What to Omit from an Apartment Move In Checklist

Your apartment move in checklist could stretch a mile long if you’re not careful. Remember that if you’re going away for college or moving to an apartment for the first time from a larger home, you’re not going to have anywhere near as much room in an apartment as you do in a house. Be sure to do your research and omit unnecessary items from your move in checklist before you pack.

Know What You’ll Have to Work with

Before you move, get the apartment dimensions from a landlord or, if going away for college, the admissions office, so you can have a better idea of what can fit in your apartment. A large attractive vanity table will suddenly seem just pompous and cramped when you try to fit it into an apartment where it takes up half of a wall. Forget about bringing large furniture if possible. Also, you may find that your apartment is already furnished with basic furniture and appliances. Check with the landlord or school to see if furniture and appliances are included so that you can omit them from your apartment move in checklist. If you’re going to have roommates, contact them before you move in and try to split responsibility for bringing some items you can share (appliances, dishware, furniture, gaming systems, etc.) equally. This can greatly reduce the length of your move in checklist!

Things to Omit from the Apartment Move-In Checklist

While everyone’s situation is unique (you may find out you do have space and/or do need to bring some of the below items), there are a few common items you can typically omit from an apartment move in checklist. You can omit even more if you find out that the apartment is already furnished with necessary items or your roommates are going to bring some items you can share.

Leave the following behind, unless you find out you do need them:

• Overly bulky furniture (you must make the most of your new small space, so look for smaller, storage-friendly furniture)
• Bed and mattress (if provided by the college or apartment building)
• Desk and lamp (if provided by the college or apartment building)
• Dresser (if provided by the college or apartment building)
• More than a few bookshelves’ worth of books (books are heavy to move and take up storage space)
• Items you don’t often use (you can bring a few trinkets to decorate, but don’t go overboard; you won’t have a lot of space)
• A lot of unnecessary but sentimental items (bring a few sentimental items, but keep the rest in storage; if you don’t use it, you simply won’t have the space)
• More than one or two posters or works of art (you can make a bland apartment attractive with a central focal point on the wall; too many posters and art and you just have a noisy, cluttered mess)

Your apartment move in checklist should reflect your new apartment life: simple, uncluttered and space-saving. Remember that your new apartment is likely smaller than your home, so don’t make moving a hassle by burdening yourself with bulky and/or unnecessary items.