What You Need for Your First Manhattan Apartment

Being able to afford your first apartment is a significant achievement, and in the Capital of the World nonetheless! While eager to settle in your new home, you also realize that such a step requires investment and planning how to furnish it. Also, sharing a living space with someone is quite different from being on your own. Instead of having a helping hand and advice a couple of feet away, this time, it’s up to you to put some thoughts on when creating your own nest. Since it can be a little scary to think about designing your little haven, you’re probably overthinking what you need for your first Manhattan apartment. Therefore, set up a budget and prioritize functionality before adding personal touches for completing your home design.

Prioritizing the essentials

The internet is an inexhaustible source of practical and innovative ideas to make the most of your home. However, usually, such designs require a substantial budget you may not have at this point. Apartments are constant work in progress, and it will take time before you’re entirely satisfied with every inch. Thus, in the beginning, prioritize the essential items for every room of the place.

It may sound easy, but NYC apartments often lack space or have specific design layouts, like studio apartments. So to optimize your new home, you’ll need to know what to look for. Practicality, style, and creativity are the three key features of every fashionable interior design. Therefore, if you follow that golden rule, you’ll have your dream home in no time. Be smart with attributing your budget and planning the items for each room.

Start with kitchen

The kitchen is the soul of every home. Thus, investing in elementary cookware is one of the first things to do when moving into your NYC home. Glasses, mugs, plates, silverware, pans, cutting boards, Tupperware, and bowls are the essentials of every kitchen. Whether you’re an excellent cook or not, you will still use it for the morning coffee, breakfast, snacks, and preparing dishes.

At the same time, the kitchen should have big and small appliances for food preparation and preservation. If you’re renting the place, big devices come with the turf. Still, you might need to buy a microwave, blender, mixes, a kettle, or anything else you usually use. The easiest way is to write down every necessity and prioritize it based on your needs. Perhaps not every Manhattan apartment needs a mixer, but it sure needs a quality coffee maker.

Moving to the bathroom essentials

Unlike potentially expensive kitchen appliances, bathrooms don’t require much investment to equip. Still, as one of the busiest areas, tackling it should be your priority. You already have most of the necessary appliances, such as a washing and drying machine, so you only need to focus on toiletries and some other details. Moving into a new place usually requires upgrading the shower caddy, shower curtain, bath mat, and cleaning kits. You can additionally add extra shelves, hangers, and racks if you’re dealing with small spaces and demand more room.

For a good night of sleep

Getting an entire night of sleep is vital for your health in a stress-induced environment in the city, so make sure to have a cozy mattress, pillow, sheets, and blankets to start with. According to moving specialists from manhattanmoversnyc.com, many NYC newcomers who start furnishing apartments from scratch invest in mattresses first and bed frames later. Such a strategy helps them have a good night of sleep from the first day in their new come, distributing the tight budget to other necessities.

Sustaining in a big city can be exhausting because you’re constantly rushing to places, draining energy along the way. Thus, you’ll often catch yourself thinking that you can’t wait to get in your bed. It’s a no-brainer that the bed is the crucial part of the bedroom, so you should focus on a quality mattress instead of a bed design.

Nightstands, lamps, curtains, and a dresser are the next on your list. But don’t underestimate the importance of bedroom wall decor. The bedroom is your oasis of peace, and sometimes just looking at an old, familiar painting from your old home can bring serenity. Therefore, after you’ve equipped the room with basics, find reliable art movers to handle your valuable art and transfer it to your Manhattan home.

Furnishing the heart of the apartment

The living room is an essential part of the apartment. Hence, put extra thought when optimizing and furnishing it since its functionality and style matters equally here. Imagine yourself spending your free time on the sofa, entertaining your guests, or power napping after your work and start putting together the essentials. The first thing to look for is a comfortable sofa, perhaps with a pull-out option, since it’s practical when guests stay overnight. Along with a comfy seating section, think about adding throw pillows, rugs, ottomans, bookshelves, TV, and feng-shui the place. Every living room benefits from natural light, so take care of your window treatment properly. Instead of heavy drapes, opt for light linen curtains that add a nice vertical texture to your apartment.

Moreover, if your living room is also your dining room, you’ll have to be clever with the use of space. With the limited square footage, the best thing is to invest in double-duty furniture that transforms into a better solution or has extra storage space. Therefore, instead of a big dining table, a drop-leaf console table with hidden foldable chairs is exactly what you need for your first Manhattan apartment. Having a small apartment shouldn’t stop you from occasionally entertaining your guests and enjoying quality dishes.

The final touches

Are you asking yourself what else you need for your first Manhattan apartment? Only the key thing – a personal touch. After buying the basics, it’s time to make yourself at home by expressing your unique personality. Most people do it through wall art, fabric selection, pattern, and colors. You can also do it through memorabilia display or by following the latest trends when decorating the living space.