How To Move Into Your First Off-Campus Apartment

By Madison White on August 10, 2016

This article is brought to you by CORT Furniture Rental. We take the hassle out of furnishing your new place so you can do more important things like read this article. Learn more about why furniture rental is the best way to get a great looking apartment.

Moving out can be scary. Moving into your first apartment: even scarier.

Naturally, your first apartment means taking on loads more responsibility than before, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. Your first apartment can give you the freedom and independence necessary for growing up.

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With the proper tools to know when apartment hunting down, you’ll realize moving into your first apartment and furnishing it isn’t so scary after all.

1. Ask around.

You might be surprised how many people are moving, upgrading, or cleaning out their old stuff. When moving into your first apartment, you’ll likely be trying to scavenge some new furniture. Buying new furniture can be expensive and taking some off Craigslist a bit risky, but what’s easiest to do is simply ask around.

Let your friends, family, and coworkers know beforehand that you’re planning to move and will be looking for furniture. You never know who’s trying to get rid of a couch in their basement. They may offer you some of their used stuff for free or know good places to get some furniture cheap (possibly through renting!). Either way, you’re benefiting just by talking about it.

2. Get recommendations.

Before settling on a new place to live, you’ll be doing a lot of research. However, if you’re not keen on scouring the internet rent advertisements for hours on end, just try asking people who already moved off campus or that live in the area.

Chances are, a lot of people you already go to school with have great insight about the best places to live. They’ll know what’s cheapest and what isn’t worth your time. If you still aren’t sure about what areas are the safest, there will be some local students to help you find a great place that won’t make you worried at night.

Plus, if you decide on somewhere that someone recommended you, usually they’ll get some money as a resident referral. It’s a win-win!

3. Stay local.

Sometimes finding that first apartment can be a bit tricky. You want to stay close to campus, but you know that off-campus housing can be competitive which can jack up the prices. You’re probably going to have to find a compromise. Depending on your situation and whether you have a car or not, living far away from campus may be cheaper but not feasible for transportation.

But if you’re lucky enough to have a car, getting away from the immediate off-campus housing may save you a pretty penny if you’re willing to drive a few extra minutes every day. Keep in mind that the further you stray from campus, the more removed you’ll be from other students and other campus activities. Ultimately, determining where to live will be narrowed by your priorities: distance, campus connection or saving money.

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4. Budget.

When living on campus, you might’ve been living the sweet life. Your housing was pre-paid as were all your meals. All you had to do was remember where your room key was and you were set.

Living on your own, however, will take a lot more planning and organization. You don’t want to be overwhelmed when you’re trying to juggle your food, rent, internet, and utilities. Before you move in, it’s best to establish about how much you think you’ll spend each month in each area.

You’ll need to factor these into your income, with a little wiggle room, to determine how much extra money you have left to spend. You absolutely don’t want to be caught spending too much on payday and not have enough left the week after to pay rent. Try and start saving some money now to ease the stress.

5. Prepare.

Much like budgeting, smooth transitioning involves preparation. You’ll need to get your money and budget sorted beforehand, but also all of your stuff. You may not think you have much, but you probably do. Especially if you’ve been acquiring other things from other people, you’ll need to sort it out and organize before move-in day.

Also, let people know the day you plan to move. You’d be surprised how many people may come and help you just by a simple mention of it. They’ll probably be even more likely to help you move if you buy a pizza.

6. Communicate.

Whether you have the same roommates as before, good friends, or new people completely, moving in with anybody takes great communication skills.

First, you’ll need to sort what your apartment already has and what it needs. If your roommate already has a couch, you should know not to go buy one. Besides the physical objects, you’ll also need to communicate on things like temperature, noise, and payments. Often, bills go under one person’s name and it’s up to the rest to pay them back. If this is the case, you’ll want to set up certain dates for balancing payments so someone isn’t left without a good chunk of money.

Just by being vocal and open about your move, you’ll be sure to stumble into loads of help with furnishing, renting and moving. You’ll probably make a few mistakes, but that’s alright.

Now go out there and live the dream; you won’t ever forget your first apartment.

Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.

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