Apartment necessities

[Novella]

Do you plan on living there for a few years, or do you think you'll be moving around much?

That's a very good question to consider. As much as I've been tempted to invest in household goods, I've resisted since I move around so much. The few things I've purchased often aren't able to make the move with me. Since I haven't bought anything I can't part with, it usually isn't too tough.

Things to decorate the walls with are apartment necessities to me - posters, postcards, photocopies of old magazine covers. They make a place feel more homey, don't break the bank, and are easy to haul around.

 

[Diamondback]

To be honest, all I really need are my laptop (it's also my "TV/DVD-player" and stereo), heater/air-conditioner (usually heater, here in the NW, given my dependence on outside heat) and a dehumidifier, along with a microwave, a few books and an air-mattress. But that's just me...

I once worked up plans that would have let me, if necessary, live out of a 40' ConEx with only minimal modifications... (thermal insulation, lights, power and utilities, install a bathroom and that's pretty much it!)

 

[Joie DeVive]

Here are my thoughts.

For the kitchen, (assuming you cook, of course ):
1-3 saucepans, at least one with a lid that fits.
a frying pan, preferably with a lid.
a cutting board
a mixing spoon
a spatula
measuring cups
measuring spoons
at least one large cutting knife
at least one small cutting knife
a baking dish (I like pyrex)
a cookie sheet
a few food storage containers
potholders
a can opener
at least 4 plates, bowls and cups
at least silverware service for 4

You can do without kitchen appliances if you have to. If I had to pick only one, I would say toaster or toaster oven. Microwave, and crockpot come in next for me (but I don't drink coffee).

Tools:
pliers (my number one most used tool)
regular screwdriver
phillips head screwdriver
Hammer
plunger

Other stuff:
bucket (From floor mopping, to carrying stuff, to laundry soaking, to barf catching, it's a handy item)
flashlight and batteries
a bathmat (so much nicer than stepping on a towel)
basic office supplies (paper, pen, scissors, etc)

And the suggestion about the medicinals is a good one. I suggest having a painkiller, something for tummy troubles, your favorite cold remedy, and Band-aids on hand.

 

[Smithy]

A three-seater sofa and a wok

Both indispensible!

 

[MaximOfSurrey]

A towel.

You can wrap it round you for warmth; sunbathe on it; sleep under it; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wave it in emergencies as a distress signal; and wrap it round your head to avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal because this is such a mindboggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you. You can also, of course, dry yourself off with it, if it still seems to be clean enough.

 

[Smithy]

Towel...wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat

Now that made me laugh lol

 

[carter]

A really good leather recliner. It's the only piece of furniture for sleeping, lounging, eating, working, socializing, etc. Unless it requires a restroom, you can do it all in a quality recliner!

 

[gluegungeisha]

Ooh, thank you all for the helpful responses! I got up early this morning to sign my papers, pick up my keys (!!) and begin the moving-in process. I mopped the hardwood floor, but it is very grimey and lacking in sheen. I picked up some Method wood cleaning supplies from Target today.

I just won a 20-piece dish set on Ebay, as well as two moderately tacky dining chairs to match my formica table. I'm currently on the hunt for curtains, though I might just end up sewing them myself if I can find a nice barkcloth. I'm not worrying about glasses...for now I'm just using POM bottles, hehe!

I'm very proud of how my place is looking so far. I think I'll post photos of it when I'm done making it my own...I have a feeling this forum will appreciate my decorating. The building itself is also very period (pre-WWII, 1940-ish).

Also, does anyone have any good tips for getting rid of smokey smells? I kept the windows and doors open for the few hours I was there this morning, but it's still pretty bad. The previous tenant must have had black lungs.

 

[farnham54]

Hi there,

Coming from a college kid, so keep in mind, most of my advice is thrifty at best and down right dirty and cheap at worst.

The smoke: Febreeze the crap out of it every day. Grab a few glade plug ins if you must, but you want an odor neutralizer like Febreeze or even Oust as that will get rid of the smell, not just mask it.

On the hardwood, take a box of baking soda (arm and hammer make a container purpose-built, actually) and sprink it all over the hard wood. Then, hands and knees with a soft cloth, and rub it around a bit. Then vaccuum it up (note: don't do this without a vacuum as you won't get all the powder). That will help get the smell out of the ground.

Walls and Cielings are another story, which I know nothing about--Everywhere I've lived has been Brick walls so not much odor trapping.

For amenities, you can grab a multiple piece cooking set for under 100 bucks that will include pots and pans. You can probobly also get a deal at some of the bigger grocery stores (or maybe Walmart Super Center) on packages of utensils--whisks, spatulas, etc.

Other then that, and I can't stress this enough: Get stuff to put on the walls. Doesn't matter if it's posters from films, pictures of friends, whatever means somthing to you--Cover walls with things that look familiar. It'll feel like home right away (and, the next time you move, you just re-hang these things and it's just like being home again!)

Other nice options that I have but aren't absolutley nessecary are a Wine Fridge (think Mini Bar in a hotel designed for bottles of wine) and around that a shelving unit for bar supplies.

Cheers
Craig

P.S. Congrats on your own place the freedom really can't be beat!

 

[Diamondback]

Great minds think alike, Craig--I was just about to suggest Febreze by the cropduster-load myself.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

febreeze itself has a smell that many dislike....I cant -stand- it...


I would use baking soda....paste on washable things...and open boxes of it when the house is closed up..


Vinagar can also help neutralize smellies....

and lemons....

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

Congratulations, Gluegungeisha! A new place is always exciting. All the suggestions here are awesome. I particularly agree with the cast iron skillet and the drill, especially when it comes to hanging shelves, pictures, etc. But that's something that's easy to borrow for a weekend, get everything hung, and return it.

As for the smoky smells, here is where my recommendation comes in. Candles! Specifically for smoke odor, they make special candles that work like a charm at neutralizing stale smoke smell. And they're available at Wal-Mart, drug stores, etc. But in addition, I also recommend going to a dollar store and buying lots and lots of various scents of candles. One of the best and easiest ways to break in a new place is to make it smell like "home". Use different scents in every room, get ones that will compliment any plants or flowers you have. It's a lot of fun, and candles are decoration as well as functional (light, scent, hot wax for sealing letters).

I also like incense a lot, but it can be an acquired taste. But burning a couple sticks of incense will surely cover up the old smoke smells. Teenagers have been burning incense in their rooms for YEARS to cover up smoke smells. lol

 

[Paisley]

My house was previously owned by smokers. The smell eventually dissipated on its own.

 

[gluegungeisha]

My house was previously owned by smokers. The smell eventually dissipated on its own.

Good to know...I've been smelling it on my clothes all day!

I really try to avoid chemical-y fresheners like Glade and Febreze. I also can't stand the smell of Febreze, though I haven't tried it since it originally came out. I recall it smelling very Portapotty-like.

The baking soda idea should do something...good stuff. I'm also on the lookout for one of those nice oil diffusers they have at the Body Shop and Pharmaca...mmm.

 

[Leading Edge]

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

Also, does anyone have any good tips for getting rid of smokey smells? I kept the windows and doors open for the few hours I was there this morning, but it's still pretty bad. The previous tenant must have had black lungs.

These amazing products are not only environmentally sound but also effectively clean and freshen (read: knock out noxious odors pleasantly). To quote from the website:

"Mrs. Meyer's cleaning supplies make cleaning your home fresh, fun, and fragrant. All of our cleaning supplies are made with natural essential oils, are biodegradable and phosphate-free, and we never test on animals. Whether you use our All Purpose Cleaner (good for just about everything) our Dish Soap (cuts grease like nobody‚Äôs business), or any of our other cleaning supplies, you‚Äôll find our products are good for your house, your nose, and the environment."​

I am especially partial to the lavender scented all purpose cleaner, but there are also a lemon verbena and geranium varieties.

To get rid of the odor, I suggest washing down the walls with the recommended dilution of Mrs. Meyers All Purpose Cleaner (yes, the suggested dilution of these products are enough) and a sponge mop. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's actually a rather quick and easy job.

Make up the solution in a spray bottle. Spritz the walls with the solution. Use a bucket of clean water and your sponge mop to "wash the walls" down. You really use much less effort than it sounds and doesn't even take that much time to do. Also, the walls dry quickly.​

I recommend changing the bucket of water frequently to avoid streaking. Also, I always spritz an area twice that of what I will sponge mop in one pass so that the solution is working while I am washing the wall or changing the water.
Afterwards, I would go on ahead and wash the floors using the same spray bottle/bucket of clean water method. Might as well; they're wet anyway


http://www.mrsmeyers.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=36

 

[jgilbert]

Dear Gluegungeisha:

The smoke will leave in 3 to 6 months. And as Leading Edge stated you can wash the walls and that will help. If there are any other fabric items there wash them as well.

I moved into a place and had the carpets cleaned monthly for the first 3 months and that help alot. And will the advent of fall left the windows and doors wide open whenever I could. With time and plenty of fresh air and cleaning it will leave.

I too am a fan of the Mrs. Meyers cleaning products. When it come to stains in both the kitchen and bath and you can try a paste of lemon juice and kosher salt. Also the is a product, Barkeepers' friend that you can use and it will not scratch.

 

[gluegungeisha]

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.

I'm being a bit more cautious about washing the walls because of the lead paint. The chips of lead paint are mostly inside the doorways, though...I'm sure gently wiping the walls would be fine.

 

[patrick1987]

This will be my first time living alone, and I've been very occupied shopping for kitchen, bathroom and dining room supplies.

Well, yeah, aren't you only seventeen? All my best stuff came from the side of the road. I carried a 1950s silver table and chairs down the street to the house, found a semi-circular coffee table or some such with a cutout for what I can only imagine was for a large man sitting on the floor and borrowed a car to bring it home, 2 couches using same borrowed car, at different times, a box of perfectly usable dishes, several working or fixable lamps, a chalkboard!, tv trays, those are expensive at Target new, bookcases, stereo cabinet, speakers, Mr Coffee coffeemaker intact, and an aquarium. I bought Murphy's Oil Soap. Shaving cream cleans mirrors and doesn't fog up. Reuse all of your paper napkins and Kleenexes and you will rarely have to buy paper towels. Febreze must be a guy thing, I like it. I'm also grateful for Porta-pottys. Beats getting a ticket for indecent exposure.

 

[Paisley]

Just don't get upholstered furniture from the side of the road. Bedbugs are now an epidemic.

 

[Leading Edge]

Just don't get upholstered furniture from the side of the road. Bedbugs are now an epidemic.

YUCK, YUCK, YUCK

and furthermore: yucky, yucky, yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck