Being on apartment number two of solo living (really, number three, but we don’t talk about that first apartment), I know a thing or two about accumulating furniture and starting the adulting journey.
Moving to North Carolina and starting with a blank slate of an apartment showed me what was absolutely essential to have in my home, especially as a young woman living alone with no one to call on when things get rough… when assembling a couch takes three hours.
If you are also in your Ms. Independent era, these are the six essential things I realized I needed in my home:
Drill & Tape Measure
I also have a hammer, level, Phillips head screwdriver, flathead screw driver, stud finder, and a big set of drill bits.
Yes, you can call me Bob the Builder.
If you’re moving somewhere by yourself and don’t have anyone to call on, it’s important to have the basic tools to do whatever needs to be done, whether it’s completing a large gallery wall or assembling furniture. Honestly, most of the time it’s for assembling furniture. It’s better to have all the tools than to use the end of a spoon to hammer in a nail.
A Seat to Read
Obviously, seats are used for different things and aren’t completely necessary, but I do my best reading when I’m not sitting on the ground; I figured this out when I first moved into my apartment. Funnily enough, I am incredibly productive with work and taking out my weave when I’m sitting on the ground, but if I want to do my favorite activity of leisurely reading, I have to have a proper seat.
It was driving me crazy not having this accent chair from Wayfair as a designated reading spot. I only sit in this chair if I am reading (or if there are people visiting who take up my entire couch).
Greenery
Having greenery in your home is so peaceful, even if it’s fake greenery. Before I had a bed, my apartment felt like home because I had plants, both real and fake, in every room including my bathroom.
Plants provide warmth and make a place feel like home, and if you are far away from the only place you’ve ever known, all you want is to feel like you’re at home.
Time in Every Room
As someone who does not carry around her phone with her when she is at home, I need an easy way to tell time in every room. I love being able to read analog clocks because they are more aesthetically pleasing than digital clocks. If I have to be somewhere at a certain time or I’m waiting for something, like a new album, to drop, I have to be able to glance in a certain direction and see the time.
A lot of people use their phones as a means of telling the time when they’re home, but I feel like that increases chances of mindless scrolling. I do everything I can to keep that from taking over my days, especially since peaceful time at home is becoming rare.
This discounted Target clock is in my bedroom. There is another analog clock from Ikea in my kitchen. I have a Bose radio clock in my living room. I’m still working on a clock for my bathroom, but I’ll get there.
Something to Squish
In honor of the squirrels in my ceiling, this is Melzie, my squirrel squishmallow. Having something to snuggle with, especially if you are truly alone (as in, don’t have a significant other who lives in the same apartment complex), is necessary. Not every night is easy, and sometimes the quiet takes over and finds a way to mess with your head. While I’m working on adopting a dog, cuddling with Melzie is doing the job. I wish I had her when I moved in and couldn’t get out of my head.
Iron/Steamer
The legal guardian is no longer around to make sure you look presentable when you walk outside the door. It is now up to you to make sure you don’t show up to your corporate job looking like a wrinkled mess. To help with this, getting an iron or a steamer is essential. I’m not a fan of steaming, so I have this decently inexpensive iron from Walmart.
There are a ton more things that are essential to your home, like food and a means for preparing it, but when I sat down to write my list, these were the first six things my pen put on the paper.
Considering everyone has different lives, styles, and personalities, everyone’s essentials will more than likely be completely different from mine. As years go by and I continue to mature, I’m sure this list will change and mature as well.
