Apartment necessities

[BegintheBeguine]

I didn't know there was an epidemic. Obviously, my housemate Patrick was lucky. Our friends and I, too! No one's been bitten. My house is stuffed and we simply can't fit another stick of furniture in here, but if it weren't I wouldn't chance it again after reading Paisley's warning and Leading Edge's reaction.

 

[CanadaDoll]

Gluegungeisha, if there's anything you splurge on, spend the money on really good bed sheets, I'm talking 500 plus percale (thread count) I treated myself to a fabulous set a few years ago, and they're amazing, soft, strong as heck, and really nice to put your skin against at the end of a long day. They're pricey, but totally worth the investment.

Have fun in your new home:eusa_clap

 

[dhermann1]

General tip: Get yourself completely installed once you're in. If you leave stuff in boxes, or make do with some make shift thing, you'll suddenly realize you've been living with it for a year or two or three. Get yourself COMPLETELY moved in and then flop. I like Joie de Vivre's advice for the kitchen. Trying to cook a meal and then realizing you don't have some basic utensil is a drag. There are number of books, articles and websites that will tell you what a good basic set up is. (Hey, Martha Stewart is no dummy on these subjects!) And get as good utensils and tools as you can afford. Junky stuff just falls apart on you when you need it most. Does your area get power outages? If so, have a few candles around.
Congrats! When are you having us all over for dinner?

 

[eaglerich]

Vintage formica table

"Vintage Formica"...man, do I feel old. All the above advice is worth following. Good luck in your new home!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I love Mrs. Meyers' products! Pretty high-end, but very good stuff. I wanted to get their lavender all-purpose cleaner, but ended up getting Method's.

I'm currently raving over Method's wood polishing spray. I'm sure it's meant for furniture, but I've been using the entire bottle on my floor. It smells absolutely AMAZING -- like almonds! The place is already starting to smell better.

They started stocking all the Method stuff in all the local huge supermarket, I thought it was just some fancy schmancy designer cleaning stuff, till I read you'd picked some up! Knowing you only like your organic-y, non harmful stuff I took a closer look and got some cucumber spray and pink grapfruit wipes. They are great! They smell divine, do the job well and are bigger than normal sprays so not actually that much pricier. So thanks GGG!

 

[MagistrateChris]

How about a 12 gauge shotgun for protection? A gal I knew years ago was given a Mauser by her father when she got her first apartment. For protection, of course - he cared about his little girl. She asked him, "How do I use it?" He answered, "Back up to a wall, put the butt against it, and pull the trigger. Don't worry about aiming. It'll hit something."


Lee
____________________________

"I am here to fight evil and exchange good-natured barbs" - The Tick

A young lady I used to keep company with was given a Browning Hi Power by her father when she went off to law school. She was also given the lessons on how to use it, and she did very well with it.

Seriously, some means of protecting one's self is not a bad idea. Several companies make door alarms, which could be useful, as well.

 

[killertomata]

If you end up with roaches, which so many apartments have regardless of how clean you are, boric acid is definitely the thing to use. In cracks and under boards, in back cabinet corners, that stuff works.

Other than that unpleasantness:

• Blender or food processor. You can get some really nice vintage look blenders.
• Cast iron pots and pans- preferably with wooden handles- in the winter I could not live without my large, Dutch-oven type cast iron pot. Even though I live alone and have for a couple years (although not for much longer), I like to make big pots of soup and veggie stews with dumplings. Which brings me to...
• A good set of food storage containers. Living alone often means leftovers. Leftovers often means saving money, which is often handy when living alone.
• A good set of pot holders. Thick, some squares and some glove-type.
• Water kettle! They come in handy for so many things, not just making tea!
• Sturdy, hard to kill houseplants.
• And a set of nice old looking candle holders, with candles always standing by. Nice for ambience moments, candlelit dinners, pampering yourself, and the occasional blackout.