How to Move Into Your First Apartment: A Free Checklist + Printable

I know from experience that moving into your first apartment can be scary — especially when you don’t even know what to look for. So if you or your kids are planning to move into their first place, take a look at this free checklist so you know exactly what to look for to make sure you’re happy with your home. 

So today we're sharing here a downloadable first apartment checklist. 

To make the move as easy as possible, download this checklist before you walk through potential apartments. You’ll want to test out things like the speed and sound of the ceiling fan, creaky floorboards, and water pressure in the bathroom and kitchen. 

Included in this checklist are things to look out for in each room. From your bathroom to your bedroom, you’ll want to make sure things are in tip-top shape before you move in — or you might end up trying to deal with frustrations like slow WiFi without any warning. 

For example, things to check for in your bedroom include:

• Ceiling fan speed and sound
• A clean and sturdy closet
• Window leaks and insulation
• Creaky floorboards

When you’re looking for your first apartment, it can be easy to miss these seemingly small things that can become big annoyances later on. While a window leak may not seem like the worst thing in the fall, you might feel very differently when a winter storm rolls through.

Beyond room-specific things to watch out for, there’s also some general and electricity-related topics to check out. For example, have you determined how your mail will be received? Is there some sort of secure lock box you can use, or should you put a plant out front to help disguise packages that are sitting out? These are all things that you’ll want to figure out ahead of time, to make sure you’re set up for success before your move.

Preparing to move can be a lot of work. If you’re still in the planning phase, be sure to check out this preparing to move checklist or if you’re already looking at your new place, click here or on the button below for your first apartment walkthrough checklist. 

Use this list yourself or share if with friends and family. Choosing a first (or second, or third) home can be a difficult process for all sorts of reasons, so it's important to make sure you avoid mistakes that can be costly in the future! 

Happy Thursday!

Disclaimer: this post was written in partnership with Siege Media and rent.com. Printables and images were supplied by them and as such are not owned by me.