The 17 purchases we’re most glad we made for our first apartment

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Moving is a stressful experience no matter how you slice it, and taking on the job of finding and outfitting your first apartment as an adult is even more so.

Your first apartment is a perfect storm: an intersection of many needs and low resources. Chances are high that your college roommate might have bought the kitchen utensils... or the vacuum... or the pots and pans...  and now you’re trying to furnish an entire apartment on your own with less money than it seems the job will demand.

The few purchases you do make will need to last you longer than the cheap, seasonal models you bought in college so you’re not in the same spot, dumping more money into a dresser next year. You’ll likely want nicer belongings than plastic storage bins for all of your clothes as an adult now anyway.

Since it's unlikely you have a carte blanche at West Elm, the purchases you do make are best when backed up by the advice of people who’ve been there before and can help you choose wisely. While I went through my post-graduation apartment search recently, I decided to make use of an incredible resource and survey my colleagues on their most valuable first apartment purchases. We spend around 40 hours a week thinking of ways to optimize peoples' lives with valuable products, so the purchases we make for our own homes carry special significance for me.

Below, you'll find the 17 things the Insider Picks team is most glad we bought for our first apartment.

Breton Fischetti, senior director of commerce: Brooklinen sheets

Brooklinen

This pick is one that I did with a bit of hindsight, but I lived in a four-bedroom apartment, so my bedroom was the only bit of space in the apartment that was truly mine.

I really enjoyed having a good set of sheets. Once I got them it really made a difference in making the place feel more grownup and put together compared to whatever sheets I had leftover from high school/college. I recently bought a set of Brooklinen sheets and they are a great option. It's definitely a stretch of a purchase for a first apartment, but you use sheets every day so it's worthwhile. 

Brooklinen Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle (Queen), $228

A mirror to open up a small room

Amazon

A first apartment or home is probably going to be smaller, and the easiest way to make a small space feel bigger is with a good mirror. It reflects light and adds depth to any room.

Umbra Mira Wall Mirror, $80

Ellen Hoffman, commerce editor: OXO Mixing Bowl and Colander Set

Target

I bought this set of mixing bowls and colanders when I moved into my first apartment, and years later it’s up there with my tea kettle and cow mug for most-used items in my kitchen.

The set includes three mixing bowls and three colanders in various sizes with a space-saving, nesting design. So simple, but so practical for anyone who cooks at home a lot.  

OXO Good Grips Nesting Bowls and Colanders Set, $49.99

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