Dorm Life to Real Life: College Student Tips For Moving to First Apartment

There comes a time in your college career when you realize that dorm life isn’t for you anymore. Between the shared room space and long lines for the shower, you’re more than ready to put living in the dorms behind you. If you’ve decided to move out of your dorm room or parents house if you were commuting from home, moving into your first apartment can be an exciting time.

However, as a new apartment-hunter, it’s wise to approach the process armed with useful tips and tools. Before you embark on the life of an independent collegiate, check out these tips on moving into your first apartment as a student.

1. Ask Your Inner-Circle First

When it comes to finding available vacancies, first utilize your network of friends and fellow students before paying for pricey listing sites or searching for roommates on free sites like Craigslist. Most likely, there are plenty of others in your network who are looking for a new roommate or has an apartment with vacant rooms. Simply creating a Facebook post or posting on your student intranet is an efficient and safe way to find the ideal apartment living scenario.

2. Beware of Rental Scams

As a first-time renter, you may be susceptible to rental scams due to several reasons. Internet rental scammers may assume that a college student isn’t as savvy about spotting red flags or that they’re high need for fast housing will make them an easy target.

If you’re apartment hunting online, be watchful for warning signs such as overzealous realtors, request for personal information too soon or requests for money transfers. If a situation doesn’t feel right, it’s most often not.

3. Assign Furniture & Household Items

If you’re a college student, it’s safe to assume that you’re not making the big bucks quite yet. When moving into a new apartment, it can be tempting to spend all your savings on “grownup” furniture but we suggest a different approach. If you’re living with roommates, designate a piece of furniture that each person can contribute as long as the pieces don’t clash with each other. Even though some of your old dorm decor is best left in the past, select a few items that will work in an apartment space and ask your new roomies to do the same. You’ll be fully furnished without having to spend a dime!

4. Budget, Budget & Budget!

If you’ve never made a budget before, here’s the perfect time to start. Living in a dorm doesn’t always lend itself to budgeting finances because you may not have been earning your own money and it’s likely that loans or your parents covered most of your costs. However, when rent, groceries, utilities and spending money come into play, creating a feasible budget is crucial.

If you’re a budget-making rookie, try some of the free budget apps such as Mint and Wally which are easy to learn and simple to use. Missing a rent payment can incur some serious late fees so utilizing a free rent payment app like RentPayment or VENMO.

These moving tips will have you well on your way as a brand new apartment renter. Renting your first apartment is a big step towards adulthood and these tips can help make it a seamless transition, especially with the help of a local moving company in Downtown Tempe near ASU!

If you’re ready to start the process of moving into your first apartment, make sure it’s seamless by checking out CableMover’s customizable moving guide – from movers to timelines, our guide allows you to customize your move exactly how you want it.