and Ziploc bags
- Paper towels and holder
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Beyond The Things You Need For Your First Apartment
After you’ve settled in, unpacked and purchased all your essential items, it’s time to go back and add items, especially to your kitchen, to make it a more complete space.
Increase your dishware so you have enough to entertain guests. Add some wine glasses, beer mugs and a good wine key. Fill in your pantry with salt, pepper, olive oil, flour and any spices you may regularly use. Things like oregano, rosemary and cumin usually top the list. Buy some serving pieces and expand your inventory of pots and pans.
Then, move on to the other rooms of your apartment, filling in gaps in furniture and accessories. This is also the time to start decorating. Begin looking around for items like throw pillows, rugs and plants. Start expressing your character with what goes up on your walls and toss in some small lamps for extra lighting.
Toilet Paper And Tissues
Youll thank us later when you dont have to take that last-minute trip to the store after moving in. Its also worth figuring out whether your apartment comes with a toilet paper holder. If it doesnt, youll want to add one to your college apartment checklist ASAP, since no one likes a toilet paper roll perched on the back of the toilet.
- Toilet paper
- Tissues
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The Ultimate First College Apartment Checklist: Everything You Really Need
Before you start shopping check out our ultimate first college apartment checklist. It includes everything you really need!
Youre moving into your first college apartmenthow exciting is that?
Or maybe youre a parent helping to get your child ready for their big move.
Either waywe have some amazing ideas you dont want to miss!
Soyour first apartmenta place to call your very ownwell maybe not ALL your own since many college students have roommates.
But stillno more tiny dorm rooms! YAY!!
And now that youll have more space youll need more things for off-campus housing.
Many new college apartment complexes are designed for each student to have a small bedroom and often with a bathroom, and a shared living room and kitchen.
And if youre lucky it may even come furnished and have an in unit laundry. Whoo-hoo!
Anne & I have both moved our sons into dorms for freshman year and followed this dorm packing checklist to be sure they had all they needed.
And when the day came to actually move them into their first dorm room we remained calm and it all went smoothly because we were prepared. And you can be too with our move-in-day tips and tricks.
We also used those ideas to help our oldest sons settle into apartments during college too!
Comfortable Couch And Coffee Table
Some student apartments offer couches and coffee tables to make things a bit easier when you move in. If thats not your case, you can use Facebook, Craigslist, and other second hand options to get furniture for your first apartment at a fairly low price. Just make sure the items are in good conditions because youll want to get the most for your buck.
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Fully Furnished Apartment Checklist
Fully furnished apartments save you time, energy, and upfront costs. Plus, they help remove some of the stress of moving. You dont have to worry about buying new apartment items such as furnishings, appliances, or linens, paying any costly moving fees, or doing any heavy lifting or tedious assembly.
But just because an apartment is advertised as furnished doesnt mean its fully furnished. Whats more, not all fully furnished apartments are created equally.
Using this fully furnished apartment checklist, youll be able to find the perfect move-in ready space to call home.
Signing A Lease And Paying A Damage Deposit
When you rent an apartment or house off campus, you should expect to:
- Sign a lease .
- Pay the first months rent immediately.
- Pay the last months rent immediately .
- Pay a damage deposit to the landlord.
A damage deposit is money you pay the landlord before you move into the housing unit. It may be as much as one months rent. In fact, it can be any amount your landlord decides to charge:
- If you damage the housing during your lease, the landlord keeps the amount of the damage deposit to pay for repairs to the unit .
- If you do not damage the housing, the landlord returns the amount of the damage deposit to you at the end of your lease.
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