Moving into your first apartment is both exciting and intimidating. Here are the things I wish I knew before getting my first apartment.
So, I just got my first apartment post-grad. It took a lot of work, and I mainly did it on my own. I saved up money from my first job after graduating and lived with my family for a year. However, there are a lot of things I wish I knew before getting my first apartment, like security deposits and taking the time to compare apartments. I’ve read tons of blog posts, watched many YouTube videos, and downloaded enough first apartment essentials lists, but my move had a few hiccups. Nothing major. Just a few things, as a new renter, I didn’t know.
Here are the 20 things I wish I knew before getting my first apartment.
20 Things I Wish I Knew Before Getting My First Apartment
1. Everything is expensive.
This may be obvious, but it’s so true. There’s no promo code for rent. I was more shocked at the prices of basic items for my apartment than the rent price. Save more money on the side just for kitchen trash cans, trash bags, random kitchen items, etc. I literally drove all around town for a trash can that was less than $30 and couldn’t find one that wasn’t tiny. I ended up finding one at HomeGoods way in the suburbs.
IDK why y’all keep moving to Texas. It’s hot, then we don’t know how to handle snow. Rent is increasing at ridiculous rates. I watched an apartment slowly go from $1100 to $1300 in a year! Then I had to pay my full rent for my security deposit since my college apartment didn’t count, since it was on campus. I mean, we had RAs, and I didn’t really pay rent…so I sorta…kinda understand why I had to pay, but still!
’26 Update: Everything is still somehow more expensive.
2. Do not start looking too early.
If you are able to save money and live at home or with roommates, then you’ll probably start your journey a little early, like I did. I learned that it’s best to begin touring apartments 1-2 months before moving. I locked in my apartment 3 -4 months before my move-in date because I was afraid of losing the apartment or rent jumping out of my budget.
Currently, Texas has a housing shortage…so guess what that means? Apartments are also in a shortage and/or people are buying and renting places at a faster pace. Also, more people are moving to Texas because of the cheaper (not so much anymore) cost of living. So prices are going up.
Wait until a few weeks before you move out. You’ll probably find an apartment that you want, and 3-4 weeks should be enough time to look around. I waited too early and wished I had looked around a bit more because I saw more apartments available right when I was preparing to move out.
’26 Update: Looking back, I wish I had taken more time and hired an apartment agent. I did eventually do this, which made the process easier. It was less stressful, too.
3. Models are fine, but tour the EXACT apartment before agreeing to give any money.
My biggest mistake with first-time renting is not looking at my EXACT model before agreeing on it. I honestly looked at a model and another apartment available months ahead. My apartment was fine, but I was so worried about losing it. I had co-workers and locals tell me to sign immediately because of the housing crisis in Texas.
But always, always, ALWAYS look at the apartment you want to move into because models are simply models to look pretty for visitors. I found out the day I walked in that I have a fireplace, and my living room space was difficult to put my sofa and loveseat in. Everything worked out, but I was a little shocked.
’26 Update: Again, looking back, I wish I hadn’t rushed, but I was paying with my mental health living at home. I also should have been more direct, which I am now, and asked more questions. You’re paying so much now for renting and should expect to have decent or premium living conditions, depending on your rent price.
4. Shop around and compare.
I’m one of those frugal/cheap people (that’s what my family calls me), so I’ll go out of my way and contemplate before I spend any money. So when it came down to figuring out which apartment I wanted, I compared and thought things through. I had Excel sheets and pages in my notebook, crunching numbers and weighing out different amenities and comparing commutes to work and my favorite stores.
But shop around and compare. Figure out what your needs are. If you can even get a realtor, try to get one because they’ll probably find better deals.
’26 Update: Now, I recommend getting an apartment agent to help. It’s hard to find the best apartment these days.
5. No apartment will be perfect.
Unless you are throwing thousands and thousands a month, then there’ll be some hiccups in the apartment. Also, your first apartment will be meh. The more I live in it, the better it gets, honestly. But my rent is cheap for both a study and a 1-bedroom within city limits.
’26 Update: Even apartments downtown with skyline views are not perfect, and people are throwing a couple thousand on them. I think finding an apartment that aligns with your top values (e.g. pets allowed, quick commute, has a pool, or whatever) matters nowadays.
6. Have a list of things to check while touring the apartment.
I should have taken a look at those rental checklists on Etsy. I looked around my apartment for mold and mildew, and how big each room was. Not much else… I hate mold. I loathe it and asked everywhere about mold problems.
However, I wish I had checked out how exactly my cabinet doors shut, how clean the oven was, and how far the dumpster is from my apartment, etc. It’s the little things that I do daily, I wish I had thought about.
7. Save as much money as possible.
I honestly wish I had been more patient, especially with moving out. I should have waited a bit longer until I had more money. I saved up for my emergency funds and a bit extra for trips. But I had to withdraw a lot for miscellaneous items.
8. Learn how to be grateful.
I talked with one of my friends a few days ago in my apartment. I honestly wasn’t the most grateful person. I was letting small things about my apartment get to me and compared it to ones on Pinterest and Instagram.
Being able to move out is a huge accomplishment and privilege that many people do not get to have. To be able to save and buy things for an apartment means a lot since we’re in a recession. Take the time to sit and enjoy your apartment and be grateful for it. You also worked hard to get one.
’26 Update: I think we’re still in a recession, but idk…BUT STILL, being grateful to be able to move out is something to think about.
9. Sit in the parking lot of apartments at a random time before touring/signing anything.
Early on, when I first started looking at apartments, I went for cheap. I mean too cheap for my income, standards, and the areas I was looking to live in. The leasing lady seemed nice, but there were a lot of things happening in the parking lot that I was questioning.
So after my tour, I sat in the parking lot to see how the complex was on a regular day. All I know is that it didn’t seem that safe or clean. I did not go back to those apartments at all, lol.
10. You do not need every single thing the first week of moving in.
One thing my family kept telling me was that I won’t need to buy everything and have everything finished or decorated within the first week or month of moving in. As I get more settled into my apartment, I realize they are correct. I can’t imagine having everything on the first day. I think that the best décor is found randomly at a store when you’re not planning to buy anything. Also, you don’t know what you honestly need until you need it. I didn’t think about an ice tray until I needed super cold water for my soft-boiled egg one night.
11. It’s almost impossible to have every single item.
No matter what, you’ll run to Walmart or Target for something after moving in. I had several trips to the store for the basics. I went from living at my aunt’s house, which was stocked up with everything for a year, and now, I’m buying stuff I never even thought about since moving back home after graduating college, like a utensil holder for my drawer or a shower caddy. It was always there, so I was used to it. I also had Excel spreadsheets ready for when I moved in, yet I still didn’t have everything.
12. Even with movers, you’ll be tired after moving.
Moving into an apartment is not an easy task. It takes tons of work. I personally was not tired of moving stuff up my stairs the first day. (Ngl, I was, lol. That day had me exhausted and sore.) I also let the movers move anything cumbersome or too heavy for me to carry up the stairs since they are trained to do so. But I was exhausted when I had to put my bed together, activate my internet, wash all my plates and pots, and put all my clothes in my closet in one day.
Moving stuff inside is only the start, but putting things together and organizing items in a timely manner is what wore me out. I wish someone had told me that.
’26 Update: Pace yourself. It’s okay to leave a few boxes unopened for a week or two.
13. If you are with roommates, then set boundaries and cleaning rules.
When I lived in college, I had roommates. I didn’t set cleaning rules and boundaries at first. It was a mess, and I ended up cleaning up most of the time. If you are with roommates, then set boundaries early on. If I get one again, I’m definitely adding new cleaning rules.
14. If you lived on campus throughout college, then you likely won’t have a rent history.
This all depends on how your university handles renting and apartments. I’m currently living in my first official apartment. I had to pay the full security deposit because the 3 years of living on campus did not count or show up on my credit/rental history. I didn’t technically have rent, and my housing payment came from my scholarships. Having to pay that much took a big chunk from my apartment moving budget.
If this happens, make sure to ask the manager why and try to bargain with them. I did so and didn’t have to pay that much upfront and broke it up into chunks.
15. Wash dishes and check the corners…or you’ll have visitors.
So my cat wasn’t with me yet, and usually, he handles bugs and lizards. I also lived in the country for most of my life, but city bugs are built differently. One thing I was told is that if the apartment complex doesn’t spray that often, you’ll get visitors, aka roaches. I clean my apartment up and down, and I’m not even on the ground floor, so I haven’t seen one yet. Also, read reviews from previous tenants about bugs and roaches.
Roaches, ants, and their friends aren’t helping pay this high rent, so they definitely aren’t coming here to my apartment.
’26 Update: Nah, I moved out of that place. Paying all that and got roaches. Even after I cleaned, moved all my stuff out, and sprayed myself! Those roaches still came. Pest control came and was conscending af. I moved out. My new place has an entire system and will make pest control come if you see one bug. We’re paying too much for these apartments for them to have pests.
16. People are going to be loud even in quiet neighborhoods.
From kids yelling after school to cars revving up, you’re going to hear it. Apartment installation and soundproofing are not great. We recently had an ice storm in North Texas, and I woke up to the sound of someone on the ground floor chipping ice off the ground. Then, every morning when I’m working or even sleeping in, one of the maintenance people is blowing leaves—I just feel like they know when I’m about to get on a work call or off and want to sleep in for once.
’26 Update: Honestly, that’s city living sometimes. Depending on your apartment’s soundproofing and how thin the walls are, you’re going to hear noise. I honestly have gotten used to the city sounds and turn on an ambience video on YouTube.
17. Apartments cut corners.
Honestly, some of the random maintenance things I have in my apartment looked rushed…Y’all I don’t know a thing about housework or hardware type of stuff. I’m not an HGTV girly. I use the little knowledge from Handy Manny all those years ago, random YouTube tutorials, and Google everything before I put my furniture together. BUT some plugs in my apartment were obviously put there and some paint on my kitchen cabinets…doesn’t look right.
’26 Update: My first apartment was honestly…sus. Looking back, I shouldn’t have moved there, LOL. The staff was nice, but omg the apartments were so mediocre.
18. Apartment décor can make the apartment look and feel less empty.
Obviously, décor isn’t at the top of my essentials list, but putting up my world map bulletin board and to-do dry-erase board made my study room look better and more comfortable. It felt empty for the first week. So, I recommend getting a painting from Etsy or decorative pillows to make your apartment look better.
’26 Update: Decorating helps so much. Whenever I travel, I try to get a painting from a local artist to decor my space.
19. Figure out parking and where the dumpster is ASAP.
Maybe it’s from college, but I had a fear of my car getting towed. I triple-check anytime I park. My apartment has reserved parking, but it’s kind of difficult to tell which ones are reserved. Anyway, learn what the parking situation is at your first apartment before moving in. Also, learn where the dumpsters are because you’ll have plenty of boxes to toss during the first week.
’26 Update: Not to be that person, but just get a reserved parking space if you can afford it. Some of these apartment complexes have limited parking, and on the weeknights, it’s packed. Parking can be a hassle, and it’s just easier to have your own parking space.
20. Buy food ASAP and spices!!
Finally, the last thing I wish I knew before getting my first apartment was to put spices on my shopping list when I went grocery shopping. I found tons of first apartment grocery lists, but somehow most of them do not include spices. Do you know how much black pepper is?! I simply went to Walmart and got the Great Value spices I needed. Since I also eat the same thing every day, I got those groceries. But still, why are spices so high!
Barely any of these first apartment lists have a section for spices. Eventually, I’m going to have one for visitors to download because you need to season your food!
Related: A First Apartment Grocery List To Help Stock Your Kitchen
21. HUMIDITY
Okay, this is another update about things I wish I knew before getting my first apartment, and it’s so damn humid. I’m from Louisiana, and since living in Texas, I’ve adapted to the drier climate, and I totally forget that it can get humid here. I understand that. However, I wake up some mornings, and it’s so unnecessarily humid in my apartment. I have to open a window or two. Maybe it’s my complex. I Googled it, and it’s because apartments don’t have the best way of getting moisture out, and more reasons. I have to go buy a dehumidifier and figure out how to reduce the humidity because I can’t deal with it anymore.
’26 Update: SO, my first apartment didn’t have a vent. Yes. That’s why I eventually had mildew and mold. (Yes, I did have a crash-out session, and it was the final straw for me not to renew my lease). Make sure your apartment has a vent, especially if it’s an older complex. If not, purchase a dehumidifier.
Bonus: 22. Get Help When Needed
This is 2026 Me editing, and honestly, getting an apartment agent helps. It took so much of my time to find apartments. Now, I just ask my friends for an apartment agent company or find one. This is one thing I wish I knew before getting my first apartment.
Bonus 23. Don’t Rush It
Again, 2026 Me here: If I had to move out during these inflation times, I’d honestly try to live at home a little longer or with roommates, especially for my first apartment. I’m recommending this to my friends who are in their last years of college or in master’s degree programs to just wait and save. I know you’re likely going to pay with your mental health, but I wish I had waited a bit longer and saved money before moving out on my own. I eventually moved out of my first apartment.
That’s all the things I wish I knew before getting my first apartment.
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