Best Places To Shop For Your First Apartment

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No matter when the moment happens in your life, moving into your first solo digs is a huge deal.  You’ve survived the apartment hunting process, you’ve set a budget and scoped out your new floorplan: now it’s time to furnish!  Filling an entire apartment with the essentials can feel a bit overwhelming but with the right checklist (we’ve got you covered) and an inside scoop on the best places to shop for your new apartment, you’ll be living in style in no time.

T.J. Maxx

Long a favorite of ours for affordable and unique fashion finds, TJ’s is also a fantastic option for everything from basic bedding to decor to unique finds to stock your pantry with.  There’s a location in just about every city you could name but you now also have the option to shop online.

We particularly love the selection of affordable and on-trend the wall art at T.J. Maxx.  We’ve been eyeing this gold glittered “A” for Apartminty HQ… 

 

World Market

Go beyond the basic with unique decor from across the globe at World Market.  Influenced by and sourced from a wide variety of countries and cultures, there is a dizzying number of ways you could style your apartment with a few pieces from this gem of a store.

World Market is a fantastic place to pick up an expensive looking rug for a surprisingly low cost.  Rugs really bring a space together and minimize the need for a ton of accessories.  This gorgeous 5’x8′ hand knotted boho area rug is only $224 if you grab it while it’s still on sale! 

All Modern

Starting with a blank slate can be a little paralyzing or completely liberating depending on your design aesthetic!  Maddie is fully bought into the concept of minimalism and gets giddy at the thought of starting from scratch.  If you tend to agree, then All Modern is the perfect place to form a clean and modern base for your look.

Furniture is a great place to start when you’re working with a blank slate.  This sleek Track Large Dining Table from All Modern is only $184.99 right now, an absolute steal for this versatile piece of furniture.

Wayfair

You probably have their jingle stuck in your head right about now.  Our apologies for that, but you’ll be thanking us in no time once you start sifting through all of the goodies their site has to offer.  You could truly furnish your whole apartment in one fell swoop on Wayfair, just take the time to read the customer reviews to ensure quality.

We particularly love Wayfair for their selection of bed and bath linens.  Who could resist these Apartminty Green towels?  This set of 6 Embroidered Jewel Tone Towels is $53.73.  

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IKEA

Oh, you’ve heard the name before?  We know this is an old standby but that is for good reason: IKEA continues to have some of the most affordable and customizable furniture options on the market.  Shop here for kitchen basics, throw pillows, organization items and, of course, furniture!

This MALM dresser is a great basic but also lends itself really well to customization.  If you haven’t seen our DIY Dresser Makeover with O’verlays yet you have got to check it out!  You won’t believe how unique and high-end this $99 dresser looks with a little extra love and effort.

H&M

One way to really make a new apartment feel like home is to do some customizing.  H&M has moved into the home decor market and we couldn’t be happier about it!  In addition to picking up little trinkets that make your heart sing, consider which permanent fixtures you could update in your new space without losing your security deposit.

These adorable green knobs from H&M allow you to personalize your kitchen cabinets or dresser drawers for just $6.99/set of two!

The Container Store

Another way to create a happy home from the outset is to have a place for everything.  The Container Store will help you maximize your storage space and keep everything neat and tidy.  One caveat here: consider waiting until you’re unpacked in your new space to ensure you get exactly what you need to fit the space rather than ending up with more stuff to find a place or use for!

We’re pretty into baskets these days…so much so that you’d be justified in calling Maddie a basket case.  In addition to all of the customizable in-drawer and in-cabinet options (highly recommended), The Container Store also offers plenty of options that are pretty enough to be considered decor in their own right.  These Beach House Bins are $16.99 for the smaller size and $19.99 for the larger.  

CB2

Crate&Barrel’s sister store CB2 is full of fun and quirky pieces that we just adore.  Plus, they just upped their cool factor again by introducing Kravitz Design, a line of home items in collaboration with the one and only Lenny Kravitz (you can’t see it, but Holli is drooling a little).

CB2 is a great place to stock up on kitchen essentials: dinnerware, flatware, dishtowels and bar accessories are a steal.  These Beam Aqua Mugs are just $3.50 a piece.  

Urban Outfitters

This is great option for those who want to stay on-trend without risking being too trendy.  The stylish and surprisingly affordable pieces in the Urban Outfitters Apartment collection will stand the test of time without coming off boring.

Urban Outfitters is another great option for affordable (not cheap) furniture, particularly sofas.  This Campbell Vegan Leather Sofa is just $549 and we’re ready to saw our old sofas in half to get our hands on it.   

Etsy

If you aren’t already familiar with Etsy, then welcome to your new obsession.  Etsy is a global community where curators and creators can share their goods with others interested in supporting small operations, local artists and global finds.  This is a great place to discover truly one of a kind pieces and maybe even a little something to pamper yourself with.

Seriously though, after a long day of moving and long months of planning, don’t you think you deserve a rejuvenating bath?  Order yourself some of this Organic Peppermint Sugar Scrub and feel all of the stress melt away.

Casper Mattresses

For something that we spend a almost a third of our life using, it’s understandable that mattresses can be on the pricey side.  A cheap mattress is not worth the pain and discomfort it will bring you throughout the day, so consider this an investment in your well-being, body and mind.  That being said, Casper offers a 100 night free trial, 10 year warranty and free shipping.  Factor in that this is an incredibly comfortable and relatively affordable mattress and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Casper is able to keep their prices low by eliminating the cost of showrooms, sales people, and overstocked inventory; they’re truly changing the way people shop for mattresses.  A queen sized mattress is $850 and you’re worth every penny.

 

Tell us what you think: Is there anywhere we missed?  Where do you go for your apartment essentials?

 

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