19 practical purchases I wish someone had told me to make for my first apartment

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Moving into your first apartment can be stressful — and it’s a godsend when someone can lay out a few no-nonsense purchases you might want to make.
With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, these are the purchases I wish that I had made, or was glad that I did.
You can also find 21 helpful products we’ve bought for our apartments here.

Moving into your first apartment will likely be stressful. For many, it coincides with such life-changing events as graduating, moving out of their guardian’s home, and starting their career. You might suddenly have the responsibility of updating your résumé, buying suitable work clothes, and putting up a security deposit and first month’s rent. By the end of it, your brain and wallet can feel empty.

But, hindsight is 20/20, and after a couple years of living in my own place, I’ve rounded up 19 purchases that I’m either very glad I made or wished I had before moving in. Most are practical, and some — like easy-to-assemble couches — may not be in the budget. But, if you can’t get everything, the ones you can are sure to come in handy.

Below are 19 things I wish someone had told me to buy for my first apartment:

Wine glasses that guests can’t break

Snowe

Stemless Wine Glasses, $48, available on Snowe

Snowe makes some of the best modern home goods —they’re a bit more expensive than average but much more affordable than other luxury options. The wine glasses are a particularly good example: compact and streamlined but undeniably functional. They’re elegant while still being dishwasher safe and hard to break, so you can offer guests nice wine glasses without the threat of them winding up crushed on the floor. Even though I have stemmed wine glasses too, visitors tend to favor these.

A matching set of dishes

Wayfair

Valia 16-Piece Full Dinnerware Set, $39.99, available on Wayfair

If it’s your first apartment, do yourself the favor of giving away the hodgepodge cups and plates you’ve accumulated over the years, and invest in a matching set you’ll be happy to own, eat out of every day, and covers all the bases. This is actually the exact set that I have because it’s such a good deal (it’s currently 67% off).

Kitchen basics

Amazon

Kitchen Utensil Set, $19.99, available on Amazon

I spoke from experience when I said that your roommates may have gotten the utensils, and now you’re stuck trying to furnish a home with the good luxuries like nice sheets as well as the less glamorous necessities like spoons and forks. Buying the basics in bulk is an easy (and thankfully cheap) way to kill a few birds with one stone.

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