Welcome back to the Collegiate Communities Blog! We’re turning to one of our favorite online communities in search of “first apartment” tips. If you’re new to our apartments in West Lafayette, IN and are considering taking a tour of one of our available homes, we’re excited to introduce you to our community. We hope the following tips will inspire you!

If you don’t already know, Reddit is a website where people can post content such as links, text posts, and images, which people can comment and vote on. The more popular the comments in the post, the more points they receive.

Top “first apartment” tips according to Reddit

Take your time looking at the place. Don’t feel rushed.
If you’re seriously considering a place, make a note of anything that is damaged in the apartment. Take pictures and document, document, document!
Dish soap is not a replacement for dishwasher soap. If you did use dish soap in your dishwasher, use cold water to clean it up; hot water makes the problem worse.
Have a box or bag with toilet paper, a hand towel, some soap, plastic cups, and paper towels in it at the ready. It should be the first thing you put in the apartment and unpacked immediately. During the move, you’ll eventually need to use the bathroom or drink water. Now you can.
Get a plunger before you need one.
Add a four pack of 60W light bulbs, a cheap Walmart floor lamp, a plunger and a yellow sponge with the green abrasive pad on one side. Pack a shower curtain if there’s not already one and cleaning products such as Lysol, Drain-O, Pledge, and Windex.
Buy a coffee maker or kettle and stop spending money every day on coffee or tea.
Find out what’s within walking distance.
Introduce yourself to the neighbors.
Always have at least a month’s worth of the cost of rent in savings — ideally more. At least have the security of being able to afford rent even if you lost your job tomorrow.